I think you can still buy them new.
Since they're a small crappy speaker anyway, I would try to find a new one.

Does it make a difference? ABSOLUTELY!!! It's like night and day.
For someone like me who does not hear voice level very well, it's a godsend but ask anyone.
After I changed out the dash in our 2000 V70R about 6-7 years ago (this wagon is my wife's and she still drives it every day).
I showed her how to adjust it properly and which buttons and knobs changed what and she was flat out amazed at the difference when in 3ch and Dolby modes.
She is not an audiophile in any way but the first thing she said was why didn't I do this sooner!
It makes a decent radio (for the day) into a truly a great system, even by today's standards!!

Don't swap out your dash until you have all the parts, the speaker, the speaker grill/surround,the processor and the small harness from the speaker to the radio.

The harness is unobtanium but if you can't find one I can help you make one up. The end clips are available and it's only two wires. The hardest part is where do the wires go. The plugs have 6 or 7 openings and you need to know which ones are the correct ones for the wire. With a bit of luck and a little searching you should be able to find the processor but as I said, buy all the parts first.
Like the speaker. It's not just the speaker, it's what it sits in, (the part you see sticking up on the dash), those too are unobtanium so procure that first along with what I mentioned.

 

New style when working is great. Old style is barely there at all.

I just did Dolby/901/97 R amp in the S70 without center channel and it sounds fantastic.

 

New style when working is great. Old style is barely there at all.

What the hell is new style and old style mean? In a P80 it makes a HUGE difference. If it doesn't, something is wrong with the install, the radio or the Dolby processor.

 

There are two versions of the center channel speaker.
The original had a woofer magnet that was attached
with inadequate glue. The magnet would come loose
and pin the voice coil, rendering it pretty much worthless.

The revised version has a bolt through the magnet
and seems pretty much bulletproof, as long as it's
not turned up too loud and driven into distortion...

As far as thumbs up or thumbs down, I say Get One!

 

Thank you all for your replies. I’m sold. I was on the fence because of the sheer hassle of finding all the parts. I found a center channel dash on eBay with the speaker and grill but it seems a bit fishy and the shipping is more than the dash with no proof that the speaker is intact.

JRL: Thank you for your offer and advice. Once I gather all the parts I will undoubtedly be in touch with you on how to create the harness. As for the part (8622157) I have only found it online at two Volvo parts sites. A reasonable price considering what I paid for 90% of the 901/Dolby system. The speaker housing - unobtanium indeed! I found one online with broken clips.

I am happy to hear that the new style is holding up and even sounds good without the center (if it comes to that.)

ScottishBrick: I take it the 97 R amp is more powerful than the 70-series update part?

BEJinFbk- Thanks! I’m going to continue to search. Aside from the speaker/dash the only part I need is the amp bracket. I believe its a C70 amp. The 901 is NOS and is beautiful.

My 99 XC only has 59k miles and I have been trying to keep 60k at bay until I can complete this and some other projects. Roll into the 60s with all the upgrades/changes that I have in mind : )

 

Definitely worth it and definitely use the revised speaker. There are also some people who have succeeded in using aftermarket speakers there (apparently there is space).

The 97 R amp is 4x50w. The x70 amp that goes under the passenger seat, which is really the proper amp for this system, is also 4x50w. It doesn't matter which one you use, but you will have to be creative with where to put the Dolby processor if you use the in-dash amp.

The harness is super easy to make. The little green connector that goes into the radio is used all over the car, as is the connector that goes into the speaker. Just cut the connectors out of a car at the JY and solder two wires between them (obviously being careful they go to the proper pins on the green connector since that connector supports up to like 4 or 5 wires). There is one of the green connectors somewhere in the center console wiring harness that's easy to get to, I think it goes into the shifter in automatic cars. The connector on the speaker end is the same connector that goes into the P80 dash tweeters.

 

Huh i have the factory harness and my center speaker is super quiet.

 

I was once removing some trim from an S70 in Sweden and the owner had used an 850R amp along with the Dolby. Their method of installing the Dolby was to sit it on top of the amp with nothing holding it down except the confines of the space itself...I would not recommend this although the parts worked fine

 

I measured up the dash cavity on my 03 when I swapped interiors and it has 1.75" mounting depth and a standard 5-1/4" speaker bolt pattern. So if you can't find a good factory speaker, there shouldn't be any reason you can't use an aftermarket 4 ohm speaker in it. The stock setup is an 8 ohm woofer and 8 ohm tweeter in parallel, making it a 4 ohm channel.

