Upgrading H/K 6x9s AS3

[TSGriffin]

Hey I'm interested in upgrading the rear 6x9s in my 2001 lpt sedan. Already did the L/R dash with Infinity Kappas which are awesome. But i want a little more low end bass response without going the full boxed sub taking up trunk space route.

Anyone replaced/upgraded these rear deck speakers with good results? Ideally I would like to run them off the stock amp.

Specifically I found these [url = http://woofersetc.amazonwebstore.com/Cl69x-CDT-Audio-6-X-9/M/B001MSS6YQ.htm?traffic_src=froogle&utm_medium=CSE& utm_source=froogle] CDT CL-69 subwoofers [/url] Anyone have any experience with them?

[TSGriffin]

URL didn't work... here it is http://woofersetc.amazonwebstore.com...source=froogle

[TSGriffin]

No one has replaced their rear 6x9s in the AS3 system? I'm looking for any and all info on the matter. Let me here what some of you all have done with respect to upgrading speakers.

[01SaabV6]

Well if you replaced the fronts with Kappas I would do the rear as well....Infinity is nice...i have one of there pwered subs in my SUV....Id go with Infinity if it were me! A friend of mine put some Polks in his 9-3 and they sound real nice as well!

[TSGriffin]

Originally Posted by 01SaabV6

Well if you replaced the fronts with Kappas I would do the rear as well....Infinity is nice...i have one of there pwered subs in my SUV....Id go with Infinity if it were me!

Yeah i was thinking of going that route, but ideally I want to directly swap for the "subs" that are already there. All Infinitys I can find are coaxial, no need for a tweeter back there.

Also, wrong speakers THESE are the ones I'm interested in. http://www.woofersetc.com/p-8451-cl-...ubwoofers.aspx
They are free air woofers.

[deepblue]

I'm new to the 9-5... Interested in speaker upgrades too. Just so I understand, the 6x9 rears are just for bass ? Is that correct ?

[01SaabV6]

hmm...i did not know that....well ill check around and see what i can find...

[TSGriffin]

Originally Posted by deepblue

I'm new to the 9-5... Interested in speaker upgrades too. Just so I understand, the 6x9 rears are just for bass ? Is that correct ?

Well yes, assuming you have the AS3 "Premium" sound system. There is also the AS2 and AS1 set ups. Only the AS3 has rear deck 6x9s. You can tell if you have AS3 if there are Harman/Kardon logos on the rear speaker grilles. The AS2 is also a decent system made by Pioneer, but lacks the low end response without the 6x9s. The AS1 is pretty much just terrible and should never have been put into a car like this.

There is a lot of information here: http://www.mitt-eget.com/saab/faq_audio.shtml

I'm new to the Saab world as of last year, welcome aboard!

[Elsaabador]

I can tell you that CDT is one of the best products for car audio, but Infinity (which is Harmon Kardon, Harmon Industries) is also a great brand. Using a coaxial design may increase your high frequency output of the driver (depending on crossover points) but not likely due to the 6x9's being a dedicated low frequency output. for $149 they will be a great buy.

I once read that the Harmon Kardon stereo system runs at a nominal 3 ohms. this is an estranged and unusual resistance for a stereo. using a 4 ohm speaker will not allow your amplifier to run as efficiently as it actually is capable of doing. It will not produce as many watts of power with the higher speaker resistance. An option you have to greatly increase your bass output would be to use an auto loc box (http://www.audiovideo4me.com/PAC_Car...r_p/sni-35.htm)

This box will convert the high level input (using tap adapters on the 6x9 speaker wire) to a low level input compatible with an amplifier. Source a Power acoustik reciver OV2-400 2 channel amp or similiar, and you will have a stereo which will perform very well. Please note the Power Acoustik amp is very affordable, however, it has a cleaner THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) than most $800+ home stereos

If you want to take this idea to a whole other level, then you can cover a small shoebox with Tin foil, and make a "box" out of fiberglass. Make sure that this will fit between the Amp and Strut mount. Once molded, mount the box with additional fiberglass to the rear deck backside (trunk space). ensure this space is sealed completely, and then stuff the entire enclosure with Poly-fill. This will actually slow down the bass frequencies within the enclusre, and essentially provide you with the subwoofer experience without sacfricing much space. Just an Idea.

