Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 04:26 PM - XM Radio quality (Bobby)
2. 04:57 PM - Re: XM Radio quality (DB)
3. 05:20 PM - Re: XM Radio quality (Matt Dralle)
4. 07:04 PM - Anyone have a Computer installed in their car? (Randy Visentine)
Message 1
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| Subject: | XM Radio quality |
--> XDP4000X-List message posted by: "Bobby" <bobbybraun@comcast.net>
Hey guys, just wanted to share with you all some of my thoughts on XM,
now that I just got it installed into my car.
A couple weeks ago I purchased a Sony XT-XM1 listed as NIB off of Ebay.
Unfortunately it ended up to be obviously used but it is in good shape
(seller's ID is JDPawn for anyone who is curious), damned sellers...
Anyways, that's another story.
So today I got it all installed and activated and I don't know what to
think, I'm just disappointed I guess. The sound is very bass heavy
(which when I have time with my laptop and my 4000x this will be fixed),
and the highs sound overly compressed, almost giving you that muffled
digitized under water sound you'll hear on bad mp3's or streaming audio
off the net.
I remember hearing about how XM radio was considered near CD quality
sound, but I'm having a hard time even listening to it over standard FM,
sure the signal isn't as dynamically compressed and doesn't fade in and
out along the way, and you gotta love no commercials, but I really
dislike the sound of overly digitized music.
What are some your thoughts on this, am I too picky, or is this
something others have noticed as well?
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: XM Radio quality |
--> XDP4000X-List message posted by: DB <dbotel6500@rogers.com>
Thank you, Bobby...
I was seriously considering the hidden box Unilink kit, but I have also
heard
that the sound was not as good as CD quality...(maybe if the sound is
cutoff
at 16k+...)
If it's gonna sound like a bad MP3 (like 128k and less), I'll definatly
pass. On
our aftermarket stereo systems, we're gonna hear everything, including
stuff that
most people can't hear on a stock system...
No wonder they are promoting the FM modulated kits. You wouldn't hear the
highs anyway... ;-)
D
Bobby wrote:
>--> XDP4000X-List message posted by: "Bobby" <bobbybraun@comcast.net>
>
>Hey guys, just wanted to share with you all some of my thoughts on XM,
>now that I just got it installed into my car.
>
>A couple weeks ago I purchased a Sony XT-XM1 listed as NIB off of Ebay.
>Unfortunately it ended up to be obviously used but it is in good shape
>(seller's ID is JDPawn for anyone who is curious), damned sellers...
>Anyways, that's another story.
>
>So today I got it all installed and activated and I don't know what to
>think, I'm just disappointed I guess. The sound is very bass heavy
>(which when I have time with my laptop and my 4000x this will be fixed),
>and the highs sound overly compressed, almost giving you that muffled
>digitized under water sound you'll hear on bad mp3's or streaming audio
>off the net.
>
>I remember hearing about how XM radio was considered near CD quality
>sound, but I'm having a hard time even listening to it over standard FM,
>sure the signal isn't as dynamically compressed and doesn't fade in and
>out along the way, and you gotta love no commercials, but I really
>dislike the sound of overly digitized music.
>
>What are some your thoughts on this, am I too picky, or is this
>something others have noticed as well?
>
>
>
>
Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: XM Radio quality |
--> XDP4000X-List message posted by: Matt Dralle <dralle@matronics.com>
Yup, I echo your sentiments regarding XM to a 'T'. Audio quality is about
that of a standard MP3 at 64bps. The distortion at the high freqs is
pretty horrible. Interestingly, it hasn't always been that way. When I
got my first XM radio, the quality was pretty darn close to a 128Mbs
MP3. What has happened is that over the last year or so, they've added a
bunch of new channels like localized weather and traffic and have
consequently adjusted the allocation of the skinny little 12mhz band such
that pretty much all of the channels now suffer from this same
problem. One channel that hasn't seemed to suffer is "77" which is called
Audio Visions. I'm not sure why this channel has been spared the reduction
in BW, but since I listen to it a lot I can't complain.
That all being said, I still LOVE XM radio and haven't even turned FM on in
the 2 or 3 years I've had it. No matter how compressed it gets, its still
better than FM over all. I highly recommend it.
Matt Dralle
Livermore CA
At 04:25 PM 3/5/2005 Saturday, you wrote:
>--> XDP4000X-List message posted by: "Bobby" <bobbybraun@comcast.net>
>
>Hey guys, just wanted to share with you all some of my thoughts on XM,
>now that I just got it installed into my car.
>
>A couple weeks ago I purchased a Sony XT-XM1 listed as NIB off of Ebay.
>Unfortunately it ended up to be obviously used but it is in good shape
>(seller's ID is JDPawn for anyone who is curious), damned sellers...
>Anyways, that's another story.
