scion xb single-disc head unit

[Derek]

Derek - please post your impressions of the improvement! I should be getting mine in the mail today I think too.

I just finished the installation of my Scion Single-Disc Head Unit, and WOW!!! The difference in sound is amazing, the steering wheel controls work perfect, it looks stock, and it plays MP3's!!! You really can't go wrong buying a Scion head unit, it is probably the best $125 I've spent in a long time! Thanks to everybody here, because if it wasn't for this site, I would have never known that a Scion head unit would work so perfect in a 4Runner.

 

[rhlitt]

Derek- thanks for your post. Is the bassy sound gone, now more mid and high notes coming out? Are you still using your stock speakers? Lastly, how complicated was the install? thanks

 

[Derek]

Derek- thanks for your post. Is the bassy sound gone, now more mid and high notes coming out? Are you still using your stock speakers? Lastly, how complicated was the install? thanks

Yes, the sound is much better, the highs are clearer and so are the mids. What really amazed me was the three equalization modes, Neutral, Hear, and Feel because they make a HUGE difference in sound.

Yes, I am still using my stock speakers, they actually sound like different speakers with this head unit, probably due to the fact that it is putting out 160 watts of maximum power.

The install didn't take long, thanks to this link:

http://68.209.112.156/shrake.net/4Runner/FM Modulator Install/

and also because I bought a Scion head unit last month, went to install it, and found out it didn't work because it was dropped during shipping and it broke something inside so this was the second time taking my dash apart. It does look somewhat intimidating seeing those pictures of the dash with everything missing, but once you get started on it, it all just kind of falls into place and its really not too bad. If you get stuck at all, just let me know, I'll try to help if I can. I think the single disc is a very much worth the asking price ~$100 because you don't lose anything from switching from the stock head unit, you only GAIN a lot of better things and the color matches perfectly.

 

[rhlitt]

Thanks Derek- sounds like night and day. I just can't put up with the stock radio anymore, driving me nuts. I already had new speakers put in at Circuit City (Alpines) and even with the bass turned off and the treble maxed it sucks. Anyway, I can't do that install- too initimidating for me. I'll have to pay what a dealer wants (rip off I'm sure) to do the install. I would like to ask you which antennae wire they should tape and which to use as I better tell the dealer this, as I take it your radio works fine. Thanks, Randy

 

[sharp4runr]

You should really do the install yourself. Taking apart the dash is a piece of cake. Circuit City charges around $65 for shop time, that's $65 you can pocket because the dash is sooooo simple to remove. The Scion radio is a direct swap, you just have to use your T4R radio brackets on it. Plug in all the cables in the back, minus the second antennae and your good to go.

Also, I'm not sure if the dealer would do this. Woudn't doing this void your stock radio? And dealers usually don't like voiding thier own warranties

Oh BTW, I used the same instructions that Derek put up to take my Dash apart.

 

[Derek]

I actually prefer doing installs myself because I'd rather have myself make a mistake than somebody else. The dash really just snaps apart and then snaps back together. The hardest part is pulling the silver plastic that surrounds the radio (the largest part to remove) and it can be scary pulling and thinking you're going to break something, but its really not that bad. The antenna that is taped is the smaller of the two, but as far as I can tell, it doesn't affect the radio reception at all.

 

[krosno3]

Ok. After reading all this now I have to start looking for single CD Scion radio. Can You tell me what have You done with your stock radio? Has anyone tried to put it on ebay and sold it ?
Also if anyone knows anything about single CD Scion HU for about 100$ please let me know....Thx

 

[4route]

my stock HU is just sitting on top of a box in the kitchen ... I don't know what to do with it yet, and I was stupid enough that after I uninstalled it, I realized there was a CD and a tape still inside. hehe.

as far as where to get one ... just go over to the classifieds at http://scionlife.com and post a thread or post a comment within a thread (there is a thread there already for people looking for those) and you'll start getting PMs from people who want to sell theirs.

i started getting PMs with offers a couple hours after posting, but i know it may take longer than that sometimes, so just hang in there ...

whatever you do, do not pay much more than $100 ... I paid $110 for mine, and it was worth it, but I'd say that a decent deal would be a single-disc unit for anywhere from $80 - $120 ... though even $120 is pushing it.

good luck!

 

[krosno3]

I was stupid enough that after I uninstalled it, I realized there was a CD and a tape still inside

Good to know about those CD and tapes left in old unit...
Thanks..
I'll go there right now and see. I only wish there was some way to get rid of the stock unit and get some $$ for it.

 

[CMiYC]

I only wish there was some way to get rid of the stock unit and get some $$ for it.

Of course if people didn't WANT to get RID of them, you'd be able to sell 'em for money...

 

[Toy-Man]

4route,

You're not alone. When I swapped ot my JBL 10 speaker HU for a Nav system. I forgot a CD in the CD changer. I might put power to the unit using a bench 12 V supply just to extract the CD. Not worth ripping the truck apart just to temporarily power up the unit to extract it. I don't care so much about the CD but wonder what affect it may have on the HU with it in there for a long time. I may decide to use the HU sometime in the future but I doubt it. Fortunately I only had one cd in the 6 cd changer at the time.

Cheers -TM-

 

[kingidivine]

What setting do you guys think sounds best with the scion stereo? I use Feel mode in xA b/c I think it has the best mids while still having plenty of bass.

 

[partsrep]

What setting do you guys think sounds best with the scion stereo? I use Feel mode in xA b/c I think it has the best mids while still having plenty of bass.

xA setting. Best mids and highs with all the bass.

 

[Derek]

What setting do you guys think sounds best with the scion stereo? I use Feel mode in xA b/c I think it has the best mids while still having plenty of bass.

that's the same setting I use, sounds great to me and so much better than the stock head unit

 

[jj8111]

What is the difference between xA and xB mode?

 

[ScottAW]

And how do you guys switch between modes?

 

[Derek]

And how do you guys switch between modes?

hold down the silver SSP button for 3 seconds, then you can use the volume up and down buttons to switch the setting to xA or xB, and if you get a Scion head unit out of a 2005, then I believe you also have the option to switch to tC mode too

 

[cmachado]

hmm...so you guys are using the Xa setting? I am using the Xb because the bass is a little more tight and "thumping" without being boomy or muddled. My unit is an '05, so I have Xa, Xb and Tc settings. The Tc setting didn't do it for me. But I just realized I never really played around with the audio controls on Xa to determine whether that was better. I kinda just liked the "Feel" mode on Xb and went with it.

I did notice that on xB with "Feel" mode, I have to really bump the Treble on my iPod for it to sound good.

I will play around with Xa to see how it compares.

 

[MAC4Runner]

hmm...so you guys are using the Xa setting? I am using the Xb because the bass is a little more tight and "thumping" without being boomy or muddled. My unit is an '05, so I have Xa, Xb and Tc settings. The Tc setting didn't do it for me. But I just realized I never really played around with the audio controls on Xa to determine whether that was better. I kinda just liked the "Feel" mode on Xb and went with it.

I did notice that on xB with "Feel" mode, I have to really bump the Treble on my iPod for it to sound good.

I will play around with Xa to see how it compares.

FYI - If you have the HU from a 2005, you can customize the greeting screen from Scion to whatever you want. Hit up scionlife.com to see all the details.

 

[partsrep]

Seems like the difference between xA and xB modes is base line equalizer settings. Of course you can fine tune from there with seperate bass, treble and balance controls. It's all in what you like best.

And some things such as AM radio sound better in xA mode.

Example, I'll switch to xA mode when I listen to the Yankees on the radio. Then switch back to xB to blast a CD (after the Yankees win of course).