A:  The different audio systems in the Saab 9⁵ have different head units, amplifiers, and speakers.

Power output, number of speakers, sound quality, and cost varies with AS1 at the low end and AS3/ES3 at the high end. The AS2 and AS3 systems share the same head units, either the radio/CD/tape head unit or the radio/navigation head unit. The radio/navigation head unit is available as factory option starting with model year 2003½ (on selected markets) and available as aftermarket upgrade for model year 2001 cars, and later, prewired for navigation system.

The following table lists features of the factory installed audio systems found in the Saab 9⁵.

A:  The audio systems are manufactured by the companies in the following table.

A:  The following clues can be used to identidy the installed audio system.

A:  No. Only the CD changer sold by Saab for the 9⁵ and 9³ will fit.

The Saab CD changer for the 9⁵ and 9³ is made for Saab by Pioneer. The interface to the head unit is not the ordinary Pioneer cable, instead the CD changer attaches to the I-BUS (a CAN bus, Controller Area Network bus, J-2284, used as a local area network in the car) and uses it for communications to/from the head unit. The TWICE security computer will not allow the CD changer to communicate on the I-BUS unless it has been married to the car using the TECH 2 diagnostics tool.

Before moving a CD changer from one car to another car it has to be divorced (also using the TECH 2 tool) before it can be married to the new car. All this because some low ranking life forms does not understand the concept of "mine" and "yours".

If the CD changer is not married to the car it is installed in, then this message will be displayed on the SID.

A:  Not easily.

Modern Saabs have almost no unused wires, so if the car was ordered without AS3/ES53 it has no AS3/ES3 wireing at all. For the audio system the cars are wired at the factory for

• No audio preparation (no audio cables at all)
• Audio preparation (like AS1, but without AS1 head unit)
• Audio System 1
• Audio System 2
• Audio System 3

With model year 2006 cars the AS1 system is replaced by the Premium 80 system (standard) and the AS2 and AS3 systems have been replaced by Premium 150 (ES52) and Prestige 200 (ES53).

A:  No, it is involves much more than two new speakers.

You need to do the following to get to factory spec AS3:

1. Remove old seven channel AS2 amplifier (made by Pioneer).
2. Remove seven old AS2 speakers (made by Pioneer).
3. Remove old AS2 cable harness.
4. Install new AS3 cable harness.
5. Install nine new AS3 speakers (made by Harman Kardon) and Harman Kardon logo on rear speaker grilles (4 door models).
6. Install new nine channel AS3 amplifier (made by Harman Kardon).

You need to do the following to get a working AS3 system:

1. Remove old seven channel AS2 amplifier (made by Pioneer).
2. Remove seven old AS2 speakers (made by Pioneer).
3. Add missing speaker cables to AS2 cable harness.
4. Install nine new AS3 speakers (made by Harman Kardon).
5. Install new nine channel AS3 amplifier (made by Harman Kardon).

Note that the AS2 speakers have different sizes, different impedances, and different frequency ranges than the AS3 speakers.

This upgrade is everything but cheap and easy...

My local Saab dealer did investigate the cost of this upgrade, i.e. rebuilding the AS2 audio system to what it would have been if the AS3 was a factory install. The cost, including all labour, came out at SEK 50 000, EUR 5 600, or USD 4 800. Lucky me ordered the factory installed AS3. :-)

Swedish Saab dealers offer a "fake" AS3 upgrade, AS2+, consisting, at least in 1999, of a plain off-the-shelf Pioneer amplifier and a pair of plain off-the-shelf 6" x 9" full range speakers. I have listened to this upgrade and did not like it, especially not the full range sound from the rear.

A:  Yes, with an adapter.

The low level signal between the head unit and the amplifier is not the common single ended (signal & ground) used in ordinary consumer audio, instead it is a balanced (signal+ & signal-) used in pro audio. Attaching the new amplifier here requires an adapter.

Another possible location is to use the high level signal at the rear passenger door speakers using a common high level to low level converter. The problem is that this signal may not be full range as it may have been filtered in the amplifier, the workshop manual gives the frequency range as midrange/treble.

