Radio Road

Which tuner to get and getting the most from it. Thank God, for the radio!

Return to Radio Road


Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

XM Radio

5.62.57.82

Posted on January 17, 2020 at 09:35:12
Since the last post I found on this subject was right after the war, I thought it might be informative to raise it again.

I use a Polk XRT12 tuner with an outside antenna, into a Pass XP-20 to one of several amps driving either a pair of Quad ESLs, or Quad ESL 63s, with bass augmentation by a pair of H-frame dipole subs.

I have been lucky to have a decent FM station locally, playing classical music all day....but, there is more and more "conversation" and more and more intrusion of religious music and programming into the mix. (Please note the station is operated by a religious school)

So, I dug out the the Polk tuner, connected it, went through the operation to add the tuner to my XM bill (two cars).

After getting the tuner operational (naturally I have lost the remote) I began to listen.

Is the "sound" as good as the Scott 4312 tuner I have been listening to for over a year?

Well that's whats interesting.

The short answer is "not exactly", but the sound is much, much better than what other people seem to have experienced in the older posts.

I have no idea if with the merger between Sirius and XM, the signal improved or not.

But without going into full audiophile-review-mode...Compared to the Scott 4312 (and other tuners using the local PBS mentioned above) The XM "sound" is a bit more diffuse, the imaging is not as crisp...but, the bass is deeper, and a violin sounds like a violin.

And, when I find the damn remote, the choices of "nearly as good" as FM music are endless.

And I dont have to listen to a sermon on Saturday morning unless I chose to.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: XM Radio, posted on January 17, 2020 at 10:52:12
Travis
Audiophile

Posts: 6170
Location: La Grange, Texas
Joined: November 25, 2001
I've enjoyed XM for at least 20 years. In many cases, it's good enough sounding and the programing is good, classical, opera, and jazz.


"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok

 

RE: XM Radio, posted on January 17, 2020 at 11:03:30
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12323
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
My experience with XM sound is generally good. It seems they apply compression/processing based on program characteristics and consumer expectations. Processing applied to classical (what little remains) and jazz can be noticeable but seems relatively benign overall. Significantly more noticeable but still benign on rock, rap, popular etc. Unmistakable to even an audio agnostic with talk, news and sports channels. Contrast this with the rapid decline in music oriented FM programming along with the decline in FM signal quality and XM isn't as bad as it's made out to be...for casual listening.

As an aside, I notice Sirius/XM is really pushing their web based programming these days. Considering that geosynchronous satellites have a finite lifetime and that web based streaming is the next big thing, I wonder how much longer consumer oriented satellite based broadcasting will be around. My guess is that I'll live to see its end as a viable medium.

 

RE: XM Radio, posted on January 17, 2020 at 11:49:04
I am also wondering, naturally, whether the Magnum Dynalab MD 606-09 XM tuners are appreciably better sounding than the Polk....anybody have experience with them?

 

Page processed in 0.023 seconds.