# XM Online Sound Quality



## valestij (Jun 5, 2008)

Anyone else notice the crappy sound quality on XM online today? Usually in the past when I had the bad sound quality, I would go to the settings and change the bandwidth from Low to High and then it would sound really good. Now I don't see that option.

They better not be forcing me to pay for the "premium" online after I extended all my family accounts and signed up for a lifetime membership to keep the online experience I come to enjoy everyday at work.


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## reddice (Feb 18, 2003)

You got to pay extra if you want the CD quality sound. I though that they were going take away the online radio completely for subscribers but they set it up like Sirius has there set up. I don't even listen to XM Radio that much anyway. If I want to listen to radio online I can find much better choices.


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## IndyMichael (Jan 25, 2003)

I thought you only had to pay to get it online, once your package renewed and it no longer was included?


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## reddice (Feb 18, 2003)

What a rip off from a greedy money grubbing company. Even if you renew your radio subscription you only get the online radio for the length of your subscription and it is in the metallic cruddy 32k bitrate.


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## valestij (Jun 5, 2008)

From what I've hear from others is that everyone who locked in at the $6.99 family plan or have a lifetime membership will get the premium 128kbps stream. Apparently they are having some major computer issues and all the accounts are frozen. They said even people who are paying the $2.99 for the online service are suck getting the 32kbps. The kicker is anyone who signs up for the free trial, will get 128kbps since it's not really tied to an account.


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## IndyMichael (Jan 25, 2003)

http://www.xmradio.com/whatisxm/plans-pricing.xmc#xmro



> Enjoy your favorite XM music channels at 128kbps! With Premium XM Radio Online, you'll hear commercial-free music channels,plus XM originals like Oprah Radio™ and Bob Edwards, from any Internet-connected PC. Listen as much as you want, whenever you want, for one low price.


That's what is says for $2.99 if I upgrade to online listening, after my next monthly payment ends free online listening.


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## Jin So (Aug 2, 2008)

Yea, I have gotten tot he point of not listening to the online service any more do the quality, there are plenty of free services online that offer better quality


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## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

But if you want to hear NFL Network on-line Sirius is the only choice. That is the kicker for me. Bummer.


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## oldrocker989 (Mar 19, 2009)

I also noticed the change in quality on XM online.
Best you can do until they resolve their problem is get a free 3 day trial on Sirius where you can get the premium sound. Many of the channels are the same as XM (just different numbers),
It is amazing to me that XM made the switch to force listeners to pay for the premium service before they could technically provide it. Especially for people still in existing contracts. These guys must be cousins of some AIG execs.


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## Scott in FL (Mar 18, 2008)

reddice said:


> You got to pay extra if you want the CD quality sound.


You still won't get CD quality. 128 kbps is not even close to enough speed to provide the same quality as a CD.

Note that XM describes their premium service as "near" CD quality.


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## Pete K. (Apr 23, 2002)

There are a lot of threads about this on another board and several blogs. To borrow a line from the defunct "Pushing Daisies," the facts are these: 
If you subscribed for an extended term prior to 11 March, you are supposed to get XMRO at 128 k. This includes "lifetime," multi-year, and annual subscription. If you pay month to month, "free" XMRO will no longer be available to you. As a "valued" subscriber, you can continue listening for $2.99 a month. If you want just the XMRO and don't have a radio, it is $7.99 a month.
The reality is most, if not all subscribers who locked in for an extended term were surprised to discover on 11 March they were getting not 128 k but 32 k! For most, there is no way to change the setting from 32 to 64 or 128. Clicking on "settings" brought an "invitation" to upgrade for $2.99 a month. Even those who coughed up the $2.99 were not getting anything better than 32 k. Calls to CSR's didn't do any good. Do they ever? The CSR's gave nearly as many reasons for the 32 k as there are grains of sand in the ocean and on the beaches of the world. Some subscribers escalated complaints directly to high ranking muckety mucks at Sirius/XM. A few have been told that there is indeed a problem with XMRO (duh!) and one was told it could 
"take several weeks" to repair. In the meantime, there has been no apology, no "official" explanation from Sirius/XM as to the cause of the problem, no real timeline for when it will be fixed, nor any other communication to loyal subscribers. You want 128 k, sign up for a free trial. That's right, you can get a high quality stream for free but if you pay (save for a lucky few who've somehow broken through the fog) you get 32 k.


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## IndyMichael (Jan 25, 2003)

I signed up for the $2.99 deal today, the sound quality is way better than it was. The bit rate is 129 Kbps and it says the audio codec is Windows Media Audio 9.1
128 kbps, 44 kHz, stereo 1-pass CBR.


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