Today, August 5th, XM Satellite Radio has implemented a new upgraded audio processor for its music channels, resulting in what they claim as "a fuller and richer sound across the more than 70 XM music channels."
This sound quality update has been in development for over a year, and XM has been working closely with Neural Audio to put this in effect.
Keep in mind that this is not a change in compression. XM says these are "pure fidelity improvements" and has nothing to do with bandwidth.
As of this posting, I personally haven't heard a noticeable difference (though I still need my coffee) - scratch that, I think I do hear a difference. Have you heard a difference? Let everyone know in the comments.
(Side note, we're on our new server now, so things may be a little hokey while I work out the bugs.)
[XM Fan]
Do these changes affect the non-XM programmed channels? I noticed on my drive into work that Nashville 11 had a lower audio level than Highway 16, and I kept having to adjust audio levels when switching between the two.
I was just in fact noticing that the music sounded better last night.. I haven't listened to any music channels for a little while, and switched on the presets just to run through my top thirty music channels and thought XM Chill sounded better... as well across the board the music sounds better, but then again when compared to FM radio, XM sounds really good..
Ryan I must say that the sound quality is QUITE improved. The easiest way to notice the difference if you have an Inno, Nexus, etc. is to find a song you already have saved and record it today. While I was out this AM I recorded one song from Hitlist and then played it back against the previously saved song. The bass and treble all were much more responsive. It certainly felt like one was recorded off a tape and the new recording was a CD. So yes I can tell a HUGE difference and encourage others to try out this same method to compare the previous sound to the current.
I really notice the difference on Fungus. In the past, everything sounded muddy. Now, it sounds like someone cranked up the treble. Cool!
Woo! The high end is DEFINITELY greatly improved! Score for XM!! It's about time we got decent sound quality back, even if the bitrates are still horribly low!
The sound is very good now. I didn't see anything wrong with the sound quality before today, but the sound is noticeably better. Thanks, XM.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Very weird... Listening to Lucy... Gin Blossoms - Until I Fall Away... and the mid-bass range popped in very strong two or three times... but seemed to be missing, or at least wasn't as audible, most of the rest of the song... I wonder if this sound quality improvement is also the introduction of joint channel encoding, which I believe was mentioned as a means of recovering enough bandwidth to support the Sirius channels should the merger be approved...
I'm not complaining about this oddity I have only noticed with that one song, but just mentioning it at this point...
I've been listening to XMX that I recorded on the MyFi overnight. I noticed that the music was really coming through nicely. I was going to gush about it to my wife, but she doesn't care and is tired of how excited I get about XM. Glad to see someone cares even if the stuff I recorded wasn't at the higher quality.
By the way, the recording was from 3:30 AM PT to 5:30 AM PT.
CalGoldenBear sez:
"I was going to gush about it to my wife, but she doesn't care and is tired of how excited I get about XM."
LOL!
We must be married to the same woman!
And yes, the sound does seem to be much improved. My ears say, crisper and not so muddy. Cymbals and snare drums have a lot more presence.
Good work, XM!
I thought I was imagining it, but when I listened to American Top 40 on 70's at 7 this Saturday, I knew something was up as this seemed to be the MUDDIEST channel on XM. Later, when I listened to Musical Starstreams on XM Chill, the change was obvious. And it didn't go online Sunday but SATURDAY, August 4. It's about time!
Today, I compared the XM feed with the DirecTV feed of the same channels. Previously, the DirecTV vs XM comparison sounded like FM and AM (XM being the AM station) but today, I was shocked to find the XM feed much "brighter" and with more highs! I actually PREFERRED listening to the XM feed of the same program.
I wonder if the powers that be at XM were actually reading all the mumbling and grumbling on the fan web sites and realized that with HD radio (for free) on people's minds that something HAD to be done with their awful sounding audio. The great unique programming kept a lot of subscribers renewing, but folks can only put up with something that sounds like a bad AM station for so long.
I was listening to XMX Sunday afternoon and thought it really sounded awesome. Didn't know why this was; this article explains it.
Well, I turned it up louder than usual yesterday (Metallica's Master of Puppets) and this morning for some old Priest. Now I have to go drive around on lunch!
yes its better. way better! sounds like my cd collection. deep tracks sounds awsome! listen to escape for great headbanging elevator music and cd quality :)
Sounds much better...Really enjoyed XMX this weekend. I'm still annoyed about Sonic Theater being taken off on weekends, and am wondering when 75 will be dumped and quit simulcasting 45, but the sound quality is about where it was when I became a subscriber in 2004. Sounds much better in the car and at home.
I haven't listened to much music on XM for awhile for that very reason of sound quality. I always compared it to something between AM radio and FM radio quality sound. I look forward to checking out the improved sound quality, I do hope it is better than the "hallway" sound I was hearing in the past.
I was putting a new radio in the wife's ride last night, and when I turned it on, I was shocked. Sounded so much better, but I thought I was imagining it. Thanks XM!
i've even noticed the difference on XM Comedy...it doesn't sound quite as hissy/washy/lo-fi as it used to. not sure if the quality is due to poor recording or just because of low bandwidth allocation...but its definately been improved by the upgrade.
i'll agree w/everyone though. XMX over my SureConnect Inno sounds absolutely spectacular. the higher bandwidth channels like XM Classics are now just a hair below CD quality...incredible sound and spatial quality; you can now pick out individual instruments from the crowd.
I listened for a while yesterday to my Nexus... a lot of the issues that have plagued XM were gone or substantially reduced (sibilance most notably, though it was still there if I listened closely). However, there seemed to be a lot less bass; it would appear that the processing is basically applying a different EQ curve that de-emphasizes bass relative to treble and mid-range which makes it easier for aacPlus to handle the audio and gives it a brighter sound (it should be noted that this EQ curve is generally similar to the one favored by many FM radio stations).
I am just not hearing it. I switch to FM and it comes through with bass, presence, and detail.
When I put XM on, it sounds like it is broadcast in mono from an office down a hall.