[TSGriffin]

......

Originally Posted by Elsaabador

I can tell you that CDT is one of the best products for car audio, but Infinity (which is Harmon Kardon, Harmon Industries) is also a great brand. Yes, I have 3.5" kappas in the l/r dash sopts and they're amazing. but the tweeter on a coax speaker would be completely unused back there, just seems like not the best option

I once read that the Harmon Kardon stereo system runs at a nominal 3 ohms. this is an estranged and unusual resistance for a stereo. using a 4 ohm speaker will not allow your amplifier to run as efficiently as it actually is capable of doing. It will not produce as many watts of power with the higher speaker resistance. The H/K system does have very odd impedance on all its speakers. but the rear two 6x9s are actually rated at 2ohms, which again brings me back to the Infinity Kappas which are also 2ohm rated. a 4 ohm speaker could work IF it had a high enough sensitivity compared to the stock speaker...basically less power needed for same volume. my kappas up front actually are a bit louder than stock and I have to dial down the treble because of it. heres a link to where you can find all the 9-5 audio facts http://www.mitt-eget.com/saab/faq_audio.shtml#speakers

An option you have to greatly increase your bass output would be to use an auto loc box (http://www.audiovideo4me.com/PAC_Car...r_p/sni-35.htm)

This box will convert the high level input (using tap adapters on the 6x9 speaker wire) to a low level input compatible with an amplifier. I thought about this route, but funds are limited being a poor college student. Maybe in a couple years. I just want to boost the stock system a bit for the time being.


If you want to take this idea to a whole other level, then you can cover a small shoebox with Tin foil, and make a "box" out of fiberglass. Make sure that this will fit between the Amp and Strut mount. Once molded, mount the box with additional fiberglass to the rear deck backside (trunk space). ensure this space is sealed completely, and then stuff the entire enclosure with Poly-fill. This will actually slow down the bass frequencies within the enclusre, and essentially provide you with the subwoofer experience without sacfricing much space. Just an Idea. Now this sounds like a cool project!! Have you done this on a car yourself? I would be interested as I have a lot of experience with fiber-glassing boats and would definitely be willing to try this.

[Elsaabador]

TS Griffin,

I haven't done the fiberglass enclosures myself. Since i got my 2002 5 spd, i have been focused on speed.. but when i had my 2001 automatic, i just wanted a good sounding vehicle. This was one of my options along with fiber glassing a sub woofer enclosure to fit on the left side of the trunk. Line the carpet area with alot of tin foil to protect the area, and then lay fiberglass inside to "mold" the area. Be very careful as fiberglass is impossible to get out of carpet. Once you have the mold, cut it down a bit and cut a plywood piece that matches the shape of the floor without affecting your ability to access the spare. bond the two together, and add a sealed baffle to hold the sub. Keep in mind access to the rear light bulbs. Use fiberglass to complete the enclosure fully, and make sure you have about 1.0 ft^3 inside, spray the inside f the box with under-body spray. and fill with poly-fill.. the under-body spray will absorb vibrations, seal the box, and also the dimpled surface will slow down the airwaves, and also smooth out the sound. Design the enclosure to hold a good 10 inch sub, and then port the enclosure directly to the front of the car... overall, this is the most space saving option you have i think maybe.

I am no longer worried about sound. I am thinking about just putting some high sensitivity speakers in the dash, and calling it a day. the harmon kardon sounds pretty decent overall. and my new born is in the car nearly 90% of the time i drive, so i never get to play it loud anyways..

[TSGriffin]

yeah, I would love to go the full sub route, but more often than not I'm hauling a fair amount of stuff around to and from college. So space is an issue. How much of a difference would boxing the 6x9s make do you think? Is it worth it?

I'm also leaning more and more towards the Infinity Kappa 629.9s. Specs on crutchfield say they can hit as low as 35Hz, that seems pretty good for a 6x9, and definitely better than stock if true.