I don't mind too terribly the stock stereo in my xB -- I would like to do some quick and easy (and cheap) upgrades to the sound system, though -- amp, sub, speakers. $250 would be ideal....a little more is agreeable....but...I'll start there....
I listen to mostly hard rock and metal (Love that Drowning Pool) -- but, there's all kinds of music in my iTunes that get tossed into my Shuffle when I update the sucker....so, rap, R&B, country, etc. are likely to be heard in the BCP Brick

Where to begin? And did the stock stereo REALLY not come with RCA outputs for an amp? Why does Best Buy want $150 for that part?? Geez....

 

Here is a thread with a similar question and some answers:

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=116474

 

I'll move this to xB ICE to get more responses. Thanks for understanding.

 

Its called a line level converter. It changes spreaker outputes into rca's. Most stereo shops will charge about $25.

llc - $25
alpine type r 10 $100
box $30
Kenwood KAC-8452 $100
wire kit $25
--------------
Total $280

Save a little more and buy some high, maybe and $100

good luck

 

Posted: 4/22/06 12:37PM Post subject: $250 - Let's upgrade....

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I don't mind too terribly the stock stereo in my xB -- I would like to do some quick and easy (and cheap) upgrades to the sound system, though -- amp, sub, speakers. $250 would be ideal....a little more is agreeable....but...I'll start there....
I listen to mostly hard rock and metal (Love that Drowning Pool) -- but, there's all kinds of music in my iTunes that get tossed into my Shuffle when I update the sucker....so, rap, R&B, country, etc. are likely to be heard in the BCP Brick

Where to begin? And did the stock stereo REALLY not come with RCA outputs for an amp? Why does Best Buy want $150 for that part?? Geez....


spen the money on replaceing the factory deck it is the weekist link in the car the biggest problem is the more volume the less bass it puts out and amp/ speaker setup on top of this crap radio is still going to suffer the same problem.

 

I gotta go w/ H8me on this one...spend the money to get a better deck...I think u will be pleasantly suprised at how much better your stock speakers will sound running off of a better HU...

 

Alright....I just didn't want BB or CC cuttin on my dash...they totally wrecked a buddy's SAAB recently....doesnt look right at all.....That said....how much power have you been able to push through the stock speakers without popping them? What size amp (if any) should I add? Or....can I get out cheaper with new HU and sub/amp combo? I saw(heard, actually) several 6.5 options for the doors and kick panels yesterday that were alright....of course, those always make me wonder if the stores are supplying a little extra juice behind the walls to make those speakers sound better.....

 

ok now that u decided to ditch the factory head.
any good name brand radio pioneer, alpine, clarion, eclipse, just to name a few i recomend. any price range from the $99.00 one up is better than the one u have now. un ess u get in to the top of the line heads like the ones with DSP 24bit D/A choose one in your pricerange based on features, what kind of EQ, does it play mp3 , wma, does it have independent subwoffer controll ,how many sets of pre outs does it have , thoe are thing to ask if u are going to run amps for the front and rear and subs than a deck with front rear and sub would be ideal you could get away wit only 1 set of preouts but u would lose fade front to rear.
as far as amping the factory speakers dont cuz thay wont last long

deck 99.95 install $50labor
10inch sub as cheep as 89.95
10inch box 49.95
amp kit 29.95
amp from 129.95 labor $50
dash kit wire harness $30
this is what an inexpnsive set up in my shop would cost
with a basic deck that should sound good
1 last thing no cc or bb find a professional car audio shop with mecp certified installers remember just cuz that are the largest shop in town does not mean there the best ask around and do some research to find the best shop in your area

 

Amen to that. H8me, what shop are you at?

 

i work for a company called
soundworks mobile audio in virginia beach virginia

 

I upgraded my old head unit to a Pioneer DEH-P4500MP. I think the latest model is the 4600 or 4800 and should run under $300.

The one I have has an AUX but does not have an IPOD. The AUX is available through the Pioneer proprietary I-BUS interface. I'm sure they have equivalent aux audio inputs to what's in the Scions that you could hook into one of those adapters if you used them.

You might have to go with a different model HU if you want to use te iPOD port if you got the upgraded option with your car.

If you don't do the ipod or other aux input, then this is a pretty decent HU. You will notice the improved audio coming out of your speakers immediately.

 

so an after market deck that is iPod compataible will b able to use the plug for th eiPod that down by the parking break (in my RS3 its there anyway)

 

I have a shuffle....is there a HU with USB input?
Just a thought....

