Thinking of upgrading my speakers

the main crutch of most stock audio systems, unfortunately, are not the speakers.

 

Once I pic up my Prius c 3, im gonna install a 10 inch alpine type r subwoofer. Maybe you should look into installing a small subwoofer if you want a more filling audio experience.

 

What he said. Headunits are usually by far the hindrance in the system.

 

Please post if you find a head unit harness for the C2; C3 & 4s integrate the car with the in-dash system to a great extent so changing out those units may be more difficult than anticipated... In fact crutchfield specifically warned against doing it when I called them to inquire, though they did not have any info on the C1/C2 harness availability.

As for the Sub, I'm thinking of placing where the spare tire is.

 

I haven't got my C yet (still tossing up be tween the C2 or C3), but one of the first things I will be doing is replacing all the speakers.
From my experience the speakers on most relatively cheapish cars are pieces of crap. Most people aren't concerned with sound quality, but I am.

 

Does anyone know if the wiring is installed in the c1 for the rear speakers? If they are I can easily install new speakers but I don't want to run wires in a new car.

 

I would like to re-illiterate the post I posted above..

if you're really concerned about sound quality.. the FIRST thing you should do is NOT replace the speakers... because speakers should be the SECOND thing.

if you're really an audiophile... you would know what I'm talking about... but hey.. in the end, you can do whatever you like. i'm jut saying that replacing the speakers first will only help so much..

brief and true story.. friend with upgraded speakers complains to me that my system sounds better.. and asks me what speakers I used..

i told him i was still using the stock speakers.. as i only replaced the headunit... he didn't.

 

This is generally quite accurate, though the quality of the stock speakers, just like quality of stock head units, can vary greatly... Unfortunately we cannot replace the head units until a dash kit/wire harness comes out. I'm wondering if the c1/2 have a built-in amp I'll have to bypass. Seems like all new cars have one these days. Then again, I haven't heard a stock sound system sound this bad since my 90' F-150

 

When you install your sub, do you think you could post pictures of the install? I'm going to be installing one as well, but I need to find out how to dismantle the dash and get to the back of the entune head unit. Is there a manual on how to do this?

 

Toyota has been using the same wiring harness for over the past uhh... 25 years? hooking up the stereo has and will never be a problem.. your speakers will work, and the aftermarket headunit will operate..

however it's getting the OEM aux/USB as well as everything else integrated (like the steering wheel controls).. will take a little bit more effort... and then yes.. there's no dash kit for it quite yet.. but nothing can stop someone from just fabbing one up.

as i'm actually typing this, i'm helping to install a Pioneer Avic-X940BT into my friend's Prius C... and already, the sound quality has DRAMATICALLY improved.. further proving my point that it's not the stock speakers that are the hindrance in an audio system.

to take out the radio? the panels literally just pull apart. the main plastic panel piece surrounding the radio? that's all you need to yank out.. really... nothing hard.. nothing complicated. (ok, you have to disconnect the plug that goes to the hazard button.. but seriously.. that's it)..

remove 4 screws holding the radio in, and disconnect plugs.. and it's out.

 

I am going to purchase a Prius C in the next couple weeks hopefully and that is the exact head unit I would love to have in the car. I am trying to decide between trim 2 and 3 - do you know if that would matter in replacing the head unit (replacing the 1/2 radio versus the 3/4 nav unit)? Basically I just wanted trim 3 for the smart key functionality - is there a way to get just that option on trim 2?

 

there's no practical way for you to add options like the smart key into a lower trim model.. getting the package 3 and replacing your headunit will cause you to lose all the integration from the car into the stock navi unit... they obviously won't be connected to the aftermarket unit.

it's pretty much your decision whether or not it's worth purchasing the package 3 for the sole reasons of the smart key.. and knowing full well that in replacing your stock headunit, you'll lose that interface.

both the navi unit in the package 3-4, and the regular headunit in the 1-2 are in the very end.. the same EXACT SIZE... they all fill in the big space in the plastic panel piece surrounding the radio... without a dash kit currently in production, you'll need to fab something up to fill that space.

also, when mounting an aftermarket unit the stock brackets, the headunit sits back a little bit.. (which some people find nice, where other people find it a little odd looking).. i'll try to get picture up of the end result of the install from last night on the avic later.

 

Thanks man looking forward to those pics

 

I include the steering wheel adapter as being part of the wiring harness, though I guess they technically are different. From your experience are these also generally the same between various Toyota models?

Also, when you installed the pioneer into your friend's C did you notice if the usb is simply a pass through that plugs into the back of the stock head unit or is it hard wired into the head? A pass through style would be great as the existing port could still be used, otherwise it's a bit more work.

 

the joy of wires.. you should be able to tell from the picture that the plastic panel piece surrounding the radio is removable. that's the only piece you really need to take out before you can access the radio.



with a cut out MDF piece fabbed up and covered with fabric to cover the empty space.. (until a better looking dash kit comes out.. or i might just leave it as is..)


as far as the USB connection.. it's not a simple pass thru... the usb connector into the stock headunit is completely different.. you can splice something in to be able to use the aux and usb port.. but there's nothing that's a simple plug and play that i know of... so yeah, it's a bit more work.

 

Squall, were you able to hook up the bluetooth steering wheel controls to the aftermarket head unit?