A delightful alternative to cookie cut ClearChannel programming.
Written: Mar 08 '06 (Updated Mar 08 '06)
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| Full Review |
Buying a reciever:
Sirius and XM stand as the only gladiators in a market some consider futile. The hardware shopping experience for Sirius equipment is not a journey that instills confidence. XM has done a fine job of blanketing the automotive and home audio market manufacturers inlcuding Sony, Pioneer, Yamaha and if rumors are accurate, soon Bose. Sirius has formed relationships with Jensen and a joyful band of nobody's. You can search Crutchfield or a local big box electronics wonderland, but I found the largest variety of Sirius (and XM) equipment at one of two area Wal*Mart locations. For 80.98 I had both the receiver and home kit (JSir900R).
Quality of service and programming:
Nervous about plugging a Jensen device into your network of Audiophile gear? Fret not, young grasshopper. As a product of my forgetfulness and living in a Cleveland neighborhood filled with thieving bastards, I've been through a dozen receivers with sirius service. With a higher lvl Yamaha receiver and full complement of bose and polk audio, I've been unable to discern a difference between the lot of them. I hardly intend to suggest that all receivers produce the sound quality of a front and center symphony seating. Just the opposite. Satallite radio is streaming data via space.... While this feat surprasses FM technologically by leaps and bounds, there is a slight regression in sound quality. More about this later....
Firstly, the debate needs to be addressed. XM, or Sirius? Which would I prefer? Personally, I think the answer is a simple one, but requires honesty with yourself.
Do you like the exact current programming available on your radio, but dislike commercials? Do you like to have thoughts well digested and broken down for you, and then spoon fed? Are your thoughts product of mass media? Do you have a good idea of what songs are in the top 10? Buy XM radio. (And don't call me) XM Radio is mainstream, littered with Mtv and various other sponsors. A strong point in XM programming is their electronica (was, several years ago when I trialed their service). The limited talk radio options left me needing more.
Do you find yourself listening to cd's because the radio doesn't offer what you're interested in? Do you apply your own thoughts to history and current events? Like discovering new artists? (The Raconteurs, Jack White, of the White Stripes, merged with another band... new song on Left of Center while I write this). The NPR talk radio and lesser known artists might do the trick for you. Don't get me wrong, Sirius offers a channel in each genre for the "common". Have kids? US1 will give them their fill of top 40 pop/dance. Like country? Everything you might hear on the CMT is going over the waves, all the time. What I like about Sirius over XM is the rest of the music... the music the world ignores because it hasn't been featured in a shoe commercial. The alternatives like old country. Electronica channels, the oldies....all of them. When it comes to rock, Sirius found their niche. A dozen channels for every kind of lunatic out there. Left of center offers those obscure artists. Hair bands, classic rock, punk rock....lots of rock on lots of channels.
Still can't decide? Torn between the quality reports between the both of them? Here's a little lesson.
Both XM and Sirius have approximately the same amount of bandwidth available to them. Xm has fewer channels, so they can increase the quality of each channel slightly... but they have a narrower range. What does that mean? After implementing a constant bit rate process, the highs aren't really that high. The lows? You guessed it...not all that low. Sirius uses a variable bit rate. An average listener can "tell" it's a little different. An audiophile can hear the minor fluctuations in the fractions of a second where the high and low qualities of the stream come together. The idea is that if the quality is changed fast enough it is indistinguishable to the human ear. There is an averaging effect, as intended, and it suffices for the void I wanted the service fill. To each their own, but if somebody tells you one is truly better than another, find another reference. If you're going to be particular about quality, perhaps neither is the answer and you should keep shuffling discs. Personally I find Sirius the lesser of the two evils. I like both treble, and bass.
This is where we have to address quality of receivers. XM, in part to their large sponsorship, has done a fine job in getting their name and equipment installed in cars and home theater systems. In addition, they offer a very reasonable variety of transportable receivers. Sirius meanwhile... has several transportable receivers. While an alarming display of ineptitude on Sirius' part, I personally will not be affected. Both services charge their monthly fee (albeit reduced for multiples) for each receiver you would like activated. So, from your car to your home, exactly how many receivers would you like? I'm comfy with just a single. The talk radio options on Sirius (40% of my decision) are superior in numbers, and in my opinion, quality. Across the dozen or so different brands and models of receivers, the output quality had changed an indiscernable amount. That blankets the most expensive to the least expensive receivers available.
A minor detail:
Xm radio offers abbreviated or chopped summary of artist and title information. Sirius offers scrolling information, sometimes including an event the song was played or an album.
I've been a serious Sirius customer for a number of years (5+?) and will continue. Their pricing is reasonable for the reward of avoiding ClearChannel programming and political bias. Cross country driving is rewarded with the familiar options whether in the dunes of Michigan, or in the span of sand before the lights of Vegas. There will still be a pile of DVD audio for the nights you want to feel sound of fingers and string. The long drives or afternoons home with the "radio" on are great.
Are there any downsides? This is satellite reception, so you may experience directional sensitivity. I've moved several times. In rows of apartments I could actually have my antenna 2 ft. from the window atop of a speaker. Where I live currently my signal has only been consistent through the skylight. The former has been more consistent than the latter. A minor b*tch of mine is the 10 seconds of self back-patting they do. There may be a span of 10 songs uninterrupted, but then they announce their channel number and some half witted "we are great" anthem.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? JSIR900R
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Epinions.com ID:
heathcolwell
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Member: Heath Colwell
Location: Cleveland, OH
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 1 member
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