Xm Radio / Sirius Comparison

The following table compares the technical and financial information of Sirius and XM Radio.  Also checkout the Channel Comparison page and the Company Profile Comparison.

XM vs Sirius: Which is better?  The answer is...

Yes, you won't be disappointed with either Sirius or Xm Radio.

Satellite Radio provides an experience beyond terrestrial radio that can not be easily explained.  Do you remember the first time you tried to explain a DVR to someone?   Now a days everyone has a Tivo or ReplayTV.  It's one of those things people don't realize they need until they have it.  I found that out the first day I tried Satellite Radio.

I have a round trip commute to work that totals 2 hours 15 minutes. The hour plus drive each way is a grueling experience and I've tried for years to find ways to occupy my time in the car.  CDs are not convenient, it's dated technology that is too big and bulky for the car.  Its cumbersome to continually buy or burn new cds and keep them handy in the car.  Even with a multidisk cd changer it means having to keep changing them.  Standard broadcast radio really annoys me, its no coincidence that they all go to commercial at the same time.  My commute takes me across NJ and NYC stations start to fade and I have to switch to Philly stations to listen to Stern for the entire trip.

Clarity - One of the top reasons I like Satellite Radio is the steady quality of the signal.  The audiophiles say the quality is not as good as CD and I believe that is true.  However its as good or better than standard radio.

Music Variety - Both companies offer a variety of music, and for me it's enough.  I've read XM has a better variety, they both seem to provide enough music content for me.  With so many channels, I wonder who thinks there isn't enough diversification of music.

Talk - I really wanted to listen to AirAmerica since it's not available to me over broadcast radio.  At some point I'll write a review of some channels but I'm pleased I can now listen to Al Franken.  Of course there are channels for those who listen to the conservative channels.

Commercial Free Music - XM and Sirius offer commercial free music, one thing that is missed is the feel of the stations.  Most of the music stations still have old fashion Disc Jockey's that announce the artist, take calls and requests.  This provides a nice feel to the stations, gives some personality to the channels.  In the past when put streaming music in the car or house, as background music I found at times it was boring with no personality.  If i'm doing household chores I like the occasional 20 seconds or so of someone talking about what's coming up.

"I'm not paying for radio" - The products are very reasonably priced.  Good audio receivers are available for less than a hundred dollars.  There is typically promotions available from both Xm and Sirius.  Don't get hung up on the monthly fee.  The most you will pay is 12.95 a month, and discounts are available if you buy as little as 3 months at a time.  At full price that's .43 a day, most people spend more than that on Coffee and the trip to the candy machine every day.  I purchased the yearly plan, which works out to .39 day, that less than 2 dimes for each trip to work.  I certainly get enough enjoyment to justify that expense!

My Choice - The good news is there is a choice between two systems.  I have both and I can tell you the experience is enjoyable on both.  My newest unit is the Xact XTR2CK Stream Jockey II.  I'm a huge Stern fan and with 6 months to go until he moves to Sirius, I will probably listen to Sirius only in the Car and both services in the house.