[Brett DiMichele]

I am starting this thread for those of us addicted to XM and
using it in out own home HiFi setup.

What do you like best?

What are your favorite channels?

Feel free to discuss anything you want about XM @ Home in
this thread. I will post more of my observations as time
allows.

[Brett DiMichele]

My current XM useage is in my dedicated 2 channel audio rig.
I will list my equipment below for reference. I have to say
that the audio quality of XM amazes me. Sure there is some
compression artifact but it is minimal and I would like to
think my system is fairly revealing and I can listen to the
music all day long and never get tired of hearing the songs
which by the way are all choice music in my opinion.

My favorite channels thus far would be:

#1: Channel 20 (20 On 20) Top 20 every day.. No talk..

#2: Kiss XM very good variety of top music.. Some talk..

#3: Mix XM a mix of 80's 90's and current! Absolutely fantastic..

#4: XM Comedy this channel is a pure riot!


My current equipment:

Delfi SkyFi XM Tuner
Technics SLBD-22D Turntable
Panny CV51 5 Disk DVD/CD Changer
Parasound Halo P3 PreAmp
Onkyo M-282B 2 channel power amp
or
Antique Sound Labs Wave AV-20 DT Tube Monoblocks (Depends on my mood which amps I use..)

Acoustic Research AR-9 Mains


The sound is absolutely fantastic!

[Jed M]

Right now I only have it in my Pioneer car stereo but I am struggling whether I should get the boom box or the pc unit for my home one. Both have their advantages. I like the idea of seeing every channels programming on one screen with my pc (talk about never missing a tune) but the portable factor of the boom box and using out back by my pool would be really nice also. Decisions, decisions. Any advice or experiences would be useful.

Favorite channels in numeric order
5-9 The Decades- Mostly the 80's but all are good.
15 The Village- Really relaxing, its folk, need I say more?
20 Top 20 on 20- Not as good as 22 but its good for a random hit.
22 Mix- #1 on my presets, its always just a random hit; good place to start the voyage.
40 Deep Tracks- Great classic rock station. Plays the songs real fans want to hear, ie. No "Another Brick in the Wall II, but more like "Fearless","Dogs", "See Emily Play" or "Have a Cigar". In short, the other songs from great bands that weren't the singles.
41 Boneyard- I call it the 24 hour Guns n' Roses channel, but honestly how many hair band stations are out there? Its a niche that was deservingly filled, Rock on Poison.
143 Sporting News Radio- Actually the major deciding factor between choosing XM over Sirius. Sirius only had the ESPN combo and some other generic station. I wanted the other two "big boys" which were Sporting News and Fox Sports Radio. When I bought my radio Sirius was having a huge sale, giving away tuners with headsets and the sales guy was pushing it hard. I told him that they didn't have SNR or FSR and he assured me they did so I made him get one of the pamphlets and he looked at the channel lineup and said kind of shocked "yeah, I guess they don't".
150 XM Comedy- This is almost dangerous to have in a car its so funny.

So that would be my top list. I like news radio also, but I am not channel specific, whatever the topic is determines what I listen too. NO MORE ROBERT BLAKE!!! I also like most of the channels in the late 40's and early 50's but none stand out more than the other.

The great thing about XM is it reminds me that for every great song I have remembered there are 2 I have forgotten. Its just always has a song I want to hear, have not heard in decades or something new that sounds cool. And now with the second hook up being 6.99 I can't resist but get one for home.

[Ronald Epstein]

Me?

I love the 70s.

I mostly listen to:

The 70s
The 80s
MX Mix
Comedy Channel


I have a hardwired Alpine unit for the car and
a Delphi SkyFi unit for the home.

[Brett DiMichele]

I need to get the Car cradle and a PIE unit so I can use
this in my car

Soon enough!

Honestly I haven't had my CD Player on in the house ever
since I got XM!

[RAF]

Being one of the "senior" members of the forum I love the 40's and 50's channels.

Being a Broadway fan (20 shows so far this season) I also love the ON BROADWAY channel.

Being an HT Fanatic (ya think?) I also enjoy CINEMAGIC.

Also, all the Jazz stations, some talk, some sports, some news, etc....

In fact, sometimes I just push the buttons randomly to see what comes up.

You might say I like XM.

[Shawn C]

When I remember to bring in my Delphi unit from the car, I usually leave it on:

150, 41, 7, 46, 47

[Gary Silverman]

FRED RULES!! 80's alternative was always my favorite and the few alternative radio stations that have come and gone never quite did it for me.
The blues channel is also at the top of my list. It seems that the only music I go to see and hear live these days is blues, and the only place on the radio to hear blues in Fort Lauderdale is 3 hours on Sunday morning, so to have it available anytime I want is fabulous!
I also listen to the System and the Move quite a bit. High energy elctronica. Once again, something difficult to find on the radio.
I've had a Pioneer unit in my car since XM was availble in S. Fla. and now have a Delphi unit in my home with a cradle in my wife's car and the boombox for the beach and hotel rooms when I travel.
I swear, XM designed their service for me. I hardly ever bother with CD's in the car anymore, and the only radio I listen to is once a day for a traffic report for the ride home.
This better last forever!

[Gary Silverman]

And, thanks, Home Theater Forum, for starting this new forum area.

[millercv]

I have my xm set to be able to listen over headphones, computer speakers, my 2 channel system and the HT system.

I just got it about 2 weeks ago now but my favorite channels are:

Special X - the sounds that don't sound like the other sounds
and
Fred

On Broadway and XM Kids gets some play also. I thought one of the things I would like best would be Disney (I'm a disney addict) - but XM Kids is more what I envisioned Radio Disney would be...