# Improving Sirius XM Sound Quality & Dynamics



## ENDEE666 (Aug 26, 2011)

Been searching for a while, can't seem to find what I'm looking for.. Moral of the story, as I am sure this is no surprise to most, is that the Sirius XM sound quality is quite a bit less than all other sources I listen to. I know they do a lot of compression, and have been told it's like listening to a lower bitrate mp3. But I love it for content. I am starting an install in my new car, and wondering if maybe some of the newer processors out there might help..It seems a lot less dynamic, and like there is a hard roll off or high pass xover down around 40hz. Even Pandora streaming from my phone via Bluetooth seems far superior. 

I don't really want to compensate via EQ, since that would affect all sources, and over boost the better sources. So I was wondering if an Audiocontrol Epicenter, or something like that, would do what I am looking for. Otherwise, I guess a processor/EQ with a dash remote to toggle presets would do, and I could have one set compensate for Sirius XM & one for all other sources..

Here are my stats & the equipment already slated to go in:


2013 Ford Flex Ecoboost, with the Sony, 12 speaker oem system
1st phase- Adding amp for fronts & a single 10" Kappa Perfect sub, older MB Quart Reference 6.5" components for front stage (amplified) & upgraded Dayton center channel (off stock power)
2nd phase- Upgrade rears, add additional amp for those & center.
3rd phase- Add a processor of some sort. Either an Audiocontrol EQS I already have, or possibly the new Audiocontrol DM-810 or DM-608.

I read up on the ACCUBASS built into the newer DM-810 & DM-608 and it sounds more like it compensates for bass roll off from higher volumes, as built into many stock systems. So that doesn't sound like the solution, unfortunately. But the Epicenter type units, originally designed for cassette tapes & low bitrate mp3's that had narrow response & compression, respectively, sound like they might be more up the alley. Anyone have any experience with these, or other products, restore what is lost in Sirius (or I imagine HD Radio as well) type broadcasts?


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## tRidiot (Jun 29, 2006)

That was my thought was something like an Epicenter for low-bass augmentation. Unfortunately, I don't know of any way to increase the actual sound quality. This is why I dropped XM - just plain sounded like ****. Only thing I ever listened to on it was comedy and talk radio, and they just got old.


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## Onyx1136 (Mar 15, 2009)

An epicenter or something similar can help fill in some of the low end that's lost through compression, but there's nothing that can make the overall sound quality of the signal better once it's been compressed to death. We fought this over and over again when I worked in retail. After dealing with the headaches that are inherent in SIRIUS/XM for years we finally got tired of the hassles and complaints and quit selling or installing them entirely. We didn't make any money selling or installing them in the first place, so the complaints about poor sound quality and bad signal and the hours of troubleshooting that came with them just made sure we lost money on every one we installed. 

You're better off switching to streaming sources over SXM.


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

My vehicle came with sxm when I bought it. How long it lasts I don't know. I'm becoming addicted to it. I'm thinking about just dealing with the poor sound quality. It's not too terrible bad with the stock system. Once I go in with more refined speakers I'm not sure if it will be as tolerable anymore. Depends on how much it is for a year. Really like Backspin, Alt Nation, Lithium, and 90's. Can you tell a good chunk of my childhood was in the 90's? LOL. I guess for general variety sxm isn't too bad at low volumes while driving.


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## percy072 (Feb 13, 2014)

Hillbilly SQ said:


> It's not too terrible bad with the stock system.


This is how I felt also, but once I went all aftermarket it is almost intolerable...like it's being played through a pipe. Typical of a quality sound system is that good recordings sound that much better, poorly recorded or compressed music sound's that much worse


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## ENDEE666 (Aug 26, 2011)

OK, better news than I was expecting. Like a few of you said, I love Sirius mostly for talk, comedy, and a few music channels. HUGE fan of The Jason Ellis Show, and I listen to Backspin, Liquid Metal, Boneyard & Lithium. But aside from Talk, most of my Sirius time is just a "what's on the radio" mood, for background music while driving. When I want to truly "listen to & enjoy great music", I switch to Pandora of my USB thumb. For my personal needs, it sounds like a processor will improve things enough.

