Just found this forum and its awesome. My question is concerning the sound quality of Sirius. Just bought an 09 Ram a couple weeks ago and never had satellite radio before, to me the sound just doesnt seem on par with over the air radio, is this normal? Does my radio (REN w/o nav) need a software update? I have the upgraded speaker package and when i hook up my mp3 player the sound is wonderful. Maybe this is normal. Please advise me.

Thanks!

 

I have an 09 Ram as well and I have experienced the exact same thing as you have.

 

Same here too. Not only is is quieter than the regular radio, the sound is not as good other than having no static. Being the first Sirius radio I have ever heard, not sure if it is the receiver or just how Sat radio sounds.

I do like the lack of commercials. If I would continue, they do offer an A La Cart plan for about 1/2 the cost. Then again, an Ipod would pay for itself in no time and sound better.

 

I had XM is my previous truck and loved. Good sound quality but still not CD or FM. Always sounded compressed to me. Sirius has the same clearness but sounds even more compressed. Nowhere near mp3, CD or the HDD. Still it provides a commercial free option with alot of variety.

 

It is just the way it is.........for now, Techonology always improves. Watchsoon you will have an RRT to update Satellite sound

 

I had XM in my other trucks, but Sirius seems to have reception problems. At first I thought that my wife's BMW had a bum Sirius antenna, but after I got my Dodge and had the same problems I figured it must be a Sirius thing.

I liked XM before the Siruis buyout, now that they have merged they have gone from having no commercials to having DJs with no commercials on the stations I like. Get rid of the DJ's and go back to all music all the time. That's why the names of the song and artist are on the display.....Duh! That's why I'm paying extra for the Siruis, otherwise I'd just listen to FM or the songs on my hard drive.

 

Hard to tell, everything through my Alpine sounds less than stellar.
If there is a difference in Sat versus FM band it would be related to allocated BW (allowable FM deviation and rates). It may in fact be narrower for satellite.

 

Less than stellar out of the alpine? mine sounds simply awesome, i've always had aftermarket stereo's but I don't find a need to upgrade this one. But yes the sat does sound 'tinny' that is normal for sat radio.

 

It has nothing to do with sirius these 09 rams are just to fast and areodynamic for the signal.

 

I read somewhere that Sat radio is about 192 mp3 bit rate.