Sirius Sound Quality Issue

[sixy]

I recently got Sirius installed in my car. It's a wired connection, not an FM modulator. I'm happy with the music selection, but the quality leaves a lot to be desired. I expected a lot better. I expected it to be closer to CD quality, when in fact, it's probably not even as good as an old cassette tape.

I'm overall pretty disappointed, especially since I'd always heard how great these satellite services are.

Is the sound quality something that's expected to improve in the future or is this as good as it gets?

 

[charper1]

It greatly depends on which channels you are talking about. Much of the sound quality has to do with how the program is produced originally and during the broadcast. Not all programs come directly from Sirius. The comedy, talk radio and sports sounds that way because of the source; I would claim the oldies as well, but I think the major music channels are just under CD quality and I have never had any quality issues.

 

[StevenD]

Double-check your conections. My line-out jack was pulled out about 1/16", and it sounded like crap...it wasnt getting the full range. I pushed it back in and everything is great.

 

[itsdavetime]

My Sirius tuner is wired directly into my factory head unit (Infiniti G35) using RCA cables, so it's a digital connection. All of my music stations sound CD quality. Maybe you have a bad connection somewhere.

 

[charper1]

What Sirius tuner are you using with the digital out? I currently have the XACT but would like a digital output for my Vette.

 

[hometheaterman]

My Sirius tuner is wired directly into my factory head unit (Infiniti G35) using RCA cables, so it's a digital connection. All of my music stations sound CD quality. Maybe you have a bad connection somewhere.

Ok RCA cables arnt a digital sound and how are you connecting RCA cables to a factory hu? are you sure your not using an FM mod or something similar? I have never seen a factory radio with inputs but maybe you car has them.

 

[itsdavetime]

I have a 2004 Infinit G35 Coupe. In the factory head unit, there is a button labeled "SAT" which would switch to XM/Sirius if I purchased the option, which I didn't. I purchased a PAC AAI-NIS (www.pac-audio.com). What this unit does it plugs into the back of the Infiniti head unit on one end, and has 2 rca inputs on the other. The "SAT" function on the head unit is a digital input, which the PAC unit converts to.

For the Sirius tuner, I have a Kenwood KCA-R70FM display unit and Kenwood KTC-SR902 tuner. The R70FM display unit can be used as an FM Modulator, but also has RCA plugs for output, which is what I use. This gives me a very clear signal and surpasses CD quality.

 

[charper1]

The display has the RCA line outs and not the tuner? I don't think those line level RCAs provide more than CD quality, but maybe up to that frequency range and according to the manual they are analog, not digital outs. What are you saying has the DIGITAL output and what models of headunits provide digital inputs?

 

[fromplanetbob]

Well, SIRIUS is Not CD Quality. It is Digital though. That being said, it is of good quality, the typical person would say it sounds great, true audiophiles would say it sounds like it's been compressed, because it has.

As for CD Quality via RCA cables, Yes, absolutely, you can pass CD Quality Music over RCA cables, depending on the quality of the line driver circuit and the cable (length, make, etc) will impact wether it is actually CD Quality. Digital connections were made so that there was NO loss of signal from one component to another.