Polk XRT12 digital outputs

bigyank

Has anyone tried using their XM radio with other the optical or coaxial digital outputs? I like mine, but wondered is using a decent DAC could actually squeeze a little bit more sound out of the medium.

Yank

Gadabout

I have tried mine with the AMC DAC 8 that I have in that rack. The Sony CD player sounds better with that DAC, but the XRT I prefer using the analog outs to running it through that DAC.

I have a couple other DAC's in other systems. Once winter gets here I was going to see how it sounded through the other 2 DAC;s that I have. Part of the problem I have is I have to move the DAC's and not the XRT, as I have the antenna hard wired through the walls to the exterior.

I'd like to know if any one else has tried a different DAC too.

Scott

steveinaz

bigyank wrote: »

Has anyone tried using their XM radio with other the optical or coaxial digital outputs? I like mine, but wondered is using a decent DAC could actually squeeze a little bit more sound out of the medium.

Yank

I tried it with my Benchmark DAC a few years ago---it does make the sound "cleaner" but the attenuated treble and 2-dimensional soundstage are still present. Can't polish a **** I guess (meaning XM, not the Polk tuner).

Until XM bumps up the streaming rate, it's never gonna be as good as it could be.

bigyank

I actually listen to XM a lot. Better quality than FM IMO. The possibilities are almost endless for types of music and some of my favorite Philly DJ's have moved over to Deep Tracks. Like listening to an old friend.

Yank

steveinaz

No doubt the material is excellent, I just wish they'd work on the fidelity--the potential is there, they just don't want to use the bandwidth.

Some stations sound quite good, while others are severely compressed and flat sounding.

bigyank

steveinaz wrote: »

No doubt the material is excellent, I just wish they'd work on the fidelity--the potential is there, they just don't want to use the bandwidth.

Some stations sound quite good, while others are severely compressed and flat sounding.

You will get absolutely no argument from me on that statement. I listen to the blues station a lot and since the majority of the material is old, it sounds okay. When I switch to something a LOT newer, the sound not so good.

Maybe a letter writing campaign is needed!

Yank

reeltrouble1

when I had Polk tuner I used a nice DAC a parasound ultra 2000, sound quality was better with the DAC, however, I sold both pieces so enough said.

RT1

Serendipity

I find that the internal Burr-Brown DAC of the XRT12 tuner is pretty good, although has anyone here tried modding one of these? The XRT12 definitely sounds better than a portable... clearer highs and a lower noise floor.

steveinaz

Agree, the XRT was pretty respectable on it's own--but it's tough to know it's true capability with XM's mediocre signal. Sometimes I actually preferred it to the DAC, as the DAC tends to be a "microscope" on the flaws.

It just pisses me off that we finally get a medium that "can" produce excellent radio listening---and the industry once again neuters it with extremely limited bandwidth. With hindsight, I'd rather listen to a good FM tuner. Why do these mediums always go 98 yds, then fumble? How about a satellite service for audiophiles?

AsSiMiLaTeD

Didn't XM and Sirius join a while back? Does this unit play all the stations, or only those that were originally XM?

Serendipity

steveinaz wrote: »

Agree, the XRT was pretty respectable on it's own--but it's tough to know it's true capability with XM's mediocre signal. Sometimes I actually preferred it to the DAC, as the DAC tends to be a "microscope" on the flaws.

It just pisses me off that we finally get a medium that "can" produce excellent radio listening---and the industry once again neuters it with extremely limited bandwidth. With hindsight, I'd rather listen to a good FM tuner. Why do these mediums always go 98 yds, then fumble? How about a satellite service for audiophiles?

What's wrong with the current sound quality of XM? Channel 66 Watercolors sounds impressive, along with Spa (New Age) and Symphony Hall. XM Pops (classical) is good too. I'd rather listen to the XRT12 than the garbage on FM radio, which is just noisy and overly compressed. At least the XRT12 has some dynamic range, whereas local NYC radio stations compress the heck out of their signal as they assume louder = better. In some radio markets FM can sound better than XM radio, but after hearing Lady GaGa on FM radio squashed to distorted noise I'd rather listen to the Jazz/New Age on XM with better sound quality.

So I don't know about your local FM stations, but in New York FM radio sounds terrible!!

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

Didn't XM and Sirius join a while back? Does this unit play all the stations, or only those that were originally XM?

This unit plays all the stations, but I only subscribed to certain channels. I really only care about Classical, New Age, and Jazz as that's most of what I listen to.

Serendipity

I'm listening to the XRT12 right now and I understand that the signal has limited bandwidth, but at least it's not as dynamically compressed like FM radio. Local FM is literally an assault on the ears as it's all one volume - loud! The XRT12 is able to show details in soft passages of music; FM radio doesn't seem to do that as well. IMO, if there is no quiet, then there can be no loud. Just noise.

steveinaz

Who knows what you're getting over FM anymore---probably an MP3 player plugged into the console. YUK.

Serendipity

steveinaz wrote: »

Who knows what you're getting over FM anymore---probably an MP3 player plugged into the console. YUK.

More like an iPod turned up to MAX volume and then run through a dbx compressor/limiter before even going into the console... seriously FM radio nowadays sounds so loud it's not even listenable!

What happened to the dynamic range?

steveinaz

It's the quantity over quality generation of users.

Serendipity

I'll take XM channels 66, 68, 75, and 76 any day over FM.