Satellite radio is without a doubt one of the most cost effective forms of entertainment on the market today. Think for a minute about the amount of content that Sirius XM Radio makes available to consumers and the price that they are providing it at. It's pretty hard to find any other form of entertainment that can even come close to satellite radio when it comes to getting the most "bang for your buck."
But the amount of features packed into these radios can sometimes be confusing for consumers looking to buy a satellite radio. Have you ever bought a new device only to find out that you could have purchased something that did a lot more for only a few more dollars? I think we all have.
It's with that in mind that I've put together this "Ultimate Guide to Buying a Satellite Radio" to help sort though the confusion.
As new satellite radios come out, I will continuously update this article to provide and maintain a consistent point of reference for anyone looking to buy the best satellite radio receiver possible.
The Best Satellite Radio
But first, we need to cover one thing: there really is no such thing as the "best" satellite radio.Satellite radio receivers have a variety of different functions and options because each one meets the different needs of a different kind of user. So the best satellite radio receiver really only has to do with what meets your needs as a consumer.
There's nothing more irritating than to read on message boards or radio reviews that one receiver is "the best" over another. It doesn't work that way - the decision is ultimately up to you and what suits you based on budget, features, usage, etc.
As such, I've split this guide into three different types of users - The Power User, The Intermediate User and The Light User - and then created comparisons of different receivers within those tiers to help you find the satellite radio that suits you best.
So... let's begin!
The Power User
I think the best way to describe "power users" are folks who absolutely has to have satellite radio all day long. Most people listen to Sirius or XM in the car, with the occasional listening at work or at home. But "power users" will have needs beyond what the average listener wants. Power users will demand advanced features like extended recording, portable "on the go" listening, etc. And for this type of user, you really can't go wrong with either Sirius or XM's portable satellite radios.Let's first start with Sirius...
Sirius Stiletto 2
The Sirius Stiletto 2 is a portable satellite radio that is great for all-day listening because it provides many versatile options. The Stiletto 2 has an internal satellite antenna plus antenna headphones for listening "on the go," as well as built-in WiFi and the ability to record up to 100 hours of recorded Sirius content right on the device.
The internal satellite radio antenna is meant to make it a truly portable receiver, but the antenna can be unreliable unless you live in a metropolitan area where there is a strong "terrestrial" signal (I'll explain all about that in another article). To help, Sirius has provided a set of antenna headphones to help get that signal - but remember you need to be outdoors with a clear view of the sky for any satellite radio antenna to work.
If you are indoors and have access to WiFi, the Stiletto 2 has the ability to listen to Sirius through their online internet stream of channels (even if it's a secured network). I've found this particularly useful when the Stiletto 2 is paired with a boombox, so I don't need to run any additional wires.
The Stiletto 2 also has the ability to record and store live content as well as add MP3's from your personal digital audio library. And if there isn't enough memory for all of your MP3's, it had a built in micro SD card slot located behind the battery.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the Stiletto 2 from Amazon.
Now if your an XM fan...
XMP3
You'll definitely want to check out the XMP3 if you're a power user. It's also a small portable satellite radio (smaller than the Stiletto 2) with an internal satellite radio antenna, but has some pretty outstanding features.
My experience is that the built-in antenna of the XMP3 is by far the best-in-class antenna out there for portable "on the go" listening. You still need clear line of sight to the sky - or a strong terrestrial repeater signal - but the sensitivity of the XMP3's antenna is without a doubt the best you can get.
The XMP3 comes with it's own home kit but not a car kit (a car kit is available for purchase though). Unfortunately, the XMP3 does not have a built in WIFI antenna like the Stiletto 2, so keep that in mind.
Aside from the superior portable XM listening capability, the unique function of the XMP3 is that it can record up to 5 different channels while still listening to live radio. That's a lot of content in a short amount of time.
MP3's are easy to add to the device through the included USB cable and software that comes in the box, plus there's also the expandable micro SD memory card slot is built into the unit to help expand your library. And much like the Stiletto 2, the XMP3 has replay functions available with the unit allowing you to pause, rewind and fast forward up to live content.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the XMP3 from Amazon.
