For all considering XM
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Danbury, CT
2001 E430, 2001 Audi S4, 1995 Toyota MR2 turbo, 1999 Chevy Suburban
For all considering XM
I just installed XM in my '01 e320. The (relatively attractive) control panel is mounted in the blank pocket under the radio and can be concealed by closing the door. The fm modulator (which actually transmits signal from the XM tuner, via fm radio signal, to the stock head unit) is mounted behind the head unit, out of view. The tuner is located in the battery compartment under the rear seat and the antenna is on the rear deck between the speakers. I would attach some pictures of all this, but it's raining here in Danbury, CT. The antenna required no drilling. There are a few different types of antennas (roof/trunk mount, or glass mount) and I had a hard time deciding which one was least obtrusive as they are all behemoth. The finished dash looks fine, but the sound quality has disappointed me. It sounds like highly compressed mp3 formatted music. My local digital home cable company offers 40 channels of digital audio, and that was the quality I expected. The XM just isn't even close. I think the majority of the problem is the nature of the product. XM does not try to deny that the audio is compressed. The remaining portion of the compromise from cd quality is that it is FM modulated, meaning that the cars tuner, and all the noise inherent, is involved in reproducing what is supposed to be perfectly clear audio. I am an audiophile, so I may be more critical than many, but I can tell you, as just 1 guy, that I wouldn't do it all over again.
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From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
I've heard the same thing. With all the compression, CD quality is not what they are producing. Maybe when/if more wavelength/bandwidth can be dedicated the sound will improve.
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From: Emerald City
2006 E55 Black
Thanks, I was about to take the plunge!
Now that's a useful post. I didn't realize the sound was well below CD quality. I can hardly stand to listen to FM radio.
If you could bypass the modulator by hooking in to the (perhaps mythical) AUX input (see another thread on this subject) than maybe it would sound much better? Or is the bottleneck the compression rate itself?
Ddi you listen to the XM signal at the dealer's shop, where a direct connection (no modulator) I presume was possible?
If you could bypass the modulator by hooking in to the (perhaps mythical) AUX input (see another thread on this subject) than maybe it would sound much better? Or is the bottleneck the compression rate itself?
Ddi you listen to the XM signal at the dealer's shop, where a direct connection (no modulator) I presume was possible?
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Danbury, CT
2001 E430, 2001 Audi S4, 1995 Toyota MR2 turbo, 1999 Chevy Suburban
Ken, it gets deeper....
I did listen to XM direct wired (no modulator) before buying mine. The noise floor was certainly better. While playing XM through the modulator, dynamic passages in some songs are ruined by the hissing typical of FM. "Loud" songs, or songs without any soft, more subtle parts sound better, but only in terms of noise floor. The compression, however, is the biggest problem. Warble, warble, warble....
What ticks me off is that the preview station (if you are unfamiliar, there is a station that the tuner can tune right out of the box, before paying monthly for programming) which contains a bunch of promotional info and samples of the types of music played on the different stations, sounds great! They can't be compressing that station nearly as much as the others. That's the only station I got to hear at my local car audio shop. It wasn't until we installed mine and called XM and activated it, that I got to hear the real staions, which are nowhere near as "open" sounding. The rest of the stations don't even image like the preview station.
I installed the Alpine, only because that's what he had on hand and I needed instant gratification. I have an appointment on Monday to have mine removed. I plan to find out then if Sony has an FM modulator for theirs. If so, I'll be trying that one. Maybe its just that the Alpine unit is weak. I'll let you know after Monday.
joeyharp
I did listen to XM direct wired (no modulator) before buying mine. The noise floor was certainly better. While playing XM through the modulator, dynamic passages in some songs are ruined by the hissing typical of FM. "Loud" songs, or songs without any soft, more subtle parts sound better, but only in terms of noise floor. The compression, however, is the biggest problem. Warble, warble, warble....
What ticks me off is that the preview station (if you are unfamiliar, there is a station that the tuner can tune right out of the box, before paying monthly for programming) which contains a bunch of promotional info and samples of the types of music played on the different stations, sounds great! They can't be compressing that station nearly as much as the others. That's the only station I got to hear at my local car audio shop. It wasn't until we installed mine and called XM and activated it, that I got to hear the real staions, which are nowhere near as "open" sounding. The rest of the stations don't even image like the preview station.
I installed the Alpine, only because that's what he had on hand and I needed instant gratification. I have an appointment on Monday to have mine removed. I plan to find out then if Sony has an FM modulator for theirs. If so, I'll be trying that one. Maybe its just that the Alpine unit is weak. I'll let you know after Monday.
joeyharp
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Cleveland, OH
1999 Mercedes E300 TurboDiesel
fm modulation
I have heard multiple cars done with XM, that sound outstanding. I think the problem is that you have it through fm modulation. How can you expect digital quality sound without the proper connection? Also the stock speakers in the e-class or with the bose upgrade aren't that great. I have an alpine (xm ready) head unit in my tahoe(plus 2 amps and mb quart speakers), with xm running it sounds great.. Dont give up guys :-) I would just replace the head unit if you really want the xm.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Danbury, CT
2001 E430, 2001 Audi S4, 1995 Toyota MR2 turbo, 1999 Chevy Suburban
more on XM
I just pulled the tuner out of the car and used the docking station to connect it to an Adcom pre-amp and amp, and a pair of Vienna Beethoven speakers. It's still WAY compressed sounding. I think I'm going to give the Sony a try. Or maybe I got a bad tuner??
