# Sirius XM is really starting to suck **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** radio-podcast\ **Created:** [March 31, 2021, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071 "2021-03-31T06:48:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/121 "2021-07-29T00:40:35Z")
Rather than quote, I’m just going to jump right in. A year or so ago, I spent a lot of time in and around El Paso, TX. (My permanent and current home is near Austin.) In El Paso, the signal would drop out from time to time. I figured it had to do with the mountains and altitude. However, it didn’t only happen when there was a mountain blocking the southern horizon. EP doesn’t really have much in the way of skyscrapers, so I don’t think the problem was tall buildings. Maybe it was cell towers. Interstate 10 runs right along the border. When I was that close to Mexico, some Mexican company would hijack my cell phone. Maybe their towers transmit with a more powerful signal (thereby knocking out my legitimate AT&T cell service) and that also interferes with SXM. At home, I rarely have the signal drop unless I am in a concrete canyon in downtown Austin/Houston/Dallas, stuck under an overpass, or in a fast-food drive-thru where the building is to the south of the car. Has anyone else noticed an improvement in the compression ratio? It seems like the music has more richness and depth than it used to have. It is still clearly compressed, but I don’t feel like it’s been so totally smashed any more. I also love the app. I drive a motorcoach now and I use the app ALL THE TIME. I can Bluetooth it to the bus’s sound system and listen to what I want when I’m alone, or use it to entertain passengers when they want a little music. I also love listening to POTUS when I’m driving. My phone has to be hands-free when driving the bus, so I’ll have the talk shows or a podcast going in my earpiece. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/122 "2021-07-29T01:00:00Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > > > The talking over songs needs to stop. > > This seems to be a channel-specific issue. Back in the day (1960s and 1970s, in particular), it was very common for DJs to talk over the “ramp,” or the instrumental introduction to a song, and from what I recall, the DJs often knew exactly how long each song’s ramp was, so that they (the DJs) could stop talking just before the song’s vocals began. > > On a number of the SiriusXM channels which have actual DJs, they clearly try to replicate the experience of listening to an actual radio station from that era – on “60s on 6” and “70s on 7,” for example, I definitely notice the DJs talking on top of the songs (as well as promos and bumpers which sound like they could be from a station from that era). Yeah, and it sucks! It sucked back in the day and it sucks now. I like retro stuff more than anyone else, but not retro suck. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/123 "2021-07-29T07:16:43Z")
Yep, I remember that it was very common back in the days of terrestrial-only radio for DJs or announcers to talk over the ramp…but I’ve encountered plenty of instances on SiriusXM where people who should know better keep right on yakking right over the start of the vocals. Maybe it’s just poor timing? It is annoying. And I guess this goes along with improved compression, but on certain channels it’s very noticeable that they’ve started tweaking the equalizer settings. Some of them get it right; others just crank the heck out of the bass. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/124 "2021-07-29T18:16:51Z")
SXM mostly drops for me when I’m driving East or West and there are a lot of trees close to the South side of the road, I think the satellites are towards the South. It’s rare though. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/125 "2021-07-29T18:23:14Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I think the satellites are towards the South. It depends, a bit. This site notes that the original XM satellites are in a stationary orbit at the Equator; the three Sirius satellites orbit in a figure-eight pattern over the Western Hemisphere. [http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/docs/sirius.html](http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/docs/sirius.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/126 "2021-07-29T23:00:00Z")
Yacht rock radio is back after an unsmooth year! I won’t make fun of it - or be listening - since apart from the Doobie Bros. not a lot of meat left on the bones. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/127 "2021-07-29T23:48:14Z")
Forgot to mention that the mild hassle of replacing the stereo was totally worth it; I now have access to some channels that were beyond the factory stereo (like 301, Road Trip Radio), I can pause and rewind, and I got an extra band for storing favorite channels. Spiffy! ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/128 "2021-07-30T01:07:39Z")
> [@Drum\_God](#): > > Has anyone else noticed an improvement in the compression ratio? I haven’t listen to music on XM lately, but since you have the app you can compare the satellite signal sound vs the streaming sound. Set the streaming quality to maximum, and then switch back and forth between the two. It’s not perfect as the app lags the satellite signal by about 30 seconds or so, but the last time I did this the lousy quality of the satellite signal was obvious. If you have a generous data plan on your phone, the app is the way to go. It also doesn’t drop out like the satellite signal does. On the other hand, if you are going to stream, in my opinion there are better music services to use, but if you like the SXM programming, who am I to argue? ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/129 "2021-07-30T03:33:08Z")
I’m pretty sure I can’t tell the lossy quality since I only listen in my car. However I wish they would stop playing Billy Eilish though; her songs are so quiet that they blend into the road noise. I’m surprised they don’t crank up the volume to compensate. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/130 "2021-08-19T16:31:37Z")
