Sirius Radio Quality

DRock3d · 04-04-2013, 11:12 AM

I activated my car on my Sirius account and the sound quality is horrible. There's no bass it's just really metallic dry sound. Could my antenna be messed up?

JustinGTP · 04-04-2013, 11:17 AM

Sirius is low quality and sounds horrible even on my individual audio....

DRock3d · 04-04-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustinGTP

Sirius is low quality and sounds horrible even on my individual audio....

Maybe my ears have just gotten pickier over the years lol

N8N · 04-04-2013, 11:36 AM

I think that Sirius is just overcompressing the digital audio streams to fit more channels into their available bandwidth. Kind of like how when you're watching TV you can have a full HD channel with only one or two SD subchannels but you could have 5 or 6 SD channels using the same RF frequency (MHz does that around here, they have one channel but I think 5 subchannels all broadcasting in SD)

Unfortunately, the better your sound system is, the more painful Sirius is to listen to.

Fortunately the "HD Radio" stations around here don't seem to be succumbing to the same effect. for the most part they seem to sound pretty good.

I do have to give BMW props for including a HD tuner - first time I've ever seen that on a factory stereo system. Only "upgrade" I did was adding the Sirius tuner - I didn't really feel the need to have it but I figured I would grab it while it was still available, and then once I had it it seemed silly not to go ahead and install it.

Unfortunately I only have HiFi not Logic 7 - it's "good enough" but I kind of want to add a subwoofer. Don't really want to start going down the slippery slope however!

DRock3d · 04-04-2013, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N8N

I think that Sirius is just overcompressing the digital audio streams to fit more channels into their available bandwidth. Kind of like how when you're watching TV you can have a full HD channel with only one or two SD subchannels but you could have 5 or 6 SD channels using the same RF frequency (MHz does that around here, they have one channel but I think 5 subchannels all broadcasting in SD)

Unfortunately, the better your sound system is, the more painful Sirius is to listen to.

Fortunately the "HD Radio" stations around here don't seem to be succumbing to the same effect. for the most part they seem to sound pretty good.

I do have to give BMW props for including a HD tuner - first time I've ever seen that on a factory stereo system. Only "upgrade" I did was adding the Sirius tuner - I didn't really feel the need to have it but I figured I would grab it while it was still available, and then once I had it it seemed silly not to go ahead and install it.

Unfortunately I only have HiFi not Logic 7 - it's "good enough" but I kind of want to add a subwoofer. Don't really want to start going down the slippery slope however!

Makes sense, none of the stations I listen to are HD though

gpb · 04-04-2013, 04:29 PM

DRock3d; Sirius is of course going to be lower quality than CD or HD radio. Figure you should get something around FM radio quality. It sounds like there's something wrong with your install.

Mine sounds fine, though admittedly I'm no audiophile with golden ears. I also had it in my previous non-BMW car and it was also decent. Not spectacular, but also not as awful as many make it out to be.

I'd see if you can listen to Sirius in a different car to help you decide if there's something amiss with your system or if you have indeed developed golden ears.

N8N · 04-04-2013, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRock3d

Makes sense, none of the stations I listen to are HD though

Nothing wrong with that... a good quality analog FM signal still should result in good sound quality, maybe not as theoretically good as HD but still quite listenable. I have to admit to being an NPR junkie and also I like good classic rock at times, and NPR has always been one of the biggest adopters of the technology and then the best classic rock station I've found in my area is actually a HD subchannel...

I do think it's a little dodgy on the part of whoever named HD Radio using the "HD" moniker - in this instance it stands for Hybrid Digital not High Definition. Theoretically there is the possibilty of slightly better sound quality than analog FM but I don't think it's anywhere near as earth shattering as SDTV going to digital HDTV was.

moorlander · 04-04-2013, 08:37 PM

Sirius sound quality on my Harmon Kardon is great but I'm coming from an after market sirius reciever with FM modulator. I don't notice much difference between the Sirius and my mp3 and the bass is strong. Get it checked out.

gpb · 04-07-2013, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moorlander

the bass is strong. Get it checked out.

Yeah, I was listening to Electric Area the other day and there was no shortage of bass from the under-seat subs...

(Logic7/premium system)

DRock3d · 04-09-2013, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpb

DRock3d; Sirius is of course going to be lower quality than CD or HD radio. Figure you should get something around FM radio quality. It sounds like there's something wrong with your install.

Mine sounds fine, though admittedly I'm no audiophile with golden ears. I also had it in my previous non-BMW car and it was also decent. Not spectacular, but also not as awful as many make it out to be.

I'd see if you can listen to Sirius in a different car to help you decide if there's something amiss with your system or if you have indeed developed golden ears.

It's no where near FM radio, it was also factory installed so I don't know what's going on.

mathematics · 04-11-2013, 08:56 AM

Anyone know if the Sirius app will give better sound quality?

gpb · 04-11-2013, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRock3d

It's no where near FM radio, it was also factory installed so I don't know what's going on.

