Member Since: 21 Nov 2020
Location: Canary Islands
Posts: 129
Finding the CLEANEST audio input
In discovering the status of my car, I have had to modify some of my plans a bit.
I am planning to install an Android Auto/carPlay system into the car - whilst still maintaining all the original equipment in its original place.
The display for the new unit will be mounted in front of the current Nav, with some custom bracket for it.
My car is a pre-prod HSE with Harmon Kardon audio system (Not Logic 7 - Amp is silver in color) and the factory Nav.
My current Aux port is barely working, but I suspect a new port would solve the issues.
I am looking for the best way to get clean audio into the factory system.
I dont mind not being able to use built in Nav, and dont really care about the rear Aux Port.
New Head Unit has lots of audio out options including Phono Connections (Front & Rear Separate), a SPDIFF (Optical) output, and a Sub Output.
Current plan of action is to take one of the Phono outputs, and wire it up to a plug to go into the back of the HK unit.
Can anyone think of any other way, maybe a simpler way, or a cleaner way?
I dont care so much about the radio, nav screen or anything really in terms of audio, but its important things will be reversible.
If Wiggs was still active, I would have pingged him a message for his opinion, but last post was circa 5 months ago.Pre-Production
D3 V8 #264
LHD '04 HSE
Living its life as a 50/50 On/Off road car exploring the Canary Islands
25th Nov 2020 1:43 pm
Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1820
i did some research for my former Saab 9-5 Aero with also a HK amp..
the key to retrofit another headunit and attach it to the HK amp, Saab did use this...
1 per channel line, so you need 2 of these..
i think, but did not measure them, they are fitted between the Headunit of the D3 allready...
so i would try, cuting the line right behind the headunit and attach the new headunit to the 4 existing lines the HK unit will divide it to all the speakersBest regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
25th Nov 2020 1:56 pm
McAdam
Member Since: 21 Nov 2020
Location: Canary Islands
Posts: 129
Oooh, Another Saab Fan.
I did have a HK system on my last 9-3 Hirsch. But I never upgraded the audio system, just installed a custom bluetooth board in place of the CD changer.
I will have a look at the back of the current headunit and see if I can spot what you have drawn.
Thanks for the hint.Pre-Production
D3 V8 #264
LHD '04 HSE
Living its life as a 50/50 On/Off road car exploring the Canary Islands
25th Nov 2020 5:23 pm
Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1820
We had 4 saabs in total... soooo easy to tune, and they have a nice atmosphere inside...
The same as i like on the Land Rover... (the second now)
What you maybe can see at the back of the audio is shrinking tube, atleast on mine 2005 build MY06 D3
That looks the same as the OEM saab solution to attach a optional Becker to the HK system, what was not possible by default..Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
25th Nov 2020 5:32 pm
discovery3ski
Member Since: 25 Dec 2012
Location: leicester
Posts: 735
Saab fan here too. Couple of 9-5 aero estates,five c900 turbos and a turbo 99 so far.Discovery 3 tdv6 HSE 2007
Alfa GTV CUP
Alfa 156 JTS
Alfa Spider TS
Alfa GT Cloverleaf
Volvo XC70
25th Nov 2020 5:39 pm
McAdam
Member Since: 21 Nov 2020
Location: Canary Islands
Posts: 129
Haha, I think we will probably find a lot of Saab Owners who moved to Discos
I had 3x 9-3, 1x 9-5 and of course the neccecary 900 turbo
There is a very similar feeling between being in a saab and a disco. at least for me Pre-Production
D3 V8 #264
LHD '04 HSE
Living its life as a 50/50 On/Off road car exploring the Canary Islands
25th Nov 2020 5:44 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2891
I had a 93 Aero Convertible that was Hirsh UK Demonstrator car - I bought it from Saab in the UK and it was fully maxed out with every option they did including the folding bike in the boot! Soon changed the wheels though as the tyres were such a low profile and the suspension was so stiff it nearly shook the change out of my pockets when I drove it!
First car I had with flappy paddles and a massive turbo upgrade, was great fun, then bought a D3 and stopped driving within a few days - it went from weekend car to sometime never car!
Click image to enlarge
Ironically they bought it back from me a couple of years later for a really good price! Still regret selling it back to them though!Must stop buying shiny toys....
25th Nov 2020 6:10 pm
Motolab
Member Since: 18 Oct 2019
Location: Sleen
Posts: 1820
McAdam wrote:
Haha, I think we will probably find a lot of Saab Owners who moved to Discos
I can imagine that indeed! In the end, as ages rise (we that is) the absence of hight on/in a Saab (aero) is a “thing”
McAdam wrote:
There is a very similar feeling between being in a saab and a disco. at least for me
i fully agree!
Although i liked them vey much.. i had two of them tuned up to 300bhp... pulling power is from 80 km/h up phenomenal, but in todays traffic, rather useless.... and after our Disco2 i missed the green laning too much...Best regards
Harold
Always looking for Pre '55's & Pre war British Motorcycles! knowing or having one for sale? PM please. I visit the UK 6 times a year
Ps. I edit my texts quite often, english is not my native language, so I will edit My “typo’s” etc.
25th Nov 2020 6:54 pm
McAdam
Member Since: 21 Nov 2020
Location: Canary Islands
Posts: 129
So...
It is some time later and I have come up with the following conclusions:
OPTION 1
There is a device that accepts a 2x RCA input and will output on the MOST network. Apparently, it is compatible with LRs but I have not tested.
In researching the MOST system and trying to find ways to decode/inject audio, I have come to the conclusion that the main head unit will be listening on certain "Channels" within the MOST network, and by selecting different inputs, it will send those data packets to the Amp.
In theory, if you do not care at all about any other audio in the car, and you wanted the cleanest possible audio whilst maintaining the factory nav for 4x4i screen AND maintaining the Head Unit for other car functions... You could wire this converter directly to the amp, and it should play the audio fine over the 9/12/213213 speakers in the car.
----
What is untested, is if you can place this box in place of some of the other MOST25 loops that exist for options you dont have installed (PHONE, RSE, Etc...)
OPTION 2
Make a custom cable that will plug into the back of the main headunit, and give 2x RCA. This will essentially disable the factory AUX port, but will give a better quality audio input to the system.
Why?
No long cables, better contacts for wires... so very marginal improvement, but it will save having to run a cable to current AUX port, only for it to come back again...
Options that didnt work.
A MOST25 to SPDIF box exists, but it works with SPDIF as Output only.
Installing RSE system and hacking into that, but too much cost and extra wiring needed.
Hacking into any current systems (Nav etc), audio injection would require breaking current units, so would be hard to return back to factory.
My First Choice:
I will go with option 2. Short and easy.
I dont want this to turn into another one of my pet projects that costs thousands in lab equipment to decode . Im getting too old for that
Option 1 would be a better choice if I was willing to test and experiment... but... I have more important stuff to test and experiment with, like remote air suspension control
So this is all here for future refrence. If anyone is looking on how to replace the whole headunit but maintain the Amp, this should all work.
If you are looking for a hybrid system, this could work too.Pre-Production
D3 V8 #264
LHD '04 HSE
Living its life as a 50/50 On/Off road car exploring the Canary Islands
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
. Im getting too old for that 