I just poked around on XM's site as well as many others and found that the compression is just a bit sloppier than the average downloaded mp3. It may be good enough, but I got the impression that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between XM and CD, and it is as plain as day.
While I had it out I connected it (rough wired) to the head unit in my S4. It was certainly a lot better than the modulated connection, but...... I don't have to finish this sentence, do I?
Whoever suggested swapping the head unit out..... You're right. It would obviously sound better, but I just can't bring myself to throw the $1,600. out which I just spent on the phone that runs through the stock head unit. Plus, I really don't want to change the appearance of the dash.
I'm losing hope.
joeyharp
I just poked around on XM's site as well as many others and found that the compression is just a bit sloppier than the average downloaded mp3. It may be good enough, but I got the impression that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between XM and CD, and it is as plain as day.
While I had it out I connected it (rough wired) to the head unit in my S4. It was certainly a lot better than the modulated connection, but...... I don't have to finish this sentence, do I?
Whoever suggested swapping the head unit out..... You're right. It would obviously sound better, but I just can't bring myself to throw the $1,600. out which I just spent on the phone that runs through the stock head unit. Plus, I really don't want to change the appearance of the dash.
I'm losing hope.
joeyharp
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From: Emerald City
2006 E55 Black
XM Nightmare
I found the AUX input in my glove box just as others had reported. I do have command, so that must explain it. I also have the k2a phone and voice recognition and navigation, so there is no way I'd consider replacing the factory unit. Maybe I'm not super picky, but I think the Bose system sounds great. It could be a little brighter, but I fixed that with a slight treble boost.
Anyway, if XM uses a different compression for the preview station, that's downright dirty pool. I hope somebody sues them for that one. I can't believe in all the stereo and car mag reviews on XM, I never once saw this practice mentioned. I don't think I'd do business with a company that has that sort of marketing ethic.
I've decided for now at least to take the cash I was willing to spend on XM and spend it at tower or amazon for some new CD's instead!
Thanks a million for the painful story. Let us know if you find a solution.
Anyway, if XM uses a different compression for the preview station, that's downright dirty pool. I hope somebody sues them for that one. I can't believe in all the stereo and car mag reviews on XM, I never once saw this practice mentioned. I don't think I'd do business with a company that has that sort of marketing ethic.
I've decided for now at least to take the cash I was willing to spend on XM and spend it at tower or amazon for some new CD's instead!
Thanks a million for the painful story. Let us know if you find a solution.
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From: SoCal
fm modulation....everything that I have tried, well, sucked. I wouldn't have gone that route. I have been contemplating ditching the OEM HU for an Alpine unit (mp3 and XM) but really like the steering wheel contols.
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From: Emerald City
2006 E55 Black
So has anybody installed XM radio through the AUX jack on a command equipped E?
I asked the dealer's service manager about the AUX jack.. he said no such jack exists! I can't wait to drive over there and show it to him, and the documentation of it's existence in the command manual!
I did read in one of the car mags that the W211 E will offer the Sirius sattelite radio, and that XM is in the GM/Honda camp, while Sirius will be supported by Mercedes and a few others I can't recall. If MB choose Sirius, it may be they felt it is a better quality than XM???
I have heard XM has more commercials than Sirius, or at least Sirius offers more commerical free stations.
I will wait for the Sirius system to arrive and see if that's the way to go. By the time the dust settles I might as well get a factory insalled MB system with my next gen E5x AMG!
There was also an article in the same mag (either Road and Track or Car and Driver that came out this week) that claimed the next AMG variant of the W211 E would have a SC 5.0 liter V8 for 459 hp.
I asked the dealer's service manager about the AUX jack.. he said no such jack exists! I can't wait to drive over there and show it to him, and the documentation of it's existence in the command manual!
I did read in one of the car mags that the W211 E will offer the Sirius sattelite radio, and that XM is in the GM/Honda camp, while Sirius will be supported by Mercedes and a few others I can't recall. If MB choose Sirius, it may be they felt it is a better quality than XM???
I have heard XM has more commercials than Sirius, or at least Sirius offers more commerical free stations.
I will wait for the Sirius system to arrive and see if that's the way to go. By the time the dust settles I might as well get a factory insalled MB system with my next gen E5x AMG!
There was also an article in the same mag (either Road and Track or Car and Driver that came out this week) that claimed the next AMG variant of the W211 E would have a SC 5.0 liter V8 for 459 hp.
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From: NC
Perfect XM
No problems with XM here! Just got it professionally installed in a 97 e420.
Since my analog phone is worthless, I had the Pioneer FM modulated thing installed under the wood panel below the normal MB head unit. The control module is under the read seat -driver side (side w/o the battery). Last (and best of all) the Terk antenna was installed on the back deck between the two speakers. The sunshade continues to operate perfectly.
Also.. for what it's worth, the car has FormulaOne Millenium film (fully metallize) and it seems to have no impact on the reception. Sound is crystal clear -- even coming through 89.1 MHz.
La vida loca!
Since my analog phone is worthless, I had the Pioneer FM modulated thing installed under the wood panel below the normal MB head unit. The control module is under the read seat -driver side (side w/o the battery). Last (and best of all) the Terk antenna was installed on the back deck between the two speakers. The sunshade continues to operate perfectly.
Also.. for what it's worth, the car has FormulaOne Millenium film (fully metallize) and it seems to have no impact on the reception. Sound is crystal clear -- even coming through 89.1 MHz.
La vida loca!
