I was thinking of getting the Pioneer DEH-P880PRS ( http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...tailsComponent ). Looks good so far, with 16 band equalizer for left and right sides, discrete volume ****, and most likely a better sounding amplifer than the stock unit. Most important is the EQ control; the spectrum is a bit goofy with the stock headunit, even in the xB profile. This headunit has an auto-eq function, which may help (if it's accurate). I'll end up losing the steering wheel control until I get an aux unit to convert; there's a stereo minijack on the front panel, so I'll still have aux.

Good? Bad? One of my friends told me that I should watch for my speakers to get pounded because the amplifiers are too strong, and then I'd have to go get new speakers. The stock headunit says a max output of 40 W per channel, with 4 ohms impedance. I can't find an impedance for the P880's internal amplifiers, but it lists a max output of 50 W per channel, and continuous power of 22 W per channel. Does that sound like going too far?

 

most car audio speakers are 4ohm, so I would assume since they try to build products to cover the majority of possibilities, it also 4ohm @ 50w.

 

That unit looks really good. I might have to consider it in the future. I've always been a fan of Pioneer units. They are easy to use and reliable.

You're going to want to upgrade the speakers when you get the money anyway. Stereo equipment is addicting.

 

the P880 is exactly what i'm getting. Front/Rear/Sub RCA's with the ability to control crossover points all on the deck itself allows you run a really nice active setup witht he right amplifer equipment.

awesome deck hands down.

 

this is an awesome unit. i have the Pioneer version of it (not Premier), the 8600MP, and they are very similar i must say. i say go for it! :D

the little input in front is for your Auto-EQ which i personally dont use, not for your aux. but you do have an Aux-in the back which is really awesome and i use mine quite a bit (via external adapter) and if you get the steering wheel adapter the SWI-PS works great!

 

I have the model up from it, with the color display (980BT is the model) and I absolutely love it.

The Auto-EQ does a really good job at making your stock system sound a hell of a lot better. I let the deck do the eq and then played with the x-overs to get the sound close to perfect. If you want to spend hours tweaking, the deck has the ability to do so, but for me, the auto-eq does fine.

My favorite feature of the deck (not sure if yours has it or not) has to be the blue tooth integration. With a 5sp its tough to eat, drive, drink, and hold the phone. Now, when my phone rings, it mutes my stereo, puts the number (and name if its in my phone book) on the deck, and if I chose to receive the call, it turns my stereo into a hands free device. Its awesome.

Either way, you'll be a happy camper. Grab the dash kit from crutch field, it'll allow you to mount it and still close the door.

 

It's installed, and it's great, but I just discovered that it barely receives anything for AM radio. The stock headunit was fine in AM radio. I've been reading around in other topics that connecting the blue wire on the harness (power antenna) would result in better reception, but that seems to go against logic.

 

congrats. i thought the blue wire was the remote? only thing i would add would be the SWI-PS so you can control your deck from your stock conrtols :D

 

I had a look at the 06 Scion tC wiring diagram (https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=138455) , and I found something interesting in the "156-159 audio system.pdf" diagram: on connector R 2 (Radio Receiver Assembly, the one with ACC, ground, battery line, and the front speakers), there's an orange wire on pin 8 of the connector that goes to the part "A17 Antenna Amplifier". Maybe it's an AM antenna amplifier? It would explain why FM doesn't seem to be affected. Does anyone know if this wire corresponds to the blue wire on the ISO-colorcoded harness?

 

Just a followup: they connected the blue wire to the headunit, and AM radio reception went way up. The tech was guessing that there must be "some sort of glass antenna like the Euro cars have". I don't know if that's the case, but now everything on this HU is working.

 

installed pics?

how mcuh did you get it for?

 

I desperately need to take more pics of my car. One of my film cameras is loaded with 9 of 36 exposures done, so I should just take the car out one day and do a nice photoshoot somewhere.

I got the head itself for $450, and the iPod adapter for $50, but spent a bit more getting it installed. I should've just brought some local SL friends together to install it, but I wanted it in ASAP. I got what I wanted.

 

$450... ouchies. They're at or below $300 on my sponsors website