The Intermediate User
"Intermediate Users" need to have the advanced functions such as pause/replay, but don't need to have the portable satellite radio functionality like the XMP3 or Stiletto 2. They're not your average listener, and as such they need a bit more than the average radio.For the intermediate user I would suggest going with a plug and play satellite radio that has some replay functions (i.e., DVR for your radio) as well as a lot of accessories available.
Sirius Sportster 5
For Sirius, the Sirius Sportster 5 is the right way to go. With it's full color screen, replay functions and sports ticker, it's the top of the line plug and play unit for Sirius today.
The color screen is also customizeable, so you can select the color that best matches your mood or the interior colors of your vehicle. The sports ticker also gives you live updates of your favorite sports team while still being able to be tuned into your favorite station.
If this is too much for you and all you want is the pause/replay functions and 30 presets, then I would suggest the Starmate 5 - it's a great alternative to the Sportster 5. The Starmate 5 has a small compact design that still carries all of the replay features of the larger plug and play radios. It's great if you are trying to stay cost effective too because the unit is also available to receive Sirius' A La Carte programming.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the Sportster 5 from Amazon. You get a great price, plus all the trust and guarantees that Amazon provides.
XpressRC
On the XM side, the dominating radio is definitely the XpressRC receiver. This plug and play boasts a full color screen with replay functions of up to 60 minutes as well as Multi Channel Viewing.
Multi-channel Viewing is a pretty unique feature that allows you to view the current channel and three other channels at the same time. The XpressRC also comes with a sports and stock ticker allowing you to get live updates of the game while keeping an eye on your investments all while listening to your favorite channel.
If this radio has a bit too much for you, you can take a step down to the XpressR. This radio has a split screen displaying option that allows you to listen to one channel and view six others. It also had up to 30 minutes of pause, rewind and fast forward functions as well as tune select, that helps you find your favorite songs when they are playing.
All plug and play units from both Sirius and XM come with car kits, but home kits and boomboxes are available for each model.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the XpressRC from Amazon.
The Light User
Light users are generally consumers who listen to satellite radio in the car, and maybe sometimes at home or at work. But they don't really need the pause/replay functionality of their Intermediate brethren - and as such, they don't need to spend the price.For the beginner or "Light User," there are several units available, all with great bang for your buck features.
XM SkyDock
The XM SkyDock is one of the newest satellite radios to hit the market, and it straddles the line between "Intermediate" and "Light" users. The great thing about the SkyDock is its simplicity - all you need is the dock and an antenna - and, of course, an iPhone or iPod Touch.
The XM SkyDock uses the iPhone/iPod Touch as the interface to the XM satellite radio technology (which is packed into the dock itself). As soon as you plug in and turn on the XM SkyDock App, you can listen to live satellite radio.
It doesn't have pause/replay functionality, which is why I've classified it under the "Light" user category (though, I should note, it's priced more like the Intermediate category). If/when Sirius XM Radio Inc. is able to include pause/replay functionality into the SkyDock app, then this radio might get reclassified.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the XM SkyDock from Amazon.
XM Onyx
XM also has a great simple radio called the XM Onyx (which is essentially an upgraded replacement to the XpressEZ). With it's simple functions of storing 10 presets and displaying artist, song and channel, it is a great introductory radio.
The Onyx brings the added bonus of being "customizable" - in that you can change the display with different selectable colors and add on customizable "trim rings" to match your vehicle dash lights and interior.
One huge benefit to the XM Onyx is that it features the new PowerConnect FM transmitter. This is an incredible upgrade to previous satellite radios in that sound quality - and simplicity of installation - has been immensly improved.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the XM Onyx from Amazon.
Stratus 6
And for you Sirius lovers out there, they also have a small and compact radio available called the Stratus 6. It also has the ability to store only 10 channel presets and displays artist, song and channel, and is vastly improved versus the Stratus 5 receiver.
The Stratus 6 has the much better FM transmitter (the same PowerConnect FM transmitter as the XM onyX) plus has the ability to get A La Carte subscriptions.
Help support Orbitcast and buy the Sirius Stratus 6 from Amazon. You get free shipping, great prices and all the guarantees that Amazon provides!
