Should I get the subscription?

[Subnet76]

Ok just build a new system and its sirius ready. Yes I do need to buy the tunner, but.... I have read all the hipe about Satilite radio. Is it worth it? Sure now I can listen to Howard Stern in a non-controling enviroment. But is the monthly subscribtion worth a few curse words, uncontrolably freakish radio bits? (I think so) But my biggest concern is the music. All I listen to is my CD collection rarly do I listen to FM. Its usualy static, commercials, same song every 20 minuits. I like the clarity, and the huge amount of songs on a MP/WMA-DVD/CD. (That I have chosen, and like.) Ok help me decide here. What is your input?

Subnet76

[BassMasterK]

I moved over mostly because I have a long drive to work and Stern was my usual morning fare. Like you, I pretty much had quit listening to FM because the song selection was narrow, there were too many commercials, and the DJ's in rush hour would just yak yak yak, thinking they were funny and they weren't. I have been blown away by the killer content on sirius. I am once again listening to music in the car. The cool thing is that I am being exposed to music I would have never had the chance to hear locally and since my tuner displays the band and song titles, I can actually see who is playing and remember their name for later. How many times would you hear a new song that was buried in a block of songs where the DJ never mentions the name of the song or band? I'm into everything from classic rock to hard rock and even some classical and there are about 15 stations that I regularly flip between. 15 stations with no commercials....it is a thing of beauty.

That is just the music content. Then you have the NFL, NBA, several sports channels. I listen to the comedy channels pretty frequently. My dad got me into old time radio when I was a kid so on my way home from work I am frequently listening to 'the shadow' or 'the whistler' or some other old time programs. There is something for everybody imho.

But if you want to check out the music before you subscribe, you can do it for something like three days for free streaming though your computer. Then you can get a picture of the music selection. I had a friend tell me sattelite radio is like high speed internet....once you use it you can't picture living without it. He was right.

[superstar221]

I got sick of listening to the FM radios 15 minute loop tape of the 5 or 6 most popular songs/bands (i.e. Chevelle/Linkin Park/Ozzy) OVER AND OVER AND OVER only to be interrupted by 20 minutes of commercials and local DJ chatter about some stupid contest at the local bar. Sirius rocks, and you won't regret it. :eek:

[Subnet76]

Well done deal, just purchased the tuner. So how does the subscription work? Any commets on what I need to do?

[RiseStar]

Simple, hook up the antenna, get a signal, write down the Sirius unit ID number and call it in to activate, leave the unit on for 30 minutes to ensure all channels get activated and you are done

[superstar221]

Activate over the internet at the Sirius website instead of over the telephone and it'll save you $5

[cranstonsilt]

I got sick of listening to the FM radios 15 minute loop tape of the 5 or 6 most popular songs/bands (i.e. Chevelle/Linkin Park/Ozzy) OVER AND OVER AND OVER only to be interrupted by 20 minutes of commercials and local DJ chatter about some stupid contest at the local bar. Sirius rocks, and you won't regret it. :eek:

After having Sirius for a year, not so sure I still agree with you. Yeah, there are no commercials but there repetition is almost as bad on Buzzsaw, Octane, Spectrum, hell even the Vault has too damn much repetition. (see my post on the programming discussion)
Guess it depends on why you got sirius obviously if its to avoid the commercials then fine. But, I'm a music fan and don't happen to think its all that much better than commercial radio.

[superstar221]

Sirius seems to go on month to month type playlists. No commercials, but they do seem to love certain songs over and over. Only thing is, terrestrial radio likes to play WHAT THEY ARE PAID TO PLAY...and if you dont like what is played on Sirius, call and complain....they actually listen.

If you are not happy, then cancel. Just know that when you go back to terrestrial radio, you'll be looking at about 15 songs being played (in a loop tape, according to the top 10 at the time) interrupted by 20-25 minutes of commercials per hour. Have fun!!!!

[fifties]

I love Sirius....Hell, I would even PAY to listen (I have "previously subbed" units that still work).

"Oldies" on the local FM station that promote themselves as the purveyor of that type of music, NEVER play '50's songs.

The ONLY station I listen to is Sirius Gold.

[Humann]

If you're considering Sirius for the music programming, there are two important considerations--How eclectic are your musical tastes and how much of an audiophile are you?

If your tastes vary much from the mainstream in a particular genre, you may find yourself getting bored sort of quickly, unless you're into channel surfing (not recommended while you're driving, btw). Sometimes, I just have to turn it off and play a CD.

If you're a hardcore audiophile, you may find the sound quality lacking. It's definitely not CD--or even FM--quality. The signals are heavily compressed and even with a strong, static-free signal, the sound quality is noticeably flat, almost muffled, because it doesn't reproduce the entire audible spectrum. The midrange sounds great, but the extreme highs and lows are lacking. It's listenable, but it can be disconcerting at times.