For all of you guys interested in getting Sirius satellite radio, here are the details of this offer: They're running a "Friends and Family" deal in which for $49 you get to pick a receiver (choose among Clarion, Audiobox, JVC or Kenwood units) and they'll throw in a FREE home or car kit, your choice. You must sign up for at least 6 months of service, if you want to sign up for a year it is even cheaper. To get this deal you must call 888.601.6292 and let the CSR know that you're calling abou the Friends and Family deal. This is promotion code 101. You'll need the Sirius employee email address for verification. Send me a PM and I'll be happpy to help you with that. Enjoy!
You know, having had both, I tend to prefer SIRIUS. As I said, though, I can't think of the last time I turned to a music channel, so I might not count I rotate between SIRIUS and AM radio, just for local sports talk.
As I said here: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...32#post2260432 I listen to music almost exclusively, have tried both, and prefer Sirius.
I listen to everything from classical music to classic rock, from hard core jazz to hip hop and I must say that Sirius beats XM across the board. I have both services and usually spend about a week on a different station. The programming is usually excellent on both but if you are into a broad variety of music Sirius wins hands down. Sirius may have a little more repitition in their programing but it really is minimal. My prediction is that in the long run Sirius will be the number one satelite radio station and the deal above is well worth it. In the last year I've convinced about 15 of my friends to sign up and not one has been dis-satisfied. It seems to me that the people who are unhappy with Sirius have very specific tastes in music and listen to only 3 or 4 stations exclusively.
Or, if Sirius doesn't cover the genres you like. I'm a big fan of Progressive Rock, and Sirius doesn't even touch it. They also don't have Cinemagic and Fine Tuning. (And they didn't have Special X, but neither does XM.. ) I did like their classic rock stations, but that isn't really enough to keep me. Buzzsaw has been a disappointment. I was expecting a good 70s hard rock station, and what I got was Big Rock with a 70s slant. Course, I'm still looking for one of these guys to do a good modern melodic hard rock/metal station. It seems the only choices are metal with guys who scream, growl, or anything but sing (Hard Attack/XMLM), retro 80s Hair Metal (Hair Nation/Da Boneyard), or what sadly passes as modern rock (Octane/Squizz). Actually, Da Boneyard would be perfect for it, if the PD actually had a creative bone in his body. As it is, I may still bail out of satelite totally soon, since it seems like, in a lot of ways, satelite isn't going to live up to its potential. Too much, I feel like, "100 channels and nothing is on." Too much popular crap, not enough digging deeper into genres for good bands that don't get airplay. Jason
Not necessarily. People unhappy with Sirius are generally true musicphiles who don't want to hear the same songs played over and over and over again. Sirius' programming philosophy is identical to AM/FM radio.
Except, of course, for playing unedited original lyrics on urban/contemp without altering content and playing unreleased B-sides for alternative and going no commercials and original remixes and media shows with no censorship or commercials and far more choices on the dial and unreleased reggae and varius formats plus uninterupted sports.. yeah, they are exactly like AM/FM I will admit, right now, there are songs (admittedly, urban) I would want to hear several times in a day rather then hear something from two years ago.. Some music formats have a giant historical base to draw on.. some don't. Some have bases that are so different it's hard to mix them (see folk music)
It all depends on the genre. I don't find that Sirius goes all that deep, at least in the rock stations. For a lot of people, this seems to be fine, since all they want is the familiar. For some of us with broader tastes, this is less true. Now, admittitly, the 80s channel has improved somewhat since they hired the ex-MTV VJs to fill in the schedule... Jason
Man, I just don't see this at all. Maybe I just listen to different channels than you or maybe things have changed since you switched to XM or maybe you just upset that they didn't hire you to be a SJ (just kidding). The Vault plays 1000 unique songs out of 2000 plays a week. I don't see how you can say that is the same songs over and over. Jam On plays songs you'll flat out never hear on FM or XM for that matter. As an aside, the folk station is flat out terrible on Sirius but the blue grass and reggae are very good.
Brian, I don't listen to the vault, though my friend at work claims he hears the same music regularly on that channel. Go over to the Sirius forum. There are still complaints about repetition. I am also back as a Sirius subscriber and I still hear the same stuff being recycled on the DECADES channels while other music doesn't get played at all. Yes, it has gotten slightly better since I returned, but it's still nowhere as diversified as XM radio. In addition, Sirius still hasn't solved the signal problems in our area. Dropouts are worse than ever here in Central NJ despite the fact we have been complaining about it since the beginning of the year. As I posted in another thread.... If you love the HITS and don't mind hearing the same songs then Sirius is perfect. They also have great TALK channels. If you want your music more diversified pick XM. You'll hear more "OH WOW!" on that service over "OH NO, NOT THAT SONG AGAIN!" My opinion.
i agree with this statement. having been with sirius since its inception i can say that the playlists have improved dramatically. and unless the electronic companies start making dual unit receivers i will likely stay with sirius as i am brand loyal to kenwood excelon. i also spent two weeks with a rental car with xm recently and have on occasion listened to xm through a friends unit. when it comes to urban music, dance and jazz sirius has xm beat. between those genres there are about 16 stations that i rotate on a daily basis. when i get tired of one i automatically just hit the next preset. repitition does get bad on 44 and 50 but the rest of the streams is not bad at all. 44 and 50 are 'hits' stations anyway so it is kind of expected. by far my favorite stream is standard jazz. i really enjoy a road trip on the highway at 80 mph listening to some really good old jazz. in my experience, one must choose xm or sirius based upon what they listen to most. if you listen to urban music, jazz, talk and dance, xm does not hold a candle to sirius. i can't speak for anything else. but i do know this. i complained to sirius about how lackluster the urband format stations were and 6 mos. later there where major changes that were great. a year later they made more changes that were even better. i am not sure how customer freindly xm is but i am happy with sirius.
The Sirius dance channels recently got much better. I like channels 62/63/66 now. Although I miss the Planet Trance programme that was on Plant Dance for my Friday night ride home, kept me awake! Channel 13 (Elvis Radio) is actually very good. I hardly ever use any OTA repeaters, its mostly the satellites for me, only when I get close to LA is when I use them.
Ron, I haven't had that type of experience based in Union County. An occasional drop, but nothing that nears irritating. I recently added a PIE AUX interface to my Honda which makes a world of difference in the fidelity. That FM modulation sucked!
I beleive Sirius' playlits are far superior. Ive had both, and I think Sirius wins on track selection and signal reception.
