Sirius... is it worth it?

zgw8

As I build my new system, I am considering Sirius radio as an option. Don't know anything about it other than there are a lot of music/news choices and it costs $12.99/month. How is the music quality? Do you have it? Would you do it again?

Since my HU is Sirius ready, all I need is a tuner. There is one that runs thru the Clarion Cenet connection.

Let me know.

zgw8

MacLeod

Not worth it to me. I take long trips periodically but my CD collection has always been enough to keep me happy. Ill stick to CD's.

chuck13

I have had XM since it started. I've moved it thru 3 cars. It's great and saves my CDs. I tend to damage them in the car.

thehaens@cox.net

I have XM and used it a lot in the beginning, but like MacLeod, Sat. Radio has taken the back seat to CD's. CD's just sound a lot better, and I have the option to listen to whatever I want to, when I want to.....the only station I listen to anymore on XM is Watercolors, (jazz)...............and I have forgotten the rest.........

Is it worth it? I would say YES, I can easily piss through 12.99 a month. So I don't worry about it, and just look at it as a fixed expense.....

zgw8

If the audio quality isn't there then I probably won't do it. I have heard that the better your system, the worse sat radio sounds. Any comments?

thehaens@cox.net

HMMM, it isn't as good as CD, but definitely better than FM Radio....Try it out, if you don't like it cancel. It may just be the ticket for you.......

zgw8

thehaens@cox.ne wrote:

HMMM, it isn't as good as CD, but definitely better than FM Radio....Try it out, if you don't like it cancel. It may just be the ticket for you.......

Except I have to buy the tuner and its $100. I guess I should find a decent installed system and listen to it. I'd rather not buy the tuner if it isn't the best sound quality.

thehaens@cox.net

Go with your gut..............on this one.....

bordominc

Buy the tuner, try it out, if you don't like it cancel your service and take the tuner back.

zgw8

For those of you that are ho hum on Sirius, what sort of connection did/do you have? I have heard that the FM modulated source isn't that good. I will have a Cenet aux connection which I have heard is pretty close to CD quality. Any input on connectivity?

chuck13

Connectivity is critical. FM modulation is HORRIBLE. Quality of source (tuner) is also important.

thehaens@cox.net

FM modulation is not that good at all. Actually using the cassette adapter is better, if you have a cassette. I have tried both on my XM and then went with the direct connect, got an adapter from Blitzsafe to run directly from my head unit. Much cleaner, but still not as dynamic as CD. It is close though. I would say that it is comparable to some of the older original CD's from the 80's before the remastering came around.

neomagus00

i had sirius on a direct connection through a kenwood HU and kenwood tuner... i rather liked it, mostly because it had no commercials, and i make long trips on a fairly regular basis, so it was cool not having to search the radio dial every half hour on the highway... i thought the sound quality was just fine, though i was running stock speakers at the time ... it is indeed much better than radio, even HD radio... a big advantage of it that i didn't... um... take advantage of is the massive selection, that's pretty cool, so when you get bored of metal you can flip over to some jazz or classical...

hrdhtdvr

I have a question about programming. Everyone knows that your local FM stations play the same 10 songs every 1/2 hour. (Ok, maybe I exaggerate a little) The only time I have heard XM or Sirius, they sounded good. But since I don't listen to them all the time, do they really mix it up pretty good? I have moved around a lot and it seems that everytime you hear a new station, it's like YES, finally some good music. Only to find out in about 6 month that "Boy they play the heck out of this or that." What about requesting songs?

neomagus00

sirius does allow requests, though i never seemed to hear mine... they play the same song enough that you hear your favorites every once in a while, but they play stuff you'd NEVER hear on the radio, which is way cool, sometimes you find an underground band that's really good... i got hooked on RA from sirius...

spwuinmk67

I've listend to both, XM seemed repetative to me. I have sirius in my truck, got it for my dad for fathers dad, and listen to it at both of my jobs. I love it. If you can go with the direct connection, definatly do that. I have the Pioneer direct tuner. They do play some of the more popular songs a lot, but so does everyone, but not nearly as bad as regualar radio. That might just be me though from listening to it all day at work. I think it's definatly worth the investment.

dnewhous

zgw8 wrote:

I have heard that the better your system, the worse sat radio sounds.

Oh, yeah.

dnewhous

spwuinmk67 wrote:

I've listend to both, XM seemed repetative to me. I have sirius in my truck, got it for my dad for fathers dad, and listen to it at both of my jobs. I love it.

What form of music do you listen to? The Sirius rock channels are much more repetitive than the XM rock channels. Just go to the forums. You will see Sirius people griping about the narrow playlists and XM people griping about the obscure songs.

I've only listened to Sirius briefly (internet trial) but by listening to XM and using www.itsonsirius.com none of the good bands that I've never heard of before that get played on XM are played on Sirius.

Sirius is still a big step over FM in terms of playlist size. But you need to understand, my head is a voluminous library of 70s and 80s rock bands so its hard to hit me with something I've never heard before.

hrdhtdvr

I am going to go with Sirius. Now, any one have any cool ways to hook up a PNP systen in the vehicle (02' Silverado in my case) so that it does not look like crap?

I think I am going with this tuner.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-wFvD15qyWKm/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=220SIRPNP3&id=morephotos&a=&s=0&cc=01&g=250150#morephotos

and with this car kit.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-wFvD15qyWKm/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=220SIRCK3&id=morephotos&a=&s=0&cc=01&g=247550#morephotos

aaharvel

When Satellite radio is free- then i'll jump.

Not going to pay for something that has mp3 quality at best.

Then again, If you're into Howard Stern...

Spawndn72

It is not the best thing since sliced bread, but when I drive my wifes car I sure do miss it. I have a panasonic HU and a panasonic sirius reciever that I control with the HU. The sound quality is much better than FM, but not as good as CD's. The biggest difference is no commercials. When I am in my wife's car, the commercials drive me NUTS!

If you have the $100 for the reciever and the $12.95 a month then it is worth it. If you are going to miss the $12.95 a month, then don't get it.

MacLeod

aaharvel wrote:

When Satellite radio is free- then i'll jump.

Not going to pay for something that has mp3 quality at best.

x2!

I like the idea of commercial free (for now, you know theyre coming) radio and having an entire station dedicated to 80's hair bands but I need another monthly payment like I need a hole in my head. Still, since we got those nifty Polk XM tuners at Polkfest, I admit I have been thinking of subscribing.

Ricardo

I've got XM in the car with factory unit (Accord); I think it sounds great, even better than some CD's in the same unit; the most listened channels are 71-Watercolors (sometimes I go down to 70...they have some great jazz there..), a couple of clasical channels (love that for driving), and the latin channels. I used to listen a lot to the 70's, but lately I think they have gone down in quality of music choices....
When my 14 y/old son rides with me, channel 20 is the one (hits).

1996blackmax

I have been thinking about going with Sirius with my Pioneer HU. One of the main reasons is football. My son really likes watching and listening to the games. He was actually the one that brought up the Sirius thing because of the football games on it. I am leaning towards getting it for my car. Woud be nice to have another source for music or news.