Do you have one of these radios and would like to share your experience? Add your own review in the comments and help others like yourself buy the best satellite radio for their needs.
"It's pretty hard to find any other form of entertainment that can even come close to satellite radio when it comes to getting the most "bang for your buck."
I agree completely, Ryan. I am supprised the usual gang of "I hate...they destroyed...I can't stand...,etc" crowd hasn't flooded the site with their tired old attempts to piss in our pudding so to speak. Satellite radio still rocks!
Maybe they are watching (listening??) to the World Series...
Great article!!!
I'd get the XMP3 or Inno if I WAS buying but since I'm not inclined to addd one DAMN cent to Mel's coffers, I guess I'll stick with my trusty 'lil 'ol SkyFi generation 1 (circa Feb 2002). It is well traveled and hasen't failed me yet even in the mountains with the antenna stuck on the roof of my ride or in my docking station at my office or the boombox I bought at a Circut City close out for $50.
It's not its fault that the programming has went to the shitter!!!
I totally agree- I have never looked back and said why did I purchase this- I even got the lifetime and never regretted it!- I purchased at Best buy including the warranty- so If I spend $25 every 4 years to keep up the warranty for the lifetime- It's well worth it!
Personally could not be bothered downloading music, CD's, MP3's, etc-
Sirius/XM does rock!
See above or below..............
Correction to the XMP3 review. The antenna doesn't need a direct line of sight to the satellite if you live in an area with terrestrial repeaters. I use my XMP3 in my office in the interior of a building daily.
@CJBATX You're right, good point. I'll update the article to reflect that. Thanks!
Too bad what's on satellite radio for the last couple of years isn't much better than what's on FM and the Internet.
Great guide. It's just a few years too late to be useful.
I'm still happy with my Inno. The ability to record big chuncks and later go back and edit out songs is great. Mixing playlists with mp3& recorded XM is great. I beleive that the XMP3 can't do those things. Reception is excellent. I just wish it had more memory.
Agreed
"Satellite radio is without a doubt one of the most cost effective forms of entertainment on the market today."
While I would have agreed with that statement wholeheartedly two years ago, I do not agree with it now. Yes, in the car and on the go, satelite radio is still the easiest form of paid entertainment out there. You just turn it on and go. You have smartphones which are a bit harder to get going but provide more entertainment. They cost more, but if you were going to get a smartphone for other uses, the radio use is essentially "free". I'm sure many people will be or have already gone this route. The argument I constantly hear is "oh this is so much more expensive" but remember that these phones are usually bought for other reasons, such as mobile internet, mobile email, etc. If you already have this technology, then streaming radio is a free service.
But as far as in the home, I have found the Logitech Squeezebox line to be far more economical (and varied by format, etc) than satelite radio has been for a long time (Sirius knows this too, as they have a deal to stream to these devices with a paid online subscription). With a one time investment starting at $200 for the reciever, I can listen to local radio, sports, music, news, etc from hundreds of local markets. In addition, I can listen to anything that streams from around the world. BBC, CBC, di.fm, RadioIo, Accuradio, local stations from UK, France, Germany, Canada, Mexico, online radio services such as AOL Radio and Yahoo, Shoutcast, podcasts, talk shows local, national, and international, and the list goes on.
ALMOST everything that Sirius XM provides I can find for free using this small device. The only things I can't find without a sat radio subscription are the exclusive talk shows and what little exclusive music programming they have left. Again, more than offset when you consider all the additional internet exclusive content I can have and the out-of-market radio content I have access to.
And aside from the up front cost, which even sat radio has, its free.
When are they going to make a portable that is bluetooth compatible so you can listen to it with wireless headphones? Seems like a simple thing that every cell phone automatically has yet Sirius XM yet again shows an incredible lack of innovation.
Is a good point the one you make, but have in mind that not everyone have access or know how to use most of them, take for example older people that might probably dont know how to turn a PC on or cant see very well, this type of service would be great for them for the content, the fact that the programming have gone thru the toilet is something that hurts to accept since at least the very beggining of the year the programming was awesome and know is hard to have a station on without hearing the same song 3-4 times during the same day. I think this equipments posted on the list are great because it all depends on the user needs as is expressed at the beggining, so saying that you can get all those services is good but not everyone have the same possibilites...
