hi, my 1st post here.
hoping to be a owner of the '11xB in the next month or so...but am having some decision issues on whether to stick with the stock radio, the upgraded Alpine unit, or the SNS unit.
can some of you voice your opinion on the stock unit with the optional subwoofer? compared to the mid range Alpine upgrade?
Also, does the stock unit have RDS capabilities?

Thanks and looking forward to spending more time on here int he near future.

 

Im not sure if they've changed the OEM HU's for '11. But I can speak for upgraded Premium Pioneer system they offered in '08 tC's. I haven't looked into where the upgraded sub option for the 2nd gen b's is located in the vehicle... but if it's under-floor like the tC... it's a nice option. Plus, if you want a little more power/bass then the OEM 6" sub puts out... there are companies I've seen online and in some threads on SL that offer a 10" sub & enclosure that will fit in the stock under-floor location.
I still have that one in my tC along with the upgraded under-floor sub-woofer. Does it blow your socks off like a massively expensive aftermarket system? nope. But the upgraded HU, small amp & sub IMHO sounds pretty decent. I built a nice aftermarket system in my previous tC. But personally I think the Scion upgraded system really gives you the best of both worlds w/o being an overly expensive option. No it doesn't hit as hard as a set of large amp driven 12's or anything... but it has a nice clean sound with enough bass to make your tunes sound good... AND you don't have to give up your trunk space... or easy access to your spare tire if/when you need it.
That's just my 2 cents... hope that helps in your decision.

 

From the looks of the '11 xB2, the dealer added sub would be the same as the '10 sub: a Bazooka 8" with built in amp mounted to the right side panel. It's a nice addition to a factory system (standard or upgraded head unit). Because of it's smaller size, it's not a heavy thumper, but it does fill out the lower end nicely if not pushed too hard.
Real improvement in your audio quality will come with an aftermarket system: new head unit, front and rear speakers and the amps to match them. You'll get a cleaner, more natural sound with more power going to higher quality separates. The stock speakers aren't bad (okay, the rears are bad), but aftermarkets are better.
Read up on the past threads about sound systems here to get an idea of what's out there.
_____________________
Older guy doing sound for too many years

2010 xB2 with aftermarket stuff and subs under the seats

 

Thanks for the feedback folks. I have sort of decided that if the factory sub (Bazooka unit) is a good fit and does not rattle, I could try the stock head unit with this sub as my 1st effort.
If this does not yield a nice balanced sound, I could look into replacing the speakers next...then only if I have to , the head unit last. The reason is that the stock Pioneer head unit should be pretty decent imo, and I just wanted to add the small sub to fill out the low end some...not looking for any loud thumping system at all.
Anymore thoughts would be appreciated

 

The 2011 Head Unit in the South East anyways, is still the Alpine. If you have the option to pay for the $400 Alpine upgrade or not, don't. It's not bad, but for a little more than $400 you can get a full 7" touchscreen dvd with the same features and more. The alpine is slow, and doesn't respond well to touch, and the resolution is poor. It's kind of a dressed up exterior but basic unit.
I just added a sealed enclosure 10" arc audio sub, it fits right behind the 40 piece of the 60/40 seats, so I still have plenty of cargo room and didn't have to drill into the side plastic to mount the bazooka. The bazooka looks sharp, but couldn't produce enough punch i don't think.

 

The standard Pioneer HU in my 11 was the first thing to go. Put in a Kenwood X-794. IMO this made quite an improvement in the sound driving the factory speakers.

 

I would just opt for the stock radio and go aftermarket later. Dealer options are generally overpriced. Same goes for an alarm system.

 

I wish that I had a choice, but all of the xBs coming out of Southeast Toyota have the Alpine unit. I can put up with the minor quirks to try to at least get my money's worth out of it. I think it sounds decent for a factory setup, especially in a car with such a low MSRP.