Lots of pictures in this post: http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread.php?179954-Deja-Vu&p=2015757&viewfull=1#post2015757

 

I don't understand either of you!
You have a knob under the radio which says PULL OUT for center speaker volume.
I can't set mine more than the middle or it will overpower the door speakers at normal (adult) volume!

If you don't notice a BIG volume difference you either have a bad speaker or something else is wrong

 

^^^^^^^

My speakers and Jim's speakers are functioning properly. Everyone else's must be busted apparently.

 

I’m happy to hear that there are aftermarket solutions just in case. I should have done this years ago when the parts were a bit more easy to come by (or year and year ago when it was just a quick trip to the parts department).

I’ll have to check this week about which amp I have. I have a sinking feeling it is the in-dash amp. The more I hear about this the more doable it sounds. I’ve always wanted better sound in this car, too. As for installation of the Dolby processor: are there any tips or tricks? Torx all the way?

 

I'm happy to hear that there are aftermarket solutions just in case. I should have done this years ago when the parts were a bit more easy to come by (or year and year ago when it was just a quick trip to the parts department).

I'll have to check this week about which amp I have. I have a sinking feeling it is the in-dash amp. The more I hear about this the more doable it sounds. I've always wanted better sound in this car, too. As for installation of the Dolby processor: are there any tips or tricks? Torx all the way?

T15 not T10

 

At this point I would be happy with available and expensive. The two sources that listed the speaker as in stock are, in reality, out of stock.

 

I've had P80s with the center speaker and P80s without and while it's a neat feature, it's not one that I would spend much time of money on unless you really just have to have it. The SC901 was a good system, but it is still 20 years old. I upgraded my head unit to a Kenwood DDX470 in my C70 and that head unit does not have a control for the center speaker. When I did the install, I was worried about losing quality due to the now disabled center speaker. I talked to a few different audiophiles about it and none of them were worried about the center speaker. In fact, most said that if they were building a system for sound quality, they wouldn't even think of having a center speaker because while it does boost some sound, it messes with the left/right separation. I have been running this setup for 3-4 years now and I haven't missed the center speaker one bit (Kenwood DDX470 wired up to stock Dynaudio speakers and stock 4x100 amp). In fact, I'm probably going to make a gauge pod out of a spare center speaker cover and mount it in place of the speaker.

 

I talked to a few different audiophiles about it and none of them were worried about the center speaker. In fact, most said that if they were building a system for sound quality, they wouldn't even think of having a center speaker because while it does boost some sound, it messes with the left/right separation. I have been running this setup for 3-4 years now and I haven't missed the center speaker one bit

If you have never missed your center speaker, I'm going to bet it was broken just like apparently everyone else's is.

There's also a problem with the analysis of the audiophiles. We sit way off center in our cars, so that also messes up the left/right balance quite badly. I'm sitting in my office right now exactly at the midpoint between my two big 40 lb speakers aimed straight at my head. Nothing can beat a setup like that; I would never add a center speaker or surround sound or anything weird like that to a system like this. It sounds perfect just as it is with the two channels. However, having perfect sound in a car is basically impossible, and I believe that the center speaker/Pro Logic is the best compromise for a car where you're sitting so close to one channel or the other. This is especially true if you're listening to recordings with really strong stereo separation. I have some live shows with no mixing that are just about unlistenable in cars without the center speaker. Is the center speaker ideal? No, but it at least makes those recordings fairly listenable.

If I really want to listen, I'll head out to the living room and put some vinyl on the turntable.

 

This is Swedespeed, you're saying something Volvo did from the factory isn't the greatest thing to ever happen on earth?
Heresy, get out.

 

Eh, it was/is? cool but it's not radically amazing or worth the effort unless someone gives you the parts.

Taking any amp and boosting the stock output is a much better effort.

Just my personal opinion

 

The family look of the 901 is what keeps me tied to the factory setup with the 3 channel retrofit being my effort to make it as good as it can be.

 

Thank you for all the replies. I'm convinced! and one step closer to having all the parts- I have the updated speaker in hand. Now I just need to cover & dash......

 

I was very disappointed with the quality of the updated speaker and replaced it with a Pioneer.

 

If your center speaker is working and adjusted properly, you shouldn't even be able to tell that it's doing anything. All it does is correct for the fact that your listening position is not directly in the center of the speakers as Jared says above. Working properly vocals should be clearly in focus in front of you but you shouldn't 'hear' the center speaker as a separate sound source. Switch between stereo and pro logic on a good vocal track or talk radio. The difference should be obvious. Stereo sounds like the voice is coming primarily from your left with some additional reflections way off to the right. With Pro Logic on it will sound like someone is talking directly in front of you.

