Saab 9-3 dash speakers upgrade

[Yarvis]

That's true for <=MY06 but they changed to a regular setup for 2007 when they introduced the GM audio head unit.

So what about MY2010? Can I replace the stock unit with something else? Will I be able to integrate the steering wheel controls for the stereo and the bluetooth?

[Nickolay]

See my tread about TurboX audio system replasement TurboX stereo. 2-Din Alpine\ Hertz - SaabCentral Forums

[Yarvis]

See my tread about TurboX audio system replasement TurboX stereo. 2-Din Alpine\ Hertz - SaabCentral Forums

Nickolay:
I give you tons of credit my friend, the install in your last link to me is very nice for a shadetree like yourself. (You SHOULD be VERY proud of your talents) When I was competing in the late 90's I heard Morels and was very impressed with them, I'm sure all of these years later they have only gotten better!

[Yarvis]

Nickolay:
I'm trying to place a link here so that you can see a few shots of my system. It was featured in a 1997 Car Audio and Electronics feature for May of that year. I had a friend of mine send me this link of someone who posted on a blog as one of their all time favorite installs. Click it and let me know what you think?

INSTALLS

[Nickolay]

I love MB Quart speakers especially the series "Q" and Xtant amps. I love old school car audio components Your stealth install is very good and clean. Congratulations! I love stealth installs. this my stealth amp install in 9-3 SC http://saabworld.net/f69/stealth-amp...portcombi-345/

[Yarvis]

I love MB Quart speakers especially the series "Q" and Xtant amps. I love old school car audio components Your stealth install is very good and clean. Congratulations! I love stealth installs. this my stealth amp install in 9-3 SC http://saabworld.net/f69/stealth-amp...portcombi-345/

Thank you. I no longer own the car unfortunately. After I won my class at the 1998 IASCA World Finals in Dallas, I was placed into the Pro-150-300 power class and decided to retire. I sold the car to my installer who used it for two purposes. One, as an actual sound demo car. You can have 20 or 30 brands of speakers, amps and head units on a sound board, but you will never get to hear how they sound in an actual car.
The other purpose was so that his wife could have an actual daily driver with a kick ass system in it. Unfortunately, she was in a major accident with it and the car was totaled 2 years later.

[Cafasco]

Thanks Wulf. Using your instructions, I replaced the L&R dash speakers, but instead used Infinity Reference 3032cf based on Crutchfield's "Outfit My Car" recommendation tool. Everything worked as you explained. However, these speakers have a raised tweeter dome (similar to the BA S35's you installed). When I put the speaker grills back in place, the fit is so tight that the dome presses directly against the center of the grill. Did you have any issues like this? Are you aware of any replacement speaker grills that would allow a bit more space? Thanks.

The Polks sticking out of the grills and reflecting in the windsheild finally got to me. I ordered new grill covers from saabpartscheep and a set of BA S35s from SonicElectronics. I did the swap yesterday....ahhh! The BA35s fit nicely under the grill covers and sound GREAT! I like them better than the db351s. Imaging and accuracy is better to my ear. I'm hearing subtel things I didn't with the db351s. The S35s are not as bright but still hit the highs with great clarity. The overall tone seems more balanced to me. I wish I wouldn't have jumped at the db351s w/o proper research.

[kr38]

I'm just about to fit the Boston Acoustics S35 3-1/2" speakers to my '07 9 3 Aero. After doing a bit of research i've seen bass blockers recommended for these speakers. Are they necessary? I did not know about bass blockers before but thought if needed I could fit them at the same time as I fit the speakers.

Many thanks for this thread. I never would have tried to upgrade the dash speakers without it.

[Cafasco]

No you do not need any bass blockers. The lower fq.s are filtered out at the amp for '07+ cars. Plug n play! You should really like those speakers. They are quite a bit better than I thought they would be.

You can pop another set in the rear deck to round out the sound. There apparently is more power going to the rear deck in for 07+ cars, so it does make a diff. They also take 3.5" speakers back there rather than 4". Its even easier than the front.

You can also install 6x9s in the back shelf, but you would have to amp them to get any worth while sound out of them. Thats quite a bit more involved.

Knowing what I now know, I'd most likely go with BA35s in the front and rear, then replace the stock door mid-bass speakers with the Image Dynamics CX62. They are a 6.5" 2ohm mid bass woofer. They are supposed to be awesome. I understand the stock door speakers are the least accurate of the 7. Here is the best price I've found for a pair: WoofersEtc.com - CX62 V.2 - Image Dynamics 6.5" 2 ohm Mid-bass Drivers

[kr38]

Thanks for your advice, Cafasco.

When you refer to the 'rear deck' do you mean the rear parcel shelf speakers? My car has the 7 speaker set-up with the amp in the boot.