 

In your xB there shouldn't be any cutting required to make a deck fit so I wouldn't sweat it. The Best Buy in my area is actually quite good, the installers are what make or break an install. In regards to how much power the stock speakers will handle it's not so much just an issue of power but an issue of how much power at what frequencies. I have the stock front speakers receiving 75 watts per channel and they are just fine, but I also have a 24db/octave high pass crossover (cuts the bass from them) set at 100hz to protect them. I might also advise looking in to doing your audio upgrade(s) in stages as there is no way a $250 budget will get you much more than a decent radio and a pair of decent speakers. If you are searching for the upgrade that will provide you with the most immediate and noticable upgrade replace the FRONT SPEAKERS with a good pair from a quality speaker manufacturer like Boston Acoustics, Diamond Audio, Eclipse, Focal, JL Audio, or MB Quart and spend a little money on sound deadning for the doors. I normally won't bash brands but if you value good sound I would shy away from Alpine, Kenwood, Infinity, Pioneer, and Audiobahn's speakers. To me a logical upgrade path would go as follows and budget allows:
-Upgrade front speakers and sound deaden doors $175
-Replace OEM radio with aftermarket $ 175 (would be a good starting point. The features you need will determine how much you'll actually need to spend)
-4 channel amplifier for front speakers and cabling $250-500 (again price varies depending on your goals and needs)
-Subwoofer and enclosure $175 (same as before how big and how many will dictate what it costs)
TOTAL for a really nice system $775-1,025. If you're savvy and watch out for good deals it can be done for less. Ask questions and you'll get there. Mark

 

You would be very wise to listen to the advise being provided above. $250 really is a nothing budget when it comes to car audio. Even in today's age of cut throat internet retailers.

My advice would be to get a new head unit first. You can get a decent head unit from many of the online retailers for less than your budget. Just don't forget all of the other parts you need to buy to make that new head unit work in your xB. You'll need the RCA/Toyota wiring harness adapter as well as the mounting hardware. You can get that locally, or again from the online retailers.

And while I agree with pretty much everything that mfenske said, I would recommend Kenwood head units. At least in the Excelon series. But I couldn't recommend their speakers. And the Excelon units can usually be found at very reasonable prices online.

Take in the head unit upgrade for a while and really listen to your music as you begin saving up again. This will help you determine what you want to do next. Whether it is upgrading your factory speakers and adding an amp, or adding a subwoofer and amplifier.

And lastly, don't be scared of the install! The stuff being recommended to you is a very straight forward install for someone with basic mechanical skills. And there is always this forum and countless others for advise. Besides the satisfaction of doing the work yourself you can save a great deal of money.

 

RT, I was just referring to their speakers. In my experience the Excelon decks seem to be okay. Personally, I'm an Eclipse guy till the end. If I had a few bucks I would try Nakamichi or Denon. If you want a really sweet Old School deck try to locate a Pioneer Premier DEX-P1R. That thing was awesome, but it won't do WMA/MP3 or IPOD. Mark

 

I figured you were only referring to the speakers Mark. I just wanted to make clear that I didn't think that their head units were in the same category. And one of the reasons I recommended the Excelon Kenwoods is that they seem to be a little bit cheaper than comparable models from other reputable companies. And their pricing online is ridiculously lower than what you will find in a retail store.

For instance the head unit my brothers g/f paid over $700 for locally can be found now online for under $300. And that is less than 6 months after her purchase. Besides, I really like the look of the nicer Excelon stuff. And whether we like it or not, looks do account for something in car audio. Especially in the head unit.

 

The specifications on the Excelon units look pretty good, I would certainly consider using one and did until I found my Eclipse 8454. I do find it rather humorous what people consider to be appealing in a head unit. When I worked in retail it always seemed that some of our best sellers were the ones that were either really blingy (don't kill me for using that word) or had super-flashy displays (see Pioneer OEL). For me simple is better. I think that the Nakamichi CD-700 is the most beautiful CD Player ever produced. I'm all about specifications, sound quality, and elegance. Mark

 

I completely agree in choosing a head unit based on specifications, features and performance. But all of those things being fairly equal, we all tend to fall back on either looks or price. And in some cases both. And for me, just me, the Kenwood Excelon seems to meet all of those requiems the best. Especially when you look at the X8** and X7** series units.

And like I said, it all comes down to personal taste. That is why we each build our own cars our own way.

 

If you are using your iPod as your music source, you should be certain you have used the best file type and compression settings that give you the sound you want. A friend of mine uses my xB stock system (better than his CRV) to test various file and compression formats that he's played with. We might listen to the same song 3 or 4 times -- each different files but the same song -- and they all sound different.

After playing with the stock head unit's settings (SSP, bass, etc.) he was able to determine which iTunes settings would give the songs on his iPod the best sound in my car. Sorry, I haven't a clue what those settings are. His preferences might not be the same as yours, anyway. But now he knows exactly what to do to get the best sound from his iPod. As a bonus, the settings he likes create smaller files than other common settings, adding more capacity to his iPod.

What I learned is that when it comes to mp3 players, the way you save your files has a lot to do with the sound that comes out. The choices you make when formatting could improve sound quality more than upgrading the stock hardware. Consider that you could install the best equipment in the world but if your source isn't good, the sound won't be good either. The best part? According to my friend, the software to customize how you save sound files is FREE. For that reason alone, I recommend any mp3 user start at the source when trying to improve sound. Best wishes to all, regardless of your approach.

Judge