The problem with all of the retail radios is they only really work in cars with an auxiliary input jack now, as cassette players are rarely present anymore, and the low-power FM modulators require yet another wire and more crap stuck outside your vehicle, and they still don't work well in many cases. Home use requires a cobbled-together setup with wires running to an antenna and more cabling to an existing audio system or an external player. And they wonder why people don't do this.
Lots of satellite radio listeners and potential listeners are non-technical. Many older people, for instance, love radio, yet they're not all that savvy with all of this stuff. Why do they not provide a "turnkey" solution that you buy in one box that includes:
1 - a radio module with car kit
2 - an external audio amp and speakers for home play, preferably about the size of a Bose Wave Radio.
3 - a prepaid service card good for first year of listening.
This would be far more compelling to potential satellite radio listeners than a bunch of features that 90 percent of people never use, and it would expand people's ability to purchase satellite radio for someone as a gift. As it is now, if you buy it as a gift, either you pay their monthly fee in perpetuity, or your "gift" to them is another bill.
Ryan,
Great article! My line of thought and questions will probably go off the beaten path but I think I will echo some of the comments above from my unique perspective. I happen to be totally blind!
I too will stay with my Sky Fi Two with boom box and the My Fi Portable I have! These perform well! As I pointed out some time back, Since the new Sirius Satellite went up, the Sirius signal works as well as XM these days! My old plug and play PNP2 never worked so well! This is a bulky option! I'd rather get a more portable radio for Sirius similar to the My Fi or a Sky Fi Three, one which can utilize an internal battery or work in some kind of case with battery so I can use it indoors or out! There is no Sirius portable receiver I can use. The Stiletto 50 was probably the most verbal receiver on the market! I never saw one myself but it was discontinued! I need to hear verbally what is on that screen! It would be nice to know when I'm recording, when I'm connecting to a Wy Fi network, what songs are playing etc! This information is not available to me through any receiver! The only way I can get this info is on line! I'd love to take my satellite receiver to bed and switch channels to my heart's content even if I'm on line! This is not accessible for me to do without assistance! I'd rather have a receiver I can operate for myself! The Sky Fi two and My Fi have the FM modulator which is bypassed when using speakers or headphones. I thoroughly enjoy writing a Greyhound bus, sitting near the front and listening to XM Radio if the bus travels the right direction! XM works well in a hotel with a south facing window! I'd like to be able to do this with Sirius as well! During Preseason football, my wife and I like to take a receiver outside and listen! Sirius has both feeds for football so I can find the game and feed I wish to listen to. XM is ahead of the game when it comes to portable receivers. I'd like to see one which is portable which is easy to use on the Sirius platform. I also would like to see a model which has verbal feedback to the operation of the receiver and what is happening on the screen. The Sky Doc might be an answer since it operates on the I-phone platform I guess. The I-phone 3GX has the Apple Voiceover software built in so that a blind person can use the I-phone! I'm wondering whether this option is available on the Sky doc or whether this is possible when interfaced with an I-phone? Once the I-phone is available where I am, this could be an interesting option! I'm in Montana as you see from my nickname.
I'd also like to see similar receivers built for both platforms which could be interchanged in the same car kit or boom box. If I want XM, I'd snap in the XM receiver. If I want Sirius, I'd snap in the Sirius receiver. There would be no need to change antennas etc, just change out the receiver. I too feel once one decides on the best of package, on line access, the number of receivers, there are too many things nickel and diming people! It can add up fast! I only have one of my receivers activated presently! It is a challenge to me presently to pay up a year for all of my receivers. I'd like to see better changes so it is more affordable for everyone especially when using multiple receivers! Now that everything is under one company, it shouldn't matter which receiver I use as an additional receiver. I hope this is straightened out better soon!
Thanks for reading!
Jim
Really enjoying this read -- and some of you are most correct in saying that it comes too late as Satellite radio ain't what it used to be.