I tend to stay on the same ~15 channels but I recently discovered Drew Carey’s Friday Night Freak-Out. Drew is a great host and has a very eclectic taste in music. I guess I should have known that from The Drew Carey Show, there was a lot of good music and musical guests on that show. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/131 "2021-08-20T07:38:19Z")
My subscription was recently set to expire. Still annoyed that I can’t just cancel on their website, but must call instead. So I call, knowing how this is gonna go. “I don’t want to pay twenty-something a month, so I wish to cancel.” “But what if we gave you the same promotion you have had, for another year.” “Okay, fine.” If they’re given me the same $5/month deal for years, why again aren’t they just offering it for such? Am I really in the minority, and most subscribers just pay the higher rate? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/132 "2021-08-20T07:57:01Z")
That sounds very typical of SiriusXM, and is a known method of getting them to lower (or maintain) the price of your subscription plan. I would guess most people just don’t know to call them, or (like me) assume that they discontinued the practice years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/133 "2021-08-20T08:29:52Z")
I’m happy that they got rid of Cousin Brucie on 60s on 6. Man, that guy could talk; he was in love with his own voice. If we got three songs in a 30-minute period, we were lucky. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/134 "2021-08-20T19:24:39Z")
Yeah I get tired of the yearly negotiations. It used to be hard to get the $5 per month/$60 per year, but last time was fairly easy. Hopefully that continues. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/135 "2021-08-20T19:58:03Z")
The dropouts are a big thing to me. I have to make a left turn onto a busy street at the start of my daily 3.5 mile commute. The spot I have to wait is a dead zone. So not only is the live feed cutoff, there’s no buffer built up yet. So just silence. And when I do get onto the road, it takes a few minutes for a clear, well-buffered stream to be established. By that time, I’m pulling into the downtown garage, another dead zone. Same issue on the way back. I don’t think I’ll renew next time and will just bring my iPad with me for music when I drive. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/136 "2021-08-20T20:04:35Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > If they’re given me the same $5/month deal for years, why again aren’t they just offering it for such? Am I really in the minority, and most subscribers just pay the higher rate? I’ve been saying, for probably a decade+, that they could significantly reduce the amount of CSRs they had AND increase their customer base if they charged a reasonable price and didn’t negotiate. So, instead of scaring people off with $20/mo and a select few know you can call and pester them into $5/mo, just make the service $10/mo and leave it at that. I actually cancelled my service about a month ago. My car was in the shop after an accident. I knew it was going to be there for a few weeks and then I’d only have a month or so left on the lease plus, new cars tend to come with 3 free months of XM, and add to that, all the “we want you back” postcards I knew I’d get from them with coupons, I didn’t see any reason to renew the subscription until I was into a new car and ready to start paying for it again. They threw everything they had at me to try to keep me from cancelling the service. Even as I kept telling them that I no longer have the car, they just kept asking me over and over if I’d prefer to just keep the service…even with no way to use it. So, I’m back to terrestrial radio. I forgot how much I don’t like it. There’s three stations I listen to. The station I grew up with that played alternative music (ie Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage etc) still plays that type of music, but I’m unfamiliar with nearly all of it…which makes me feel old since I have a 15 year old daughter. And at some point in the last 20 years, the rock station that played the ‘harder’ stuff in the 90’s (Metallica, GNR etc) and the Classic Rock station seem to be overlapping quite a bit. I’ve literally heard the same band being played on both stations at the same time. Pearl Jam maybe. And so many fucking commercials. It’s a good thing that my ADHD allows me to drive without the radio on for long stretches of time, usually without even realizing it. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/137 "2021-08-20T21:33:30Z")
My wife and I love(d) Willie’s Roadhouse. Classic country. Now it’s almost half Wille Nelson, and the songs are not old classics. Plus hardly any stuff recorded before 1960. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/138 "2021-10-20T23:33:27Z")
> **[Real Jazz | SiriusXM](https://www.siriusxm.com/channels/real-jazz)** > > The classic sounds and styles of jazz masters, past and present. I started a 4 month free trial on saturday. I love jazz and this is by far the best curated jazz station I have heard. I have Music Matters and have listened to KJazz here in LA. But they pale to this channel. They have many other great stations covering most of the spectrum of music. Sorry you fans of 1930s yodeling country you are out of luck. Its well worth a 4 month free trial to see if its worth a purchase. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/139 "2021-10-21T01:30:53Z")
Yeah, but they’re the only station I can depend on to play Dolly Parton once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071/140 "2021-10-21T08:26:12Z")
Now that they are partnered with Pandora you can create a Dolly channel and have some influence over the songs by upvoting what you like. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sirius-xm-is-really-starting-to-suck/939071.md?page=8)