# XM or Sirius, redux



## DC330i (Apr 30, 2004)

Okay, I know that there have a been a few threads on this topic, but most of these were started before XM Direct was available with the Blitzsafe adapter and before XM removed the commercials from its music stations.

What are peoples' opinions now that either XM or Sirius can be installed easily and fairly inexpensively ($250-$350 if you do the work yourself), both will work with the 03+ head units, and both offer commercial free music?

Which would you choose, XM or Sirius?

Do you think it matters that XM has the lion's share of the market right now?

Additional questions:

For those of you who have tried both, are there differences in the output to the Head Unit? Sound quality? Reception? Customer Service?


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## Mark_325i (May 1, 2003)

*XM Direct*

I installed it in my '03 e46 and think it is great. Sound quality is as good as the CDs I was burning from iTunes. Integration with the stock HU is fine and the selection of channels is great. I highly recommend it.


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## mh328i (Apr 12, 2004)

The real answer to which is better will probably be solved when one or the other goes out of business. And then the winner will only be better because you can still use your purchased equipment. Just think how many people have Beta VCRs sitting in thier garage. Beta was a higher quality format that lost the format war, thanks to the narrow-minded owners of Sony, leaving the consumers as the real losers. Sirius is trailing far behind XM in customers, as well as stock prices, which may be an early warning sign of it's demise. Granted it has been accepted by several car companies, including BMW as it's OEM, but that should soon change as the car companies figure out more people like XM. On the other hand, you have to consider who owns XM, at least a large part of it, Clear Channel Communications. This is the same company that threw Howard Stern, and several other very popular radio personalities off the air. CCC owns the majority of regular radio stations in the country and has a very strong influence as to what we can listen to. They are becoming the dictator of radio. Between them and the FCC we may all be forced to live off of CD's to hear what we want. I myself have XM and enjoy it's current programming and service quality, but I sicerely hope that Sirius sticks around along time, and that new sattelite providers come out, because only competition will keep the airwaves filled with the variety of material everyone should have access to. By only having one company out there, should Sirius vanish, we would lose the ability to choose, and that could be devistating to the quality and variety of content available to everyone in this free country.


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## Mark_325i (May 1, 2003)

Huh? There is a point buried in there somewhere, yes?


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## ObD (Dec 29, 2001)

Market analysts are assured that if one provider goes out of business the other will take over the failed providers business. A matter of preference really.


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## mh328i (Apr 12, 2004)

The point I was making Mark is that you have to choose for yourself. But there is a number of things that you should base your decision on, not just sound quality or price.


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## Ohmess (May 29, 2003)

*Beta is not a good analogy*

The reason VHS succeeded and Beta failed was that porno was widely available on VHS. Beta was a superior technology and is still used today by both the major satellite TV broadcasters in their broadcast facilities.

I tend to think that the market can support two satellite radio providers.


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## photo2000a (Mar 9, 2004)

*sirus*



Ohmess said:


> The reason VHS succeeded and Beta failed was that porno was widely available on VHS. Beta was a superior technology and is still used today by both the major satellite TV broadcasters in their broadcast facilities.
> 
> I tend to think that the market can support two satellite radio providers.


..

I think beta failed due to poor marketing and pseudo legal issues manuf trying to 'own' the market , tapes etc...

I got sirius cause of it's integration w/the car, and being serviced and warantted by dealer.

but it's amazing how much some dealers are tying to mark up the sirus

From the threads here i've seen that xm would work w/the nav unit for example and integrate (ie text on screan) but was unsure , also was unsure if to do that, i'd need adapters like blitzsafe which i didn't want to use


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## Daku (Jun 9, 2004)

DC330i said:


> Okay, I know that there have a been a few threads on this topic, but most of these were started before XM Direct was available with the Blitzsafe adapter and before XM removed the commercials from its music stations.
> 
> What are peoples' opinions now that either XM or Sirius can be installed easily and fairly inexpensively ($250-$350 if you do the work yourself), both will work with the 03+ head units, and both offer commercial free music?
> 
> ...


 XM or Sirius? Which install has a better sound quality? I just installed the XM direct with Blitzsafe adapter. After using XM for a few days now, I have noticed that the sound quality is not that great. I get the best sound from just playing CDs.

Would I get better sound with Sirius? XM Direct plugs into RCA jacks of the Blitzsafe adapter. IS the sound quality being lost there?


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## jw (Dec 21, 2001)

XM came with my car. Very nice selection. Could be better fidelity, imo.


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## photo2000a (Mar 9, 2004)

*xm*

i read in some thread that it was poss to have the xm integerate directly such as the sirus unit does i'd bet if that was true it'd sound better then the bliztsafe adapter but not sure


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## LordByron (Aug 1, 2003)

photo2000a said:


> ..
> 
> I think beta failed due to poor marketing and pseudo legal issues manuf trying to 'own' the market , tapes etc...
> 
> ...


Couldn't say it any better !!! Sirius and BMW work together and are compatible thereof I am going w/ Sirius .... I have it now for 7 months and I'm 100% satisfied ! :thumbup:


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## Mark_325i (May 1, 2003)

XMDirect from BMW of Fairfax cost me $249 and I installed it in about 15 minutes. Same as installing a CD changer. This was cheaper than the Sirius kits from the dealers, and XM is 3 bucks a month cheaper.


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