Questions regarding Sirius XM.

[ProjectBazza]

I am so sick of commercials on the radio, as well as hearing the same 80 songs over & over & over again.

All of my Daily rides have Sirius XM capability, and I've been looking into it a bit, but I have a few questions for those who have experience with it, such as:

1. Are there really no ads? I'd be pretty PO'd if I bought into the marketing on their website that says "ad-free", only to hear even more commercials. (Remember when cable TV had no commercials?)
2. Does the coverage "go south" in bad weather, much like satellite TV/internet does during heavy clouds/storms?
3. Is the coverage truly nationwide?
4. Has pricing been stable, or has it been going up over time?
5. Anyone ever paid attention to the quality of the audio? I like jazz, but as a self-proclaimed "recovering audio-fool", I have a hard time listening to it when it's compressed/MP3 "quality" (note the sarcasm there).

I'm sure there are more, but this is all I can think of at the moment.

Thanks!

Jim

 

[hemi71x]

I have Sirius-XM in my car, and a home unit, here in the house.
Excellent people to do business with.
You will be pleased signing up with them.
When my car subscription was expiring, i signed up with them for my home unit.
Same price as the car, and they didn't increase the cost.
You will have so many channel's to choose from.
You never will listen to them all.
I mainly keep the 60's, 70's, 50's, Classic Rock, stations, on the beginning pre set buttons.
No problems with reception, except when you go under bridges, then it cuts out for until you get out from under the bridge.
Go for it, you will be a happy camper.
Yes, you would be paying for both a vehicle subscription and a home unit if you so desire.
But I'll even bet they would give you a discount by signing up for two.
Jim V.
hemi71x

 

[Capecodcuda]

I have had Sirius for about 10 years and like it.
1. The only ads I've experienced are on cable news programs that I sometimes listen to in the car.
2. I have not had many issues with coverage but have occasionally lost signals in heavily wooded or mountainous areas
3. I'm not sure about nationwide coverage
4. I don't like the pricing mechanisms they use. If you let it automatically renew, they ream you on price. I call each time before my subscription ends and they give better pricing.
5. I've had no complaints about the quality of the audio but I'm not fussy about such things
6. I've had to get separate subscriptions for each car but I believe you could include also add-on listening on your computer and/or phone

Again, I think it's worthwhile.

 

[volaredon]

Definitely worthwhile. If only for the lack of commercials and channels that don't play guns n roses and/or def Leppard every 3rd song... 2 bands I cannot stand. But I also don't like country, which in BFE where I work that's my choices.
I love classic vinyl channel. That and classic rewind until the above 2 bands or bon Jovi come on. Then back to classic vinyl.
I wish they didn't move "deep tracks" to a channel I don't have. Those are the only channels I really need. .

 

[4spdragtop]

We have it in both vehicles, as well as the app on my phone. Wifes 2015 Elantra can't get channel 350(and others) due to the age of the satellite unit Ilin her car. My 17 Ram does. I'm sure there's channel's we're both missing due to vehicle age.
It's on my phone and it's perfect for listening to while in shop, plus it runs in background while doing anything else.
For example if yer listening to YouTube on phone and go to fabo, YouTube pauses.
Reception, amazing. There are some blind spots when I'm driving in city, BUT very few.
Yes songs get replayed, but not as often as radio, plus the selection is limitless, so swap channel's for a day or so.
Yes there are ads, doesn't seem as much tho.
Threaten to cancel and you may get it as cheap as $5/10 a month??
Oh also on phone you can always find hometown announcers for whichever sport you choose.

 

[volaredon]

As long as they don't screw with channels 25-26....

 

[abodyjoe]

had it for years and recently got rid of it. i found them to be a pain in the ***. they do have commercials, channels do seem to get in a rut and play the same sones at times. prices are somewhat steady but I've lost channels over the years when renewing for the same price.

i use free Spotify and Pandora now and hear stuff that i want to hear at all times.

only time I ever lost service was in upstate ny. you would lose it for quite a while in that area. real spotty there too. its the Adirondacks and most things are spotty there.

if you do try it out haggle with them. they will usually drop the price some.

 

[72Duster440]

I've had it for at least 15 years.

Do not sign up for a promotion, it will end and the price will quadruple. They have a $6 a month fixed price deal with no contract, it ends up being about $8.50 after taxes and fees.

