Sounds Horrible... Sirius
- Thread starter Netdewt
- Start date
I recently bought a used Infiniti G35X with XM. I absolutely love it. The talk channels are compressed and sound like computer generated speech, but the music channels sound damn good. Seriously.
The car does have (don't laugh!!) a Bose sound system. While I certainly wouldn't buy that for my home system, I've driven from Chicago to the west coast and back, listening to everything from blues to rock to jazz to big band to country to standards, and I'm keeping my XM.:yes::thmbsp:
The car does have (don't laugh!!) a Bose sound system. While I certainly wouldn't buy that for my home system, I've driven from Chicago to the west coast and back, listening to everything from blues to rock to jazz to big band to country to standards, and I'm keeping my XM.:yes::thmbsp:
willyrover
Super Member
Also have XM. Sounds fine to me.
Are you listening to the Preview Channel?
Are you listening to the Preview Channel?
willyrover
Super Member
Sounds like something wrong with the receiver.
XM1 preview channel and the talk only channels sound bad...like 32kbps as you say. Music channels should sound just as good as an MP3 and, at least through my less than stellar car audio system, almost as good as FM.
XM1 preview channel and the talk only channels sound bad...like 32kbps as you say. Music channels should sound just as good as an MP3 and, at least through my less than stellar car audio system, almost as good as FM.
Sirius Satellite Radio: Still sounds awful after all these years - http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-9860284-47.html
Article that sounds like my experience.
Article that sounds like my experience.
Three of our cars came with Sirius. Two we let lapse after the one free year. One came with a lifetime subscription, so I've spent some time listening. At home, I have a Polk XM receiver.
Listening results?
Sirius sounds about as good as mediocre car FM, but cuts in and out every time you go through an underpass. Good FM is better, but very hard to find, and becoming harder all the time. XM is better, but only if you use the digital out from the Polk and process through a good DAC. The sound of the Polk by itself is not good.
I've wanted to hear one of the Magnum Dynalab XM units, but they're not easy to find, and for $4K, they're not likely to be.
Listening results?
Sirius sounds about as good as mediocre car FM, but cuts in and out every time you go through an underpass. Good FM is better, but very hard to find, and becoming harder all the time. XM is better, but only if you use the digital out from the Polk and process through a good DAC. The sound of the Polk by itself is not good.
I've wanted to hear one of the Magnum Dynalab XM units, but they're not easy to find, and for $4K, they're not likely to be.
SDA SRS 1.2
Well-Known Member
One major shortcoming I've noticed is the lack of stereo separation on many songs. Comparing the same songs on the 60's channel with a CD and XM/Sirius, there's definitely a loss of stereo effect.
I don't think you get to 128kbps from most of the receivers.
I listen to XM quite a bit at work and it sounds good enough for background music. It does not hold up to critical listening, but I don't use it for that purpose. I only listen to it at home via Directv, but even then, it is when I am cleaning up or doing something that I only use it for background.
As I mentioned above, I have XM in my own car, and I think it sounds terrific. Same as my main system, no, but I think it sounds terrific for what it is, and I'm very happy with it.
This week I'm out of town, and I happen to have a rental car with Sirius in it. I'm listening to the same stations, and I don't think it sounds nearly as good as XM in my own car.
Now, I have no idea what the behind-the-scenes changes were, if any, after the merger, and if the two services are now the same technical specs or not, but that's my experience.
The car, btw, is a brand new Ford Fusion, and holy cow, what a nice car!!:thmbsp:
This week I'm out of town, and I happen to have a rental car with Sirius in it. I'm listening to the same stations, and I don't think it sounds nearly as good as XM in my own car.
Now, I have no idea what the behind-the-scenes changes were, if any, after the merger, and if the two services are now the same technical specs or not, but that's my experience.
The car, btw, is a brand new Ford Fusion, and holy cow, what a nice car!!:thmbsp:
Cogito
Well-Known Member
I've subscribed to Sirius radio for about three years now. Overall, the sound quality is terrible (Unit is hard-wired into my system, so not using the FM transmitter). I can clearly hear the compression artifacts as a "swirling hissy sound". If I had to guess, the AAC sampling rate is around 64kb/s (Talk shows are even lower). The top end rolls off steeply above 10 KHz(ish).