But that's an argument for anothe area.
I want to talk about another option of receiving satelitte radio that I don't think was mentioned here...
The iPhone/iPod Touch App.
It's a failure....and I will tell you why.
I have had an incredible amount of bad luck trying to get satellite radio reception at my work. My office is located just outside a loading platform. There are no windows and the entire building is basically concrete and metal roofing. You can't get a satellite signal in here.
So, I came up with the bright idea of using my iPhone and the SiriusApp to bring satellite radio into to a nice set of Bose computer speakers.
The SiriusApp is complete crap.
First, even connected via our company WiFi, it constantly stalls out trying to reconnect itself. Then, when it is connected it usually switches between HIGH and LOW bands of quality music in an effort to keep a connection.
Next, it constantly updates itself every time you execute the application. This means that all your presets are lost each and every time the application is started.
Right now, even as I type this message, I am listening to the 80s channel as it skips from song to song because it can't hold a connection and is switching between its BUFFER and the LIVE feed.
Now before you blame my WiFi connection may I add that it does this just as frequently via the 3G connection.
The BEST connection I have had with Sirius is through my Mac laptop. However, the reason it does so much better with online streaming is because it can buffer more material than the iPhone and thus it's not constantly switching bandwidth or skipping songs in an effort to keep a connection.
I would love to hear from other iPhone/iPod Touch users as to how well Sirius plays through their device. I can't see how people are having an enjoyable listening experience with this App.
"It's pretty hard to find any other form of entertainment that can even come close to satellite radio when it comes to getting the most "bang for your buck."
True...and yet it must be disheartening Ryan, when sometimes it seems like well over half the time all you see here are people complaining, people saying how bad SATRAD has become, people using foul language toward Mel, etc. I wonder how you find it within yourself to continue with Orbitcast when it is so prevelant. I admire that. Unfortunately, this place reminds me of the Summer "Town Hall's"...a place for an angry minority to get headlines and vent and feel good about themselves. Why would people who hate SATRAD and sometimes say they have quit listening...still come here to do this? That does't change that you are 100% right though and I wanted you to know that.
To a certain extent , SiriusXM needs to re-invent the retail market . My local Best Buy and Radio Shack , satellite radio is almost non existent . Just a couple of older radios , that's it .
I hear you.
My wife has an iPhone 3Gs. The app works perfectly at our home with 6mbps service. It also works perfectly at her office with a slow 1.5mbps DSL shared by several people.
However last summer on vacation, she tried to use it in several hotels/motels with "free high speed internet" and got results similar to yours. It was just unusable.
IMO you got it right....this thing needs a much bigger buffer to deal with internet congestion.
You should try a signal repeater. These work great and the price is fair. Much easier than all that other bullshit. Good Luck.
http://shop.sirius.com/edealinv/servlet/ExecMacro?nurl=control/StoreItem.vm&ctl_nbr=2640&siId=2645800&catParentID=7872&scId=7872
From having Roady...to the Myfi and for last few years the helix/Inno...I still enjoy Xm radio and listen to O&A..Home plate 175 etc. If anyone enjoys radio of any kind the you MUST get SatRad. Endless entertainment. It has changed since the merger but it remains worth it.
Commonsense,
Tried the signal repeater. No Windows within range. Tried sticking it next to the dock bay door and "no go."
The signal repeater did improve the quality of the signal, mind you, but ONE BAR is not enough to retain the signal.
So, unfortunately, I have to rely on the iPhone/iPod Touch APP with Wifi and it's somewhat flawed due to the fact that the device cannot properly buffer so music often skips all over the place or cuts out.
You will have to try some antenna options if want good signal. The plugs on the end of the antenna wires are small, get a mosonry bit and a extension cable for your antenna. I have ran many of these repeaters as well as professional fm transmitters. The type of builing you are in shouldnt matter. Once the signal is in the building the construction will help retain the signal put out by the repeater or transmitter. Another option if you have cable or sat tv service to your office would be a professional outdoor antenna that uses the existing coaxial to bring in the signal. This method is my personal favorite at the home. Every coax jack in the building becomes a source for satrad. Keep trying and good luck.