XM Satellite Radio's Future

[Welly Wu]

Read here: http://www.stereophile.com/news/082304xm/

Polk Audio is coming out with a home tuner with Burr Brown audio DACs, 17" wide chassis, and all the other trimmings?!

Forget Tivoli Audio!

XM is signing up new radio personalities and channels left and right! XM @ Starbucks?!

Too cool!

My wait 'n see attitude is waning...

 

[Welly Wu]

Polk Audio XM Reference tuner: http://www.polkaudio.com/xm/index.php

 

[enzoferrari650]

Does anyone own xm here? How is the quality of the reception? Is it acceptable for us audiophiles?

 

[JohnnyCougar]

Now, if we can only get Magnum Dynalab to come around, and see the light!

 

[Welly Wu]

http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t...o+xm+reference

This gives a bit more information about the new Polk Audio XM Reference home tuner. The specifications are nothing to die for but this may very well be the first of future "audiophile" quality XM home tuners. That XMFan.Com is like the Head-Fi of XM!

 

[gerG]

Do not expect high sound quality from XM. I own an XM pcr with a digital output. I also had one of the Delphi units. The sound quality is not even close to audoiphile. It has very high levels of distortion that is plainly audible on decent gear. Comb filtering helps, but it still makes my ears ring after an hour or 2 (on any station). It would be fantastic if the Polk tuner would fix the probelm, but I am not optimistic. I suspect that the problem is rooted in the low bit rate that they use so that they can have so many stations.

The positive about XM is the huge variety of music, with the names of songs displayed on the screen. The PCR will actually show all of the stations on your PC screen, so that you can keep an eye out for other interesting things while you are listening to a particular station. Very slick, and so far it is worth the monthly fee for me, even with the distortion.


gerG

 

[enzoferrari650]

That sucks, maybe someday tho

 

[gerG]

I forgot to mention that the reception is pretty solid and consistent, even in a car.

For trying XM out, I recommend the PCR, which is a PC controlled tuner. It is available with an optical digital out, so you can use your choice of d/a and analog electronics. Signal does not go through the PC, only the control interface.

Advantage of the XMPCR is a great control interface, improved sound quality, and a low price. Disadvantage is that you can't use it in your car (unless you have a PC and d/a in your vehicle).

As for sound quality, I hope that they work on it. Unfortunately I think the target audience is more interested in maximum number of stations (resulting in narrow bandwidth per station) than high sound quality. Personally I would love to see them combine a few of the stations and offer a limited number of stations for us audiocentric types. Luna + Caliente at double the bandwidth would work nicely, thanks.

gerG

 

[Tuberoller]

I think the Polk unit has a digital output which is the only real saving grace of home based XM units in my book. The more I listen with an external Dac the more I hear the impovements. I wish they could increase the bandwidth and the sound quality a bit. I'll likely buy the Polk unit just to rid myself of the goofy orange display of the Delphi Skyfi.

 

[Nightfall]

I suspect I will buy one too. Althought he Delphi dosent really bother me. Well, not TOO much. I agree, it is goofy/odd in a number of ways though.
The sound quality "on the stations I specifically listen to" really is pretty good. I know it varies, but I listen to mainly, Live, Audio Visions, Folk Village, Fine Tuning and The Loft". Sometimes, on "those" channels, it approaches surprisingly decent sound, and its almost always at least acceptable. YMMV depending on what you listen to.
I wouldnt give up my XM for anything!


JC

 

[jjcapurro]

I saw this announced a day or so ago, and I'm very intrigued... Been looking at satalite radio for some time now, and until now the only 2 home units I was aware of were both for Sirius. One Kenwood, and another I can't remember. Any thoughts on whether XM's sound quality is better or worse than Sirius? How about content? Does anyone here use the Kenwood unit with Sirius? I'm still in a 'wait and see' mode, but the plot is certainly thickening.

 

[taoster]

I read that all new digital radio formats(here in au anyway) are all heavily compressed to fit more stations in the limited bandwidth space. It will not be targeted at audiophiles and would unlikely ever be adequate for our needs.

 

[Welly Wu]

That's the exact same concern voiced by Stereophile and audiophiles alike.

Speculation is nice and entertaining but real experience always sounds better to my ears.

 

[stevewm]

Thank the NAB for satellite radio's low bitrate. (NAB = National Association of Broadcasters, a powerful lobbying group for terrestrial FM/AM radio)


Originally the FCC was going to allocate 40mhz of bandwidth per each SDARS license. Thats double the bandwidth of the entire 20mzh FM band. Thanks to the NAB and the rest of its lobbying pundits this was cut to a partly 12.5mhz. (!) They also got a stipulation put in that each provider had to have a running service within 1 year of the license being granted. Out of the 3 companies that originally applied for a license, only 2 could do this.