Xm/sirius Suggestions

[blandis]

My wife has 98 S70 Glt. I have been considering XM/Sirius for christmas. Not sure of pros/cons of each. I know the monthly service fee is $8-10, no problem there.

My question is on which is better, especially in the long run. I am sure technology will change and dont want to buy an new unit in a year.

My wife is tired of commercials during her 2 hours of commuting in and out of Dallas each day. It also has the traffic report and she can quit calling me to check the internet for it!

We have the stock head unit in her car. Is one easier to install than the other. From my limited research I like the XM and being able to buy the cradle for my home stereo. With it could I also put a cradle in my truck and use the same unit in both the volvo, truck, and my home. That type of portability may influence me to buy one or the other. I know there are a few different units that I could buy. Is there one that you guys like. Anything wrong with a used one (ebay)?

I know very little and figure I will let the pros (you guys) steer me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance!

[theunderlord]

My wife has 98 S70 Glt.  I have been considering XM/Sirius for christmas.  Not sure of pros/cons of each.  I know the monthly service fee is $8-10, no problem there.

My question is on which is better, especially in the long run.  I am sure technology will change and dont want to buy an new unit in a year. 

My wife is tired of commercials during her 2 hours of commuting in and out of Dallas each day.  It also has the traffic report and she can quit calling me to check the internet for it! 

We have the stock head unit in her car.  Is one easier to install than the other.  From my limited research I like the XM and being able to buy the cradle for my home stereo.  With it could I also put a cradle in my truck and use the same unit in both the volvo, truck, and my home.  That type of portability may influence me to buy one or the other.  I know there are a few different units that I could buy.  Is there one that you guys like.  Anything wrong with a used one (ebay)?

I know very little and figure I will let the pros (you guys) steer me in the right direction. 

Thanks in advance!

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Well, I think for your application the XM would be the way to go. Seeing as how you want to take it into your home and other vehicles. Like anything on ebay, you have to be careful of what you're buying. I try to buy electronic things off ebay from online businesses, not individual people. Like usual, look through thier feeback, and do your homework. As for installing the antenna, a couple of the guys here have installed the antennae on the rear deck of thier cars (inside the car) as to not have to mess around with an outide install, and have had no reception issues. Good luck, and keep the questions comin' !

[Boomin850]

I would go with Sirius for sure. My friend has had XM in two of his cars (came free) and he hated it. Xm seems like its always scanning or something...well ne ways it was poor quality sound. He now has Sirius and he loves it! Its not the same songs over and over like XM. The sound is much better. Hey, Howard Stern is also coming onto Sirius too. Thats cool to me at least. Cons on Sirius include the extra money in the begining. I haven't checked on ebay for it but the antenna and reciever needed for Sirius cost about $170 retail. Overall- Go Sirius. Much better quality.

Also, isn't true that some stereo companies such as Alpine stopped carrying XM because they were not happy with it? Not sure but I thought I heard that before.

If you want portability tho, I guess I would go XM.

[theunderlord]

Also, isn't true that some stereo companies such as Alpine stopped carrying Sirius because they were not happy with it? Not sure but I thought I heard that before.

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Kenwood and Sirius are hooked up... I think this guys' talkin about his stock HU tho... I wonder which on is easier to hook up to the stock HU, or if it's the same?

[Boomin850]

For a stock headunit install...XM is easier, but leaves you with the XM reciever on the dash. I dont like extra things on my dash unless it was a boost guage but then again...thats just me

[JPigg34]

I have XM and like it alot. I have not heard Surius so I cannot comment on which one is better. XM is very easy to install.

[AnthonyR]

I prefer Sirius, but that's also because that's what I have at home, work, in the car, etc... I have listened to XM and they do have a few channels I like but overall, my vote goes for sirius.

Also a note on sound quality, the reason Sirius sounds a little better is because it does. Here is why.

Both XM and Sirius have ~120 channels. Now each of them have the same amount of bandwidth to use (hence why only 120 channels and not like 500 or something rediculous) Also of those 120, ~60-70 are music channels (which need more bandwidth for quality) and the rest are talk stations (which can get by with much much less bandwidth than music for quality, they're only talking)

Now XM splits their bandwidth perfectly even among the channels, meaning talk and music get the same bandwidth, whereas Sirius alots very little bandwidth to talk and uses the rest for it's music so their music has more bandwidth, thus meaning more data, thus better sound.