monty

Is there a significant difference in sound quality between the standard Pioneer and upgrade Alpine?

buickid

Likely none whatsoever. Get the standard equipment then upgrade with aftermarket stuff if you want better. Factory options are way overpriced. Same goes for the alarm.

KaneoheKoa

Ditto on that. For me, it came down to easy control layout and accessing the menus to adjust things. Is it just me, or are the manufacturers putting a lot of their own "special" menu items first and the standard controls (tone, loudness, balance/fader) buried under stuff? Reminds me of all the crapware and bloatware on my laptop.

monty

Will an upgraded Pioneer unit have more clarity and bass than the standard unit? I'm trying to avoid replacement speakers if possible.

KaneoheKoa

Sorry Monty, but no. When it comes down to it, most electronics sound relatively the same. Your EQs may sound a little different from brand to brand, but the most important thing are the speakers.
THE only thing you actually hear in a system is the speaker. It's the only thing that makes the actual sound. Everything else before it just moves electricity, which you can't hear. The stock Scion speakers look nice, but are very simple and low cost (they get the job done, let's say). Even the best electronics will sound like stock because of the speakers.

BUT, you're in luck! Good aftermarket speakers from reputable makers sound great and don't cost that much. Even coaxials from Polk, Fosgate and the like sound nice. Components generally sound better, but cost 2x as much. GO OUT and listen to a few or 10, see what's in your budget. When you find one you like, get it from where you got it from (support your local businesses). If you don't feel comfortable installing it yourself, let the shop do it. Then drive away happy.

Then you might consider really adding on to your system...then...
Down the path of the Dark Side go will you!
Lost forever shall be you!

After that happens, send us pics of your journey!

buickid

Yeah, +1, the stock speakers are the limiting factor. They're pretty cheaply made.

monty

can you use coaxial speakers and the stock door tweeters? Would that be too much hi-end?

KaneoheKoa

Probably too much and it may sound shrill (not to mention that some mid and high frequencies may cancel themselves out, making it sound, well, weird). If you're able to put in the lower door speakers by yourself, then you'll be able to mount new tweeters in the mirror wings, too. If you're just having coaxials installed, leave the factory tweeters disconnected.

monty

my concern is mounting the new tweeters. will I be able to use the factory location or will I have to mount in the door panel or a-pillar? I don't want to cut holes in panels.

KaneoheKoa

Not to worry, the new tweeters will fit very nicely in place of the old ones. You may have to do a little filing to get the new ones to fit, but its very easy. If the fit is a little loose, a dab of hot melt glue or epoxy glue on the back of the mount will do.

On my component system, I mounted the crossover near the back of the door and ran the wires to the speakers, taping them to the door with Gorilla tape.

LophatXB

This is what I did with a very old pair of infinity tweeters from an Kappa series component system. Sounds so much cleaner than the old tweeters. There is one thing about the front that is different from the rear speakers is they woofers are actually polypropylene instead of paper, so for now that is why those are the only factory speaker left in my system setup. I was able to tap into the factory plugs for the tweeter and added the crossover that came with the Kappa system. I didn't have to drill anything I made brackets to get it to fit it isn't perfect but it isn't a show vehicle for now and it works for me as cleaning up the sound.

LophatXB

Here is a view of the other side.