That said, which processor would do best? I know Epicenter was the first one to get big, and has patents, etc. Is there one that does it better? Keeping price range roughly that of the Epicenter.

Also, I know most of what the Epicenter works on is under 60-70hz. They seem to all be 2-channel, so I guess I would install it in the subwoofer channels. But I would also like it to work on my front midbass, which would likely be crossed over right in that range. Are there any multi channel ones? I would really just want the fronts & sub channels.

Cheers gents, and Merry New Year!


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## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

I finally cancelled Sirius this past December, and I swear, leaving a cult is easier! Sorry, but Spotify has better quality, more selection, and no damn DJs to interrupt me. If I want to listen to DJs, I have HD radio which is better quality than Sirius...

It also helps that my aftermarket HU also has a 256 GB modified iPod connected to it and a 128 GB thumb drive loaded with music. The only thing that I may miss about Sirius is using them to identify artists from my formative years that I had forgotten about.


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## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

ChrisB said:


> I finally cancelled Sirius this past December, and I swear, leaving a cult is easier! Sorry, but Spotify has better quality, more selection, and no damn DJs to interrupt me. If I want to listen to DJs, I have HD radio which is better quality than Sirius...
> 
> It also helps that my aftermarket HU also has a 256 GB modified iPod connected to it and a 128 GB thumb drive loaded with music. The only thing that I may miss about Sirius is using them to identify artists from my formative years that I had forgotten about.


Umm... That's an easy fix without SXM. It's called "Google... What song is this?" As long as you're running Android Jelly Bean or newer you don't even have to push any buttons. I'm sure Mac has something similar, if not the app store has a multitude of options.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk


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## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

HardCoreDore said:


> Umm... That's an easy fix without SXM. It's called "Google... What song is this?" As long as you're running Android Jelly Bean or newer you don't even have to push any buttons. I'm sure Mac has something similar, if not the app store has a multitude of options.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk


Yeah, but... They played obscure stuff on First Wave that I remember hearing once, never to be heard again, and that is what I would look for after jogging my memory by hearing it again. Of course, after three years with Sirius and listening to First Wave a lot, I noticed that they were no longer playing stuff that I had forgotten about. In fact, I could pretty much predict what would be played on any given day at any given hour because their bank of music appeared to be limited. 

Now, I can look up their playlist online too, so there is no reason to suffer poor quality just to discover music that I forgot about.


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## ENDEE666 (Aug 26, 2011)

Like I said, not looking to transform Sirius into some audiophile perfection. Not looking for alternatives either. But feedback is appreciated. Just want to improve it as much as I can. 

That said, any devices other than Epicenter that should be considered? Are there any 4 channel ones, since Epicenter is only 2 channel? Do other alternatives also work on more than just sub bass? 

Thanks again all.


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## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

Too bad no one makes a BBE Sonic Maximizer for the car. While it can't improve artifacts from compression, it can enhance the frequency response. I used to like it for adding low end to older music. IIRC a couple of my older Alpine HUs had this built in.


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## ENDEE666 (Aug 26, 2011)

Yeah, I had BBE in an old Alpine deck in the 90s and in another old half din eq from back then. Helped a lot with cassettes. But yeah, they seem out of the mobile world these days.


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## rlee777 (Apr 28, 2009)

Try streaming Sirius XM content through the app from a smartphone. Much better SQ than through the satellite feed, especially if you choose the maximum audio quality:

https://listenercare.siriusxm.com/a...her-quality-audio-option-for-streaming-audio?

Of course this won't help when driving out in the boonies where only a satellite signal would work. I almost gave up on the poor SQ until I discovered the streaming app.


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## ENDEE666 (Aug 26, 2011)

It is better that way, yes. But it blows through data and phone battery pretty quick. Also, for channel surfing, there's a much slower response on the app vs the radio. 

I spoke direct with Audiocontrol, they said the Epicenter will help a lot, so one of those is in my future. 

I will update results once I get one installed.


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