XM Radio sound quality?
Hi everyone! I just signed up for 5-months of XM for $20.00 it was a special offer mailed to me. I never renewed XM after I got my NonTech package RDX over a year ago.
Anyway are you people happy with the sound quality of XM? I think it sounds like a poor quality MP3 download!! My Non Tech Package audio system ain't great but CD's sound fine. Is it the XM tuner that Acura uses or is that the way XM is? Sure wish HD radio was available instead. I have HD Radio at my home and it sound absolutely great. |
It's XM. The quality stinks as a rule. Some channels are apparently streamed at a higher bit rate than others (so some sound better than others), but as a rule, they all sound like FM radio or worse. I keep it because of the variety, certainly not because of the quality. In fact, the quality is why I will never pay full price for it. As soon as I can't get deals anymore, I'm out.
Mike |
Originally Posted by gsvette
(Post 11360809)
Hi everyone! I just signed up for 5-months of XM for $20.00 it was a special offer mailed to me. I never renewed XM after I got my NonTech package RDX over a year ago.
Anyway are you people happy with the sound quality of XM? I think it sounds like a poor quality MP3 download!! My Non Tech Package audio system ain't great but CD's sound fine. Is it the XM tuner that Acura uses or is that the way XM is? Sure wish HD radio was available instead. I have HD Radio at my home and it sound absolutely great. P.S. I noticed during the summer months with heavy foliage the XM would sometimes fade in/out trying to get a signal. Eventually it fails to receive and stops working completely. The only way I can get it to work again is by shutting off the car and restarting (kinda like rebooting ones computer.) Anyone else experience this annoyance? |
Haven't seen that problem on mine - I just lose signal temporarily when I go behind a mountain or steel building. Otherwise, the signal strength is pretty consistent. There is no doubt in my mind that they compress some stations more than others - and I wouldn't consider any of them 'high' quality. The talk stations sound worse than AM at times....
Mike |
Thanks for the replies. I guess I'm not hearing things, the concensus is the quality is not very good on XM!
Carbon2008RDX I have not had this problem in my RDX. It does fade under bridges and parking garages but overall reception is quite good! |
It totally depends on the channel. Some are crisp, clear, and dynamically wide. Others are tinny, mushy, and unimpressive.
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streams in accplus codec, usually quality is equivalent of 64kbs to 128kbs audio file -- aka sounding like shit.
even the better sounding channels which id equate to 128kbs stream, sound bad...xm is for content not sound quality - but then theres an argument to be made for its content or lack there of...if it werent for keeping the family plan open, id have cancelled mine a very long time ago...great in theory but like everything else it gets old...its like paying for cable in your car the way they structure pricing...id be more inclined to love XM if its quality approached the 256kbs range -but think about it, for people who love music, what is there to love about stuff sounding like its coming thru a meat grinder....you have fabulous stereo equip in your car, to enjoy & love music, yet you have to listen to this garbage pouring out of it. my 2. |
Originally Posted by MMike1981
(Post 11368493)
streams in accplus codec, usually quality is equivalent of 64kbs to 128kbs audio file -- aka sounding like shit.
even the better sounding channels which id equate to 128kbs stream, sound bad...xm is for content not sound quality - but then theres an argument to be made for its content or lack there of...if it werent for keeping the family plan open, id have cancelled mine a very long time ago...great in theory but like everything else it gets old...its like paying for cable in your car the way they structure pricing...id be more inclined to love XM if its quality approached the 256kbs range -but think about it, for people who love music, what is there to love about stuff sounding like its coming thru a meat grinder....you have fabulous stereo equip in your car, to enjoy & love music, yet you have to listen to this garbage pouring out of it. my 2. Mike |
I have a Sirius unit for my car that I tried hooking up to my nice home theater system and wow, did it ever sound horrible. Very tinny! I almost couldn't listen to it.
Oh well.. I guess its the price you pay for convenience on the road. |
Maybe it's just the channels I listen to but the sound quality of all my XM stations are just as good as FM or listening to my iPod. I'm happy with it.
|
Originally Posted by phoward_15
(Post 11511045)
Maybe it's just the channels I listen to but the sound quality of all my XM stations are just as good as FM or listening to my iPod. I'm happy with it.
Mike |
Catnippants - Not taken as an insult at all. Actually I'm huge into audio and home entertainment so sound is very important to me and tend to think I have a good ear for good sound quality. I guess I would just say that from what I hear of people talking about XM quality (i.e. static and all) I don't get any of that. Maybe people are blowing it out of proportion but from what I read on here it sounds to me like people are having read bad experiences. I'm not.
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Originally Posted by phoward_15
(Post 11511589)
Catnippants - Not taken as an insult at all. Actually I'm huge into audio and home entertainment so sound is very important to me and tend to think I have a good ear for good sound quality. I guess I would just say that from what I hear of people talking about XM quality (i.e. static and all) I don't get any of that. Maybe people are blowing it out of proportion but from what I read on here it sounds to me like people are having read bad experiences. I'm not.
Mike |
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