Seems that there are a few variants of the front amplifier around.

My car is a MY06 Australian delivery and has a different amp to the two posted here.

I am not an EE, but am more than competent with a soldering iron - but never used an oscilloscope, my knowledge stops at a multi meter and continuity tester!
I pulled my front amp out on the weekend to see if I could do the modification (simple to remove). On removing the cover found a different circuit board to the two posted so far.

I have attached photos of internals and externals.
(PM me if you want higher res images)

If any one has the same amp and knows the pins to attach to, I would love to know.
Also, is there a method that you can determine the pins to connect to the L/R inputs without an oscilloscope?

If any other Volvo owners in Australia interested in resolving this, let me know, I'm sure we all have the same model amp and could work out a way.

James.

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Hello.


Did anybody find out where to connect the external audio input on the second schema?

I have 12 speakers dynaudio.

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Hello.

Did someone find out where to connect the external audio input on the second schema?

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In this case i'd recommend an INLINE FM modulator - they are much higher quality than the ordinary type sounds just the same as an aux-in input and you get all the features of the radio... you'll just have to find where the antenna socket is or where to splice the antenna connection somehow.... Link here: Scosche fm-mod01 http://www.crutchfield.com/S-mIJcaX4bqho/A...px?i=142FMMOD01

Here it is:

http://www.dension.com/icelinkgateway500.php

I have installed in on my 2006 XC90 2 weeks and it works perfect. Now i can connect my iPod and control it from stearing wheel contols. Also it gives you USB support and i connected portable hard drive loaded with thousands of songs. And it works great. This unit also provides auxilary connection. I had it profecinally installed.

I just found a dealer for the Dension gateway 500 in NJ. SR AUDIO 908-437-0222 or Sales@sraudioworks.com, Talk to shaun he can install it if you are local or ship it to you.

Hello,

I've been monitoring this thread a long time, hoping someone would show the locations for the taps in a US version. My amp does not match Mr Gadget's. I too have a 2006 with premium sound.

Please HELP! Can you post a picture of your amp's board, showing where to tap in?

I'll send you a bottle of wine in thanks!

Please see this link if your intrested in tapping into the premium sound amp.
XC90 Aux Input Premium Sound Amp.

Thanks gJohn!

I'm going to try it this weekend. Norway - wow! This is truly a global forum!

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm hoping my amp is the same as the one shown in your pictures.

Do you want that bottle of wine?

madjsi,

The link below from gJohn shows the taps for your board.

Ktbaia, thanks for offering me a bottle of wine, but I think it will be very expensive and too much trouble to send it to Norway.

Please inform me if you succeeds with your project. I have been enjoying my Ipod connection for over a year.

Well all,

I pulled my amplifier this afternoon, and I guess it is not "Premium" sound. Its "High Performance" sound.

James - my looks exactly like yours. So, there are now three variations on this amplifier, and solutions posted for two of them. Not mine or James's though! Alas.

OK - so I've waiting on this for over a year, so I'm just going to try a couple of possibilities. My amp has enough similarities to Mr. Gadgets and the Premium, that I feel confident enough to guess at a couple of point. Hopefully I won't destroy the amp in the process!

I'll report back - success or failure.

SUCCESS!

I just finished testing input points on the "High Performance Sound" amplifier and successfully found where to tie in for left and right front speakers - without blowing up my amp or electrocuting myself.

Using the 1 micro-farad capacitor and 1K ohm resister per the others, the mod works as discussed in the previous posts.

I've attached a picture of where the tap points are. James - this is the same amp that you have in your Australian delivery model.

I hope this saves someone else all the frustration I've endured waiting for someone with more electronics skill than I to find a solution for this amp. Funny, because I think the High Performance Sound amp is probably the most common one out there!

(Hopefully the picture attachment worked)

UPDATE.

After making this mod and connecting my Garmin GPS, everything was perfect until....

I plugged the GPS into the cigarette lighter/power socket for power. Then I got a pretty bad alternator interference noise (ground loop). I suspect this will be a problem for anyone doing this modification because the cigarette lighter/power outlet is not a three-wire connector.

To fix the problem, I ordered a PAC SNI-1/3.5 for about $18. This completely cured the problem, and probably should always be a component in this mod to the XC90 amplifier for the aux input. Here is a link:

PAC SNI-1 Noise suppressor

There is a similar device you can get at Radio Shack as well.

Now I am completely happy with this mod!

Hello,

Ok, after so long I have finally taken pictures of my amplifier. My amplifier is a little bit different than some of yours but it looks to be the same as Jcerantonio. Please excuse my camera as it is an older one. Anyways, as you can see I put a little piece of tape to keep from shorting to the case. I used 4 capacitors rated 10uf at 50v, one of the capacitors is only rated at 16v (all I had at the time), but I would go with 50v just in case. I have outlined each connection in MS Paint to show how each one hooks up. For the wires I used scrap satellite radio antenna wire, it is imparative that you use a wire with a shield (grounded). Also, when I used a car charger with the ipod, I had to put a ground loop isolated (sold at Radio Shack #270-054) or else I had a horrible whine while reving the engine. If you have any questions let me know. Again, as stated earlier, you do this at your own risk! What worked for me may not work for you.

Warped3k

I also brought my wires into a Radio Shack project box, and mounted my ground loop isolator to the box and put the box in the center console. This allows a much cleaner look in my opinion.

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