BlackjackMulligan

Quick background: I've had XM for years (including on my 04 A4 Cab) and the sound has always been great, CD quality. On my BMW, I have Sirius for the first time as that was the only option. I have very annoying faint hissing in the background of songs that seems to correlate to the music playing, ie it doesn't hiss if there's a silent spot in the song or if I turn down the music. I figured it was just the BMW and that I got a bad receiver, etc.

At the latest car show, I sat in the S4 and played with the radio- and it had the SAME faint hissing in the background, so I'm now thinking it has something to do with the Sirius signal. This isn't cutting in or out, it's not static, etc. Just this faint sound that you can hear, it's more easily heard with the softer, slower music the wife likes. Has anyone else encountered this? It's driving me nuts and I'm afraid that I'll still have it when I eventually get an S4.

S4-NH

Hmmm, haven't noticed it, but I'll pay closer attention to it in the upcoming days. I've had Sirius since the beginning and haven't really noticed an issue.

more to come...

BlackjackMulligan

Thanks!

Admittedly, it is a bit hard to notice at first but once you hear it it will drive you crazy...

rktskicar

Sirius bought XM. Mine sounds fine, but I usually listen to stuff like "classic vinyl".

Bruce

BlackjackMulligan

True, but from what I understand, they both still use their own satellites and equipment.....it's not compatable with one another I believe.

I listen to that channel as well, along with classic rewind

rktskicar

I do not know, but certainly Sirius has access to both Sirius and XM satellites. I do not know how to check which one's this car uses.

Bruce

thebishman

I do hear the hiss on certain channels but only with certain songs. I had always put it down to 40 year old music being played that had been recorded on older analog equipment. Can't say I hear it on channels that play more contempory music.
Bish

BlackjackMulligan

I thought that too, but the hissing seems more "staccato" in other words goes in and out rather than feedback from old recordings.

I'm just glad that someone else has heard it! It's annoying because satellite radio is supposed to be such high quality, I thought that's what we paid for.

S4-NH

Spent about 6 hours in the car over the last two days - I'm not really noticing anything.

occasionally I'll get something between songs, but haven't noticed anything major.

I listen to Howard 100, and Sirius 8 through Sirius 33 most of the time.

thebishman

Sirius likes to make a big deal about the 'quality' calling it CD like, or digital. Well of course its digital, otherwise it wouldn't work, BUT it is nowhere close to CD quality. The bit rate is very low in comparison. Now, it still sounds 'OK' to me most of the time, and I couldn't do without it in my part of the country, but don't think you're paying for 'high quality' as it pertains to high fidelity.

Bish