Doesn't seem right. Have you tried different Sirius channels? Maybe gone to a dealer or a local meet up and tried to listen to Sirius in a different car to compare?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mathematics

Anyone know if the Sirius app will give better sound quality?

No idea, though i bet it depends on your data connection. Wi the app though, the new ability to tweak a channel is cool.

N8N · 04-11-2013, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mathematics

Anyone know if the Sirius app will give better sound quality?

Not if you live here (DC-land) and have Sprint - it's pretty much unusable

Much as I hate to contemplate it, I'm actually considering switching to Verizon to get decent 4G service and good phone choices (I like Motorola) but my experience with Verizon land lines has been abysmal to put it mildly, so I expect their customer service to fellate goats.

Brandicular · 01-10-2016, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRock3d

I activated my car on my Sirius account and the sound quality is horrible. There's no bass it's just really metallic dry sound. Could my antenna be messed up?

I called Sirius/XM to complain about this (about 2 months ago) and they said they changed their signal format some time ago, and there's a new Sat radio module available from BMW that can decode the signal with better quality.

Was planning on dropping into my local dealership this week to see if there's any truth to what they told me.

04-04-2013, 11:12 AM	#1
DRock3d Kraut Driver 59 Rep 624 Posts Drives: 2014 650i GC/2011 335is DCT Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 650i Gran Coupe [0.00] 2011 335is [1.00] 2007 328i [2.00]	Sirius Radio Quality I activated my car on my Sirius account and the sound quality is horrible. There's no bass it's just really metallic dry sound. Could my antenna be messed up?
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04-04-2013, 11:17 AM	#2
JustinGTP Captain 58 Rep 602 Posts Drives: '13 MINI Paceman JCW Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta iTrader: (0)	Sirius is low quality and sounds horrible even on my individual audio.... __________________ '09 LCI 335i E90 in BSM over Oyster Dakota Leather, Manual, Sport, Navigation, Individual Audiophile, Executive, Active Steering, JB4 + MHD BEF, 335is Exhaust w/AWE Tuning Tips, AFE DCI, Euro Tails/Fog Light Switch, various painted and other OEM + mods, 19" M5 reps summer '13 MINI Cooper S Paceman JCW R61in Light White & Black Roof/Mirror Caps/Sport Stripes, Loaded + Rare
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04-04-2013, 11:36 AM	#4
N8N Lieutenant Colonel 170 Rep 1,843 Posts Drives: 2009 E92 335i 6MT Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Berwyn Heights, MD iTrader: (2)	I think that Sirius is just overcompressing the digital audio streams to fit more channels into their available bandwidth. Kind of like how when you're watching TV you can have a full HD channel with only one or two SD subchannels but you could have 5 or 6 SD channels using the same RF frequency (MHz does that around here, they have one channel but I think 5 subchannels all broadcasting in SD) Unfortunately, the better your sound system is, the more painful Sirius is to listen to. Fortunately the "HD Radio" stations around here don't seem to be succumbing to the same effect. for the most part they seem to sound pretty good. I do have to give BMW props for including a HD tuner - first time I've ever seen that on a factory stereo system. Only "upgrade" I did was adding the Sirius tuner - I didn't really feel the need to have it but I figured I would grab it while it was still available, and then once I had it it seemed silly not to go ahead and install it. Unfortunately I only have HiFi not Logic 7 - it's "good enough" but I kind of want to add a subwoofer. Don't really want to start going down the slippery slope however!
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04-04-2013, 04:29 PM	#6
gpb First Lieutenant 5 Rep 393 Posts Drives: 335i Cabrio Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (0)	DRock3d; Sirius is of course going to be lower quality than CD or HD radio. Figure you should get something around FM radio quality. It sounds like there's something wrong with your install. Mine sounds fine, though admittedly I'm no audiophile with golden ears. I also had it in my previous non-BMW car and it was also decent. Not spectacular, but also not as awful as many make it out to be. I'd see if you can listen to Sirius in a different car to help you decide if there's something amiss with your system or if you have indeed developed golden ears.
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04-04-2013, 08:37 PM	#8
moorlander Private First Class 10 Rep 163 Posts Drives: 2024 x5, 2024 x3 on order Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: the moorlands iTrader: (0)	Sirius sound quality on my Harmon Kardon is great but I'm coming from an after market sirius reciever with FM modulator. I don't notice much difference between the Sirius and my mp3 and the bass is strong. Get it checked out.
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04-11-2013, 08:56 AM	#11
mathematics Captain 69 Rep 994 Posts Drives: 08 328i e93 alpine white Join Date: May 2009 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (0)	Anyone know if the Sirius app will give better sound quality? __________________ iPhone 6 Plus (iTunes library/iTunes radio/Waze, etc) to Airport Express via AirPlay. Toslink out of Airport Express to Helix P-Six DSP. PHD AF 1.C tweeters, PHD FB 4.1 midranges. Jehnert Door Cards and mid-bass'.
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