 

Long on my project list has been to find & install the center channel dash to compliment my 901 setup. It has, however, been a huge challenge to find the parts needed and a speaker that isn't blown. Before I continue the project, I am curious to hear opinions on how much of an improvement the 3 channel setup makes.

Does your music sound noticeably better?

Has the updated speaker part fixed the failure issue? (P/N 8622157)

Is anyone happy with the 901/Dolby setup without the center speaker?

Cabot,

Don't want to hyjack or anything, but, I may be in a position to help you. I am currently working on a motor swap from a MY2004 C70 T5 Convertible that was optioned out. It has, I believe everything you would need to do this. Yes it has the center speaker cover at least. I have purchased the car but have not gotten it to my home yet to start going thru everything.

PM me in the next little bit. I am still not sure just how much of the factory stuff I am going to use. I do not own another P80 chassis car. I am a P2 person. The good news there is that I really only NEED the T5 motor. The car only has 85k on it so there should be some good things on it. I may have some of the umobtanium that you speak of and need.

 

You guys DO know there is a side to side balance adjustment on a 901?
Just pull out the volume knob

 

You guys DO know there is a side to side balance adjustment on a 901? One notch makes a big difference. I have mine set to one notch to the right to compensate for the distance to my right ear!

Just pull out the volume knob

 

Balance adjustment is an imperfect fix for sitting off-center between two speakers. It adjusts the amount of sound coming from each side, but can do nothing for the time delay between the two speakers at different distances. This is what the pro-logic system compensates for and why the sound snaps into focus when it is working properly.

 

Also you need to set the 901 to the type of car. I.e. V70 , S70 or C70.
The later build 901’s did not have the software in them for V70 setup.

 

Also you need to set the 901 to the type of car. I.e. V70 , S70 or C70.
The later build 901's did not have the software in them for V70 setup.

Have you tried these 901s in s/v70s? Somehow the 901 knows when it is in a C70 and only allows you to access the C70 and custom EQ curves.

 

My 901 doesn't have a setting for C70 at all. Only V70/S70/V40/S40 and custom EQ.

 

Hi all!
I'm kinda in the middle of a project with my -98 S70 and could really use some input.

Got my hands on a fine Dolby processing unit from a scrapped C70 just the other day, less than $20. Had to remove it from the car myself, but that was just 5 minutes an a scraped knuckle.' I'm also waiting for an SC-901 to show up in the mail, so I'm making plans for a neat sound setup.

It does seem absolutely impossible to find a dashboard with a center speaker here in Sweden, of all places... Could do w/o the speaker if I could find one from a car with RTI/sat.nav. But I'm thinking about adding a center speaker, either to my existing dash just cutting a hole and make a nice install, or if I'm lucky to find a dash w/o speaker.

What's the best choice for an aftermarket speaker? What impedance should it have, and how do I make my own cable loom? What connector do I need? Guessing I could order the connector from my dealership as a spare part.

 

What connector do I need? Guessing I could order the connector from my dealership as a spare part.

My center speaker arrived with the connector (and snipped wires, so just the plastic connector to the speaker). If that's at all helpful I can send it to you. I sourced the wiring harness a few years back.

 

I'm really curious about Dynaudio P80 speakers upgrade. As @ScottishBrick already replied to me in his thread, he said that P80 were using Dynaudio speakers, but I was not aware of that.

Here's the thing, this is my ex 1999 V70XC with factory SC-901 and sub. It had just a base speakers, not Dynaudio. The whole car was 100% original. Is it possible that Dynaudio speakers were only US option and not available in Europe?

It had SC-901 with ProLogic center speaker

It had the amp

Front door base speaker:

Rear door base speaker:

 

The Dynaudio speakers were available in Europe too. I've got a brochure in Swedish/Finnish/German/French/English describing the upgrade package, but barely anyone bought it since it was super expensive.

I have never seen any of these speakers installed or at a breaker.

 

My last S70 GLT (1998) was ordered by the original owner without any sound package at all. No stereo, and only the cheapest dashboard speakers installed.
I got hold of a complete set of door and shelf speakers, installed them myself, and an Alpine aftermarket unit. Sounded pretty okay, but the SC-805 with amp under passenger seat in my current S70 is way better!