Satellite Radio

Ike Harris · #1 12-30-2005, 11:00 AM

Any other bass-heads here have Sirius or XM? I've had Sirius for a year and a half and have enjoyed it, in general. I've heard good things about XM also and tried logging on to the 3 day temporary service. It was when my cable box decided it was obsolete and went nuts, so I missed the free preview. I tried getting on again and only got back a pre-prepared email that I'd already had the preview and not entitled to another. So, I said screw you, I'll stay with Sirius and not look back.

This was to do a little homework before I got my wife a Christmas present of the portable radio for her car/office, etc. So I went ahead with the present system that we're on. I was just curious as to others' takes on the programming they liked to listen to on the two systems available. Also tell me which type of radio you got to listen to it on. I received an installed Kenwood radio/cdplayer for my birthday in my car and it does an Ok job. Very difficult contraption to operate and set up and doesn't sound as good as the original Volvo unit. Can't get enough bass out of it(of course).

My usage usually goes between 70,72, & 75 Jazz stations(straight ahead, fusion & standards), occasional classical(not crazy about their programming here)CNN, Fox, and the two comedy channels. Occasionally I wander around the talk channels, NPRs, other music things, but come back to these. The radio I have is not that user friendly. I'd be driving all over the place trying to channel surf with this thing. Let me know what you think about it.

Ike

SteveC · #2 12-30-2005, 01:49 PM

I've had XM for a couple years. I love it. I live in radio wasteland so it's almost a necessity.

I listen to 7, 8, 22, 25, 64, 70, 71, 72, 150

lowendforlife · #3 01-01-2006, 07:50 PM

I'm an XM 72 junkie...great stuff

PinkFloydDan · #4 01-01-2006, 07:57 PM

I want Sirius really bad just for the NFL. But since the season is over, I will wait awhile and see if a good, decent working unit is made that is like an Ipod.

What is the current best Sirius unit that can go in car and office or home?

JimmyM · #5 01-01-2006, 09:34 PM

They'll all pretty much go anywhere if you're willing to buy the separate kits and run all the antennas. The most expensive one is $329. The cheapest is $50. I went with the cheapest because I pretty much got it just for Howard Stern and other talk radio. But they have some really good music stations too. The only problem is the sound quality isn't great. Seems to have some mid distortion. I read an article in the Star that compared Sirius and XM and they said that the XM radios sound better. I think it's going to shake out where they merge eventually, but for now, they say XM's best for music nuts, and Sirius is best for talk nuts. Quite a gross oversimplification, but I bought my Sirius for talk so there you go.

Ike Harris · #6 01-02-2006, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PinkFloydDan

I want Sirius really bad just for the NFL. But since the season is over, I will wait awhile and see if a good, decent working unit is made that is like an Ipod.

What is the current best Sirius unit that can go in car and office or home?

What I got for my wife was the Sportster that just pulls straight out of the car mount and will fit in a boom box made for the unit(bought separately). The box has a headphone jack that I use to connect it to the stereo at home. You can see all that stuff at the Sirius site and can be bought at a lot of the chain hifi stores including Radio Shack. There's a smaller version(Starmate) that you have to unplug wires from in the car, and doesn't have a boom box, so that's why I got this one. There are others avaiable too but this one seemed the most flexible. So far, it seems to work just fine.

Helstar · #7 01-02-2006, 12:29 AM

My XM radio broke and had to go in for repairs, I was a complete bascket case for like the first three days, I can not picture life with out it

Heifetzbass · #8 01-02-2006, 12:03 PM

Ike-

I think I played a Crystal Gayle gig with you a couple summers ago... in Spartanburg? Sound familiar??? Outdoors? Anyway, I think that was you...

I just bought my wife an xact visor model. It has a built in wireless fm transmitter. It took me about an hour to install. I have the sportster model in my CRV. I absolutely love it. I listen to the jazz and classical stations, but I am a talk radio junkie. Also I love the sports programming.

What I love about it is taking long trips, ie. to gigs... and not having to fidget with the radio to find something to listen to.

Wouldn't trade mine for the world.
Brian

Ike Harris · #9 01-02-2006, 06:55 PM

Hey Brian-

Yes, I remember you. Especially the Heifetz signed bass. The 4th of July gig at end of June, no less. Nice fireworks. Crystal made me ditch the EUB for the Am. Standard after hearing it once. Yeah, I feel better about the Sirius thing after reading some Googled info (XM vs. Sirius) on other BBSs, etc. The NFL coverage was worth having even though the Titans sucked this year.

Ike

Heifetzbass · #10 01-05-2006, 07:41 AM

Thought that was you... trying to put a name with a face.

Brian

Jason Hollar · #11 01-06-2006, 06:01 AM

I have XM. It's great on long road trips -- but craps out under tunnels and some bridges...

The Real Jazz channel is sweet -- but I don't care for the "DJ" announcers...I thought the music channels were going to be "talk free". Oh well.

We also have Direct TV and they just switched to XM, so I have it at home through my decent stereo in the living room.

I also have to say, I'm very lucky here in Pittsburgh to have an awesome Jazz/NPR station WDUQ and I listen as much as I can. Support your local radio stations...if you have a good one!

farmerdude · #12 01-19-2006, 12:50 PM

XM Cross Country (#12) No more top 40 crap!!!!!

Bruce Jackson · #13 01-21-2006, 05:33 AM

So what's the monthly fee? Do the rates go up every year? Is it really commercial free?

**Freddels** · #14 01-21-2006, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Jackson

So what's the monthly fee? Do the rates go up every year? Is it really commercial free?

My friend has Sirius and the fees depend upon whether you pay monthly, quarterly, yearly (or the one lifetime payment). From what I understand, it's commercial free (but then again so was cable TV when they were trying to sell that to everybody. Now's it's wireless cable. Isn't that what we basically had before.) So in time, the satellite radio will probably start selling ads to make more revenue. Who knows?