2001 Saab 9 3 Audio Upgrade - Part 1

In this video I replace the speakers and factory amplifier in a 2001 Saab 9-3 Aero. I installed a Pioneer GM-D1004 amplifier in place of the stock unit. This was connected to the head unit using a 5-pin DIN to RCA cable:
www.amazon.co....
The speakers I installed were JL Audio 6x9's (C1-690TX) and 6.5" components (C1-650).
Here is a link to Part 2 of this series:
• 2001 Saab 9 3 Audio Up...
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/ @randomtasks

[@BWTECH0521]

handsome car! I'm from the US so we never got the Aero. Very cool spec! Looking forward to your progress with this beauty! subbed :)

[@bertushd]

Nice video, very practical for those who wants to do something with their audio system. Also me. Thanks for this.

[@randomtasks]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheLeeCohen]

Great video, thank you!

[@aaronkashmer5882]

Amp needs switched on via the Head unit... Also if you take out the radio for a time it will need remarried with a TechII In my 2000 9-5 the doors are just a woofer cut of around 1500KHZ its amazing how amps have some down in size!!!

[@randomtasks]

I used the power antenna wire to switch on the amp. And yes, I read that about the radio and keeping it disconnected for too long.

[@eliasholenhannouch807]

This was actually a lot of help. I upgraded the tweeders and back speakers, and I also had to mount them from below, great tips! I'm curious though as to how you connect sound from the stereo without using the 8-pin. I don't have such a cable and I'm just a complete novice. I'm thinking of adding an amp and running everything through that, but I'm just not sure on how to connect everything.

[@randomtasks]

I'm glad the video was useful. There should be a 5-pin DIN jack on the back of the radio. This is the pre-amp output. I bought a 5-pin DIN to phono cable from Amazon and plugged that into the aftermarket amp. This is covered in Part 2. Here's the cable I bought: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00M0FXR8A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

[@eliasholenhannouch807]

@@randomtasks Thank you so much for the info! May I ask, this 5-pin cable, what is the output from it? In other words, the red, white, yellow and black cables emmanating from it? I'm wondering if it's possible to buy an amp so that these cables can be the input straight into it. Are these four cables essentially the (+) and (-) for both door speakers? I.e. four cables.

[@randomtasks]

@@eliasholenhannouch807 The four cables represent one channel each (i.e. front left, front right, rear left, rear right). Each of the cables has a phono jack, which has the standard polarity of the centre pin being positive and the outside being negative. I cannot remember which colour was for which channel, but once you hook up an amp, it's easy enough to experiment.

[@eliasholenhannouch807]

​​@@randomtasksthat confuses me a little bit. If the 5-pin has front left/right and rear left/right signals coming out of it, then if that's the case, which two of these signals do you use for the door speakers? Since you are only running two speakers through the amp, right?

[@randomtasks]

@@eliasholenhannouch807 No, I am running all six speakers through the amp. Watch Part 2 of my audio upgrade videos. You will see that I install component speakers in the front doors and dash and then coax 6x9's in the rear. These are all powered by a 4 channel amp.

[@lething931]

Nice german work bench with TÜV and GS (geprüfte Sicherheit. saftey proved) stamps. Greetings from Germany 👍

[@randomtasks]

Vielen Dank

[@lething931]

@@randomtasks oh, I see...Sie sprecken deutsch. 👍

[@aaronkashmer5882]

That plug is for a phone... :) I think!

[@MarcelSisak]

Hello where can I find speakers for my saab? all i find are out of stock :(

[@randomtasks]

Depends which country you are in. I bought mine in the UK from caraudiocentre.co.uk. I bought JL Audio C1-690TX and JL Audio C1-650 speakers and a Pioneer GM-D1004 amp.

[@berendsombroek7399]

What kind of tweeters did you use? Great video!

[@randomtasks]

Thanks, I bought JL Audio C1-650 component speakers.

[@christophermiller3639]

Wondering if you could help me with the wiring on the amp I'm guessing that's why you didn't have front speakers ?

[@randomtasks]

I did have front speakers installed, but they weren’t working. There were no issues with the wiring from the amp to the speakers, so either the speakers failed (due to disintegrated surrounds) or the amp failed. Replacing the amp was pretty simple to do, and not too expensive, so I opted for that solution.

[@datpmf]

Is it really necessary to take off the entire door panel to access the speaker?

[@randomtasks]

Yes, almost every car is like this. Even if the speaker grill can be removed separately from the door panel, it’s usually held in place by fasteners that must be accessed from the back.

[@rezaq1]

Where did you find this car advertised? If it’s AE51 it’s my old car

[@randomtasks]

Hagstrom Saab, but it’s not AE51.