Having to divide up the total bandwidth available into the 120+ channels available has it's limitations. I would GLADLY sacrifice half of the channels (Since many are redundant) to double the sampling rate.
Having to divide up the total bandwidth available into the 120+ channels available has it's limitations. I would GLADLY sacrifice half of the channels (Since many are redundant) to double the sampling rate.
tmccullough
You are who, who you are
I hoped moving from the FM transmitter to an AUX In on my new receiver would help, but no such luck. Fortunately I only listen to H100. I like the fact that Sirius has so many options. Unfortunately the sound quality blows and most of it is unlistenable. It's like trying to listen to Metallica's Death Magnetic.
Stereo_type
Active Member
Sirusly surprised and XM too
Surprise #1:, Sirius can be very, very good, but I only "virtually" subscribe-that is, it's bundled and offered through Dishnetwork's programming, and that's apples compared to oranges as far as the quality they (Dish) deliver thru their excellent satellite rcvrs vs. a Sirius rcvr for car or home use.
Surprise #2: With the "right" home stereo equipment, even the rather lowly car/home Sirius rcvr can sound great.
I actually, conventionally subscribe to XM for my cars and one for a car/home system (as opposed to the Sirius I rcv that comes bundled as a programming package thru Dishntwk). When the portable car/home XM rcvr is "home", it can produce excellent results, thru line out and into a quality home audio system of course.
Clue for you all: try the small car/home Sirius or XM rcvrs thru a high quality tube preamp or all tube system and hear the impressive results.
Surprise #1:, Sirius can be very, very good, but I only "virtually" subscribe-that is, it's bundled and offered through Dishnetwork's programming, and that's apples compared to oranges as far as the quality they (Dish) deliver thru their excellent satellite rcvrs vs. a Sirius rcvr for car or home use.
Surprise #2: With the "right" home stereo equipment, even the rather lowly car/home Sirius rcvr can sound great.
I actually, conventionally subscribe to XM for my cars and one for a car/home system (as opposed to the Sirius I rcv that comes bundled as a programming package thru Dishntwk). When the portable car/home XM rcvr is "home", it can produce excellent results, thru line out and into a quality home audio system of course.
Clue for you all: try the small car/home Sirius or XM rcvrs thru a high quality tube preamp or all tube system and hear the impressive results.
stormy
retro porch blaster
I am a fan of Sirius and a lot of it has to do with the horrible FM music formats available in Orlando. I did read that XM had the slightly better sound quality but I ended up with Sirius back in the early days of satellite radio. I liked their format and was running Clarion equipment at the time which Sirius was aligned with.
I originally had Sirius "kluged" into my old head unit through an FM modulator. The sound was absolutely horrible - why sell this option when the results are unlistenable? Shortly afterwards I upgraded to the top of the line Clarion DRZ9255 head unit which has aux inputs (for the Sirius receiver) and have been very pleased since. The sound quality is excellent on the channels I listen to, with only some slight noise between songs. It is not CD-quality but pretty darn good through my system. The sound quality is very poor on the talk and news channels but this is a non-factor for me because I don't listen to them.
I also have a Sirius receiver running through a tube preamp in my house as the prior post suggested - and I really enjoy the sound in that system as well!
I hope to borrow an XM receiver if possible so I can compare the two in my front room.
I originally had Sirius "kluged" into my old head unit through an FM modulator. The sound was absolutely horrible - why sell this option when the results are unlistenable? Shortly afterwards I upgraded to the top of the line Clarion DRZ9255 head unit which has aux inputs (for the Sirius receiver) and have been very pleased since. The sound quality is excellent on the channels I listen to, with only some slight noise between songs. It is not CD-quality but pretty darn good through my system. The sound quality is very poor on the talk and news channels but this is a non-factor for me because I don't listen to them.
I also have a Sirius receiver running through a tube preamp in my house as the prior post suggested - and I really enjoy the sound in that system as well!
I hope to borrow an XM receiver if possible so I can compare the two in my front room.