The signal works nationwide, have taken many multi state trips and it always works. If there is heavy tree coverage, it can cut out. Most roads through forests that I have been through cause it to cut in and out. As do certain overpasses, and buildings (ie.. for me, sitting in a drive through on the north side of a building, it doesn't work).

Quality wise, it's not the best. I have an extremely nice aftermarket stereo system in my truck, and everytime I start it and it connects, the quality is different. Most of the time (85%), the quality is good, slightly better than FM, but the rest, it comes through either rmuddy, or tinny. With a stock radio you might not notice.

Mine comes with the internet radio and app as well. Over the app the quality is always the same, not as good as Spotify, but no complaints as I listen to it over my garage stereo.

 

[harrisonm]

The only thing I don't like is that several of the channels I 'listen to (60s and 70s) have DJs. If I want to hear a DJ shooting off his mouth between songs and taking phone calls/requests, I'll listen to FM. I keep Sirius, but I am tired of the DJs.

 

[gunbunny]

I am so sick of commercials on the radio, as well as hearing the same 80 songs over & over & over again.

All of my Daily rides have Sirius XM capability, and I've been looking into it a bit, but I have a few questions for those who have experience with it, such as:

1. Are there really no ads? I'd be pretty PO'd if I bought into the marketing on their website that says "ad-free", only to hear even more commercials. (Remember when cable TV had no commercials?)
2. Does the coverage "go south" in bad weather, much like satellite TV/internet does during heavy clouds/storms?
3. Is the coverage truly nationwide?
4. Has pricing been stable, or has it been going up over time?
5. Anyone ever paid attention to the quality of the audio? I like jazz, but as a self-proclaimed "recovering audio-fool", I have a hard time listening to it when it's compressed/MP3 "quality" (note the sarcasm there).

I'm sure there are more, but this is all I can think of at the moment.

Thanks!

Jim

1. No adds on any of the channels I listen to. However....... if you listen to any NFL or NCAA football games they do black out (just go silent or have a canned voice saying programming will return after the break) during TV time outs and other time outs. I've never tried MLB.
2. Never had any weather related issues with a black out. The only time I ever experienced a issues is in heavily treed areas, and in tunnels. If a drive thru is on the north side of a building, it may get spotty. Just another of many reasons why I hate a drive thru. Sometimes you catch a dead area, but it never lasts long.
3. Yes. Not only is it nationwide, I have a mobile unit (kinda like a boombox, but smaller) and it worked out of the country. It's worked in France, England and Israel. I'm taking it to the Caribbean this summer, so we'll see.
4. This one is tricky. As others have said, auto renew is a cluster. You're going to have to call before the contract period ends. I pay the $6 a month + tax deal, but you do have to make the phone call. It's a PIA, but worth it. To their credit, they do send an e-mail a couple of months prior.
5. This depends on the equipment. I had it on a aftermarket stereo and it sounded like it was in a can. I hated it. On my OE stereo and my "boombox" it sounds great. Having said that, I'm losing my hearing, so I'm not the best to judge.
I'll also add that they give you access to the Sirius/XM app. I use that as much as the car unit. I have a Bluetooth amp in my Duster and listen to it in there. You can listen on your computer, or any bluetooth speaker. The best part is there are a lot of exclusive app only channels. If you're in a bluetooth enabled car, you can listen in any car with the app. You can use the app on several phones. The subscription is on my car, but my wife listens via the app in her 300.
Someone mentioned channel 25 and 26, I gotta tell you, I listen to those two a lot myself. Sometimes they get into a rut of playing way to much of any given band, but there's always another channel to find something. They do have DJ's on some of the channels. That's no problem for me, I don't think they're obnoxious or anything.
On the whole, I'm very happy with it. It's worth what I pay and the app alone is worth the cost. My only true complaint is that yearly phone call. It's not really bad, it's just the fact I need to do it.

 

[44070dart]

I've had it about 15 years. It's great when you travel so your not chasing channels to hear something. The only thing that's a pain is the DJ"s . Why they have them is a mystery to me. I don't want their tales of the music, just play the music. Yeah, they repeat somewhat but I'm a 50's thru 70's listener, so it not bad. I travel from north to south yearly and have no problems with reception. Price is negotiated just before cancellation date. I pay about the same as when I signed up, about $7 month. Worth it, because I couldn't last a day with regular radio stations. Pandora or Spotify would be better, but I'm not a carry around phone guy.