A:  Yes.

An adapter that converts between a balanced professional audio signal (like the Saab head unit) and a single ended consumer audio signal (like consumer automotive amplifiers) is relatively easy to build. The drawing below shows an example of a balanced to single ended adapter using a common dual operational amplifier (OP-amp) connected as an amplifier with a differential input. The drawing is just an untested example showing what my first try would look like if I needed such an adapter. More work may be needed to make it into an adapter sutiable for automotive use.

Instead of building an amplifier with a differential input it is possible to use transformers. Such transformers are sold as galvanic isolation adapters for use in car audio. The intended use for these adapters is to break up ground loops to reduce noise, but they should work as a balanced to single ended adapter as well.

Examples of galvanic isolation adapters are

• RadioShack [USA], Ground Loop Isolator, article number 270-0054
• Elfa [Sweden], Audiotransformator med phonokontakter, article number 56-624-08
• Elfa [Norway], Audiotransformator med phonokontakter, article number 56-624-08
• Elfa [Denmark], Audio transformer with phono connectors, article number 56-624-08
• Elfa [Finland], Audio transformer with phono connectors, article number 56-624-08
• Elfa [Poland], Transformator akustyczny ze ztaczami phono, article number 56-624-08
• Elfa [English], Audio transformer with phono connectors, article number 56-624-08
• Biltema [Sweden], Galvanisk avskiljare, article number 31-441
• Biltema [Norway], Linjeutgang, article number 31-441
• Biltema [Denmark], Galvanisk adskiller, article number 31-441
• Biltema [Finland], Galvaaninen RCA-Erotin, article number 31-441

Make sure that no signals are common between the left and right sides of the adapter, i.e. Left IN+, Left IN-, Right IN+ and Right IN- should not be connected together. Example: The left and right grounds are joined inside the Biltema adapter and must be separated by cutting a trace of the circuit board inside the adapter.

A:  The amplifier is mounted by the front passengers feet (left hand drive) or drivers feet (right hand drive), below the A pillar near the wheel.

The wires from the head unit and battery connect to the amplifier using one big connector. The balanced low level signals should be twisted. The big connector has two rows of pins. The first row starts with two large red wires and is numbered 1 through 20. The second row starts with two large black wires and is numbered 21 through 39. With this reference it should be possible to find the wires needed to connect an extra amplifier.

Note that the low level signal between the head unit and the amplifier is not the common single ended (signal & ground) used in ordinary consumer audio, instead it is a balanced (signal+ & signal-) used in pro audio. Attaching the new amplifier requires an adapter.

The information the table below was taken from the 9⁵ workshop manual for model years 1999 and 2002. Unfortunately wire colours/colors may vary between model years. There were few wireing changes until model year 2001.

A:  Ok, here it is.

Note that the low level signals between the AS1/AS2/AS3 head unit, the AS2/AS3 amplifier, and the CD changer are not the common single ended (signal & ground) used in ordinary consumer audio, instead it is a balanced (signal+ & signal-) used in pro audio.

The information the tables below were taken from the 9⁵ workshop manual for model years 1999 and 2002. Unfortunately wire colours/colors may vary between model years. There were few wireing changes until model year 2001.

 Mute control

This pin is at 12V for 1s after the head unit has been turned on, and for 10s after the head unit has been turned off. At all other times it is at less than 1V.

 Phone mute

This pin is normally floating free at 4V to 6V. A phone handsfree kit should pull down this pin to less than 1V during a phone call.

 Remote on control (antenna)

This pin is at 12V when head unit is turned on.

 I-BUS -/+

These pins are part of the vehicle communication network. Don't mess with these wires as doing so can cause problems, and perhaps damage, to many on-board computers!

A:  Perhaps.

The sizes and impedances of the speakers are rather unusual. The amplifier may not like, or may not perform the way it should, if speakers of different impedances are used instead of the standard speakers.

