XM Radio

[gigidy5]

Anyone use it?

I had one for about 4 months then got tired of begging my parents to pay for it so I dropped it. This was about 5 years ago when my ears weren't quite as tuned as they are now and I don't remember sound quality. I miss having so many channels to choose from and am considering getting another one, and now I have a good job and can afford to pay it myself. My question is: Whats the sound quality on these things (Average kbps)? And if anyone has any experience with XM radios then whats a good unit to buy?

If anyone doesn't know about XM heres the site http://www.xmradio.com/


170 channels of whatever you feel like listening to :D

[gigidy5]

I might do the slacker portable though...
http://www.slacker.com/products/portables/


I sure do love the online slacker, and there are no fees:scratch2:


Anyone here use slacker?

[motorstereo]

Have it in my new car and have a polk tuner for home as well. Just not having to listen to commercials and some whiz bang dj makes it worth the admission price to me. Not to mention you don't have to listen to the top 20 every single day of every year over and over again unless of course you choose to do so. These bonuses more than make up for the slightly less than stellar sound quality imho.

[oldhifiguy]

I get my XM radio over satellite directv included in the service . I like it. sound is ok and music selection is great. I play it thru my HT tv system Yahama 5.1 5 spkr setup. So if you think any of the digital music media, ipod, mp3 and the like sound good you'll like XM radio thru a good stereo system, home or car. It's all the compression that can detract from the audible qualities but it's just radio and is far better than FM and AM broadcast. Only FM radio can be considered to be anything close to hifi with 15Khz bandwidth, and that's dictated by the design of FM stereo broadcasting. It can't be made better as it stands. XM is just a different attempt to staisfy the masses with mediocur sound.

[clydeselsor]

Have it in my new car and have a polk tuner for home as well. Just not having to listen to commercials and some whiz bang dj makes it worth the admission price to me. Not to mention you don't have to listen to the top 20 every single day of every year over and over again unless of course you choose to do so. These bonuses more than make up for the slightly less than stellar sound quality imho.

I have a Roady XT in the car and I have a boombox for it, plus I also have the Polk home component tuner. I listen to XM quite a lot. I am not sure of the kbps, but I would rate the sound quality to be about like FM, but no noise.

[specialidiot]

I tried the Polk tuner at home for a while and wasn't satisfied with the sq. I have been thinking about getting the OEM tuna for my car.

[Fisherdude]

My understanding is that the max bitrate is 48 kbps.

So, you get XM for the amazing variety, for no commercials, for a static-free connection (when you have a connection), and for availability of music when you're driving in the middle of nowhere. All of which are great advantages over any regular radio broadcast!

High-bandwidth hi-fidelity FM Multiplex Stereo it ain't.

[jhal]

I have it as part of my satellite TV package, and I think the sound quality is better then what is sent to the XM receivers. I have been told this is because the signal is not compressed as much. Makes sense to me. I do have a Delphi "XM to go" receiver and I let my subscription lapse because it sounded like a low-bitrate MP3, plus I don't spend as much time in the car as I used to. I do enjoy the channels and variety of music, changing channels and genres as the mood strikes. The satellite TV receiver the stereo is hooked up to rarely gets tuned to a television station.:music:. The stereo's AM/FM tuner hasn't been on in weeks, and if it broke, it would stay that way. Tampa radio stations have thoroughly been ruined by Clear Channel.

[uofmtiger]

I have a Myfi and have used a pioneer unit in my car and one of the older Delphi portable units. My Myfi needs a new battery, so I have been using my phone to stream my Directv's XM signal (using a Slingbox). I mainly listen to it while I am at work over a Sangean WR-1 radio, so sound quality is plenty good for that application.

A while ago, I posted some of the specs that I got from a Stereophile article, so you may want to do a search. If I remember correctly, they use different bandwidths depending on the channel. The talk channels get less of the bandwidth than the music.

I rarely listen at home, but if you have a subscription, you can also stream it over a computer.

[clydeselsor]

My understanding is that the max bitrate is 48 kbps.

So, you get XM for the amazing variety, for no commercials, for a static-free connection (when you have a connection), and for availability of music when you're driving in the middle of nowhere. All of which are great advantages over any regular radio broadcast!

High-bandwidth hi-fidelity FM Multiplex Stereo it ain't.

With the Polk it is closer to the FM sound IMO. But then again I live in a fringe area for Chicago FM!!

[Hepcat]

I love my XM receivers (first gen. Sony and the Polk reference). XM is like a window on the world with everything from Dixieland Jazz, Rockabilly, Bluegrass etc., to all sorts of News/talk.