>
>So today I got it all installed and activated and I don't know what to
>think, I'm just disappointed I guess. The sound is very bass heavy
>(which when I have time with my laptop and my 4000x this will be fixed),
>and the highs sound overly compressed, almost giving you that muffled
>digitized under water sound you'll hear on bad mp3's or streaming audio
>off the net.
>
>I remember hearing about how XM radio was considered near CD quality
>sound, but I'm having a hard time even listening to it over standard FM,
>sure the signal isn't as dynamically compressed and doesn't fade in and
>out along the way, and you gotta love no commercials, but I really
>dislike the sound of overly digitized music.
>
>What are some your thoughts on this, am I too picky, or is this
>something others have noticed as well?
>
>
Matt G Dralle | Matronics | PO Box 347 | Livermore | CA | 94551
925-606-1001 V | 925-606-6281 F | dralle@matronics.com Email
http://www.matronics.com/ WWW | Featuring Products For Aircraft
Message 4
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| Subject: | Anyone have a Computer installed in their car? |
--> XDP4000X-List message posted by: Randy Visentine <randyman@gmail.com>
Hey gang,
I posted this idea a while back, but no one responded. Who has a
computer actually mounted in their car? I don't know if you have
heard of the new Mac "mini", but it will fit DIRECTLY into a 1-Din
dash opening, and has a front "slot load" CD-R/DVD-R Superdrive, and
an optional 80Gig HD.
This seems like a Mobile Install "match made in heaven". My thinking
is to have the MAC Mini replicate what the lovely XDP-4000x already
does, and use a 8-channel DA (like a Firewire Audio Interface), and
send a seperate output channel to each amp input (just like the XDP
does now). I would use software apps in the Mac to actually perform
the DSP to the signal (EQ, Delay, Crossover, etc discretely for each
channel).
The "source" signal would be Mac's "I-Tunes" software, and I would
need to add and app called "JACK OSX" to allow me to send I-Tunes'
audio to the secondary application for the DSP processing, and for
assigning the 8 channels to the 8 discrete outputs. This way, I can
have I-Tunes run as an audio Jukebox, and the "master" volume would be
controlled from I-Tunes. Then, if I need to make an audio adjustment
(crossover, swap to 5.1 audio, change time-alignment, etc), I would
open the secondary program, and do any DSP changes there.
All you need is an appropriate power supply, a readily available
motorized 7" TOUCHSCREEN LCD with VGA connections, and stash a
Bluetooth micro-keyboard under your seat. Add a USB GPS sensor, and
some software, and you also have instant GPS Navigation! Pop in a DVD
movie, and you can have 5.1 surround and video! Rip you ENTIRE CD
collection onto the 80Gig HD, and even add external Firewire HD's if
needed (add a FW hub). You also have wireless file transfers, and
wireless Internet surfing options, and just anything a computer could
do in general - all in your car!
With my C90 starting to act squirrely on certain CD's, and the XDP-4K
having its limited crossover options and awkward programmability, this
seems to be a likely solution for an "upgrade" IMO. As long as the
DA's in the soundcard are good, I don't think quality would be any
less than the XDP4K. I have some RME Audio interfaces in my audio DAW
PC's, and I may do something like their Fireface or something like the
M-Audio 410 FW (4 ins, 10 BALANCED +4dBu outs!). +4dBu outputs will
put any 8V RCA outs to shame. I believe these untis use good DA's (I
know the RME does), and the RME actually has a REAL WORLD S/N of like
-108dB on the outs! Oh yeah - 24 BITS, too!!!! (I have LOTS of stuff
I produce/record in 24 bit format that I could play w/o dithering back
down to 16bit CD-R standards).
I also know there are some PC "Micro-ATX" style form factors that may
work, also. But the Mac Mini is a PERFECT fit for in-dash, and the
base model is only $499! With more RAM and the 80Gig HD, I think it
jumps to ~$650 or less. Add a LCD Touchscreen for ~$450, and the
soundcard and GPS sensor for about ~$600, and you are still below the
cost of a new C90+XDP4K! Also considering the Phatbox is like $800 -
and you are still stuck with the C90's sub-par daytime display - I
think a Mac Mini seems really affordable, and REALLY cool.
PS - I realize I COULD send the XDP-4K a SPDIF Toslink signal from an
external USB-to-SPDIF box, BUT then I would still have to have a
Unilink HU for volume and power functions. If I do this Mac install,
I WILL NOT have any other "standard" radio stuff in my car (no CD
changers, no external EQ's, no Head Unit). Just the Mac Mini, and the
LCD display in my dash (I have a 2-Din opening).
Any thoughts, or suggestions? I know MANY people have done the Mac
Mini mobile installs, I just can't find any specifics (like what
software would I need to replicate the XDP4K's processing, etc).
Thanks for any input and ideas...
Another special thanks to Matt for keeping this list up and running. 8-)
--
Randy V.
Houston, TX
Audio-Dude/Musician/Crazy Guy
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