The information the tables below were taken from the 9⁵ workshop manual for model year 1999. The sum of all amplifier powers does not add up to the marketing power numbers. I do not know if this is due to realistic numbers in the workshop manual and optimistic numbers in marketing, or if the reason is an error in the workshop manual.

A:  Pressing the buttons changes the voltage on one wire.

The buttons in the steering wheel is made from six/eight switches and seven/nine resistors connected in series. The switches connects the points between the resistors to a common wire. A seventh/tenth switch connects over all resistors and is used for the horn.

Note that four wires connect the steering wheel to the instrument panel wireing. Two of them are for the AIRBAG. Do NOT connect test instruments to the airbag wires!

The switch/resistor network is connected to the SID. The SID will measure the resistance of the network and either activate the horn relay or send a message to the audio system over the I-BUS.

The information the table below was taken from the 9⁵ workshop manual for model year 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004. Wire colours/colors may vary between model years. There were few wireing changes until model year 2001, but model year 2004 has a new SID with a different connector.

The airbag wires do not connect to the SID.

With the steering wheel buttons connected to the SID a voltage can be measured. With the steering wheel buttons disconnected from the SID a resistance can be measured.

Note that four wires connect the steering wheel to the instrument panel wireing. Two of them are for the AIRBAG. Do NOT connect test instruments to the airbag wires!

A:  You put the AS2/AS3 head unit in test mode by accident.

The test mode is activated by holding the RADIO button and turning on power. The head unit now enters a test mode sending audio to the amplifier in the following repeating sequence:

1. Front left
2. Front right
3. Rear right
4. Rear left
5. Front left+right
6. Rear left+right

The head unit continues to function as normal, except for this sequencing of the audio outputs. Turning off the head unit will leave the test mode.

A:  Perhaps

Only four audio inputs are available from the outside of a AS2/AS3 head unit.

• Input for phone (mono).
• Input for CD changer.
• Radio antenna.
• Playback head for tape deck.

Five possible audio inputs are available inside the AS2/AS3 head unit.

• Use the tape player audio path.
• Use the CD player audio path.
• Use the phone input audio path after it splits into a right and left signal.
• Use the weather band (US/CA models) audio path after it splits into a right and left signal.
• Add a new input to the electronic volume control.

 Phone input

Using the mono input intended for a phone is probably not very interesting.

 Radio antenna

The radio antenna can be used for MP3 audio by using a commonly available FM modulator. The MP3 player will be heard by tuning the radio to the frequency used by the modulator.

 Tape deck playback head

The tape deck playback head can be used for MP3 audio by using a commonly available adapter. The adapter has the shape of a compact cassette tape. The MP3 player will be heard by inserting the adapter and playing the tape.

 CD changer input

The input used by the CD changer can be used if:

1. The MP3 player is connected to the I-BUS, and has been married to the car (i.e. has been accepted by the TWICE security computer).
2. The AS2/AS3 head unit must know that a CD changes is connected so the input is activated.
3. The MP3 player is able to talk to the AS2/AS3 head unit over the I-BUS.

I don't know of any hardware, except the original Saab CD changer, that is able to do this. How the communication with the CD changer is done is not available in public documentation that I know of.

It should be possible to reverse engineer the communication using available CAN bus software tools, but this is most likely not an easy job.

 Tape player audio path

This method requires internal modifications to the head unit. The method is to steal the audio path from the tape player, replacing the tape player audio signal with the MP3 audio signal. A audio cassette has to be "played" to activate the MP3 audio.

Step-by-step instructions for this modification are available from the SAAB 95 MP3 player site.

 CD player audio path

This method requires internal modifications to the head unit. The method is to steal the audio path from the CD player, replacing the CD player audio signal with the MP3 audio signal. A CD has to be "played" to activate the MP3 audio.

 Phone input audio path

 Weather band audio path

 Electronic volume control

These methods require internal modifications to the head unit. The method is to steal the phone input or weather band audio path after it has been split into a left and right audio signal. This is just before the electronic volume control, so an alternative is to add a new input to the electronic volume control just for the MP3 signal.