XM vs Standard Radio Quality

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tomustang

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Blunty, why does the factory FM radio quality suck? Did GM get a marketing deal to have better output from the amps on XM compared to being on regular radio? Any other car I've been in with factory (FM) radio sounds much much better
 

fiatdale

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You may be listening to HD radio in other vehicles. HD can make regular FM sound amazing. In my opinion XM still sounds too compressed to sound any good. GM not doing anything wrong here, its just the difference in technologies.
 
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tomustang

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No HD quality radio in other vehicles, all the older mid year 2000's fords/toyotas didnt have it
 

fiatdale

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Dunno Amigo. I have zero issues with mine. I did notice some fade every now and again and I think its due to the ****** internal antenna on the glass.
 
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tomustang

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It looks like the Surround option under the audio options blanks out when you switch off from XM, I get that there's a higher quality of sound from XM/HD channels, but standard radios I've used before still had better sound than the basic denali/escalade system for FM
 

JML07denali

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Blunty, why does the factory FM radio quality suck? Did GM get a marketing deal to have better output from the amps on XM compared to being on regular radio? Any other car I've been in with factory (FM) radio sounds much much better

I have to agree when you switch from XM to FM it is day and night difference for me as well.
 

VA929RR

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I have to agree when you switch from XM to FM it is day and night difference for me as well.
I third this opinion... XM is 100 times better. Not to mention, my factory sub becomes non existent when listening to FM radio....
 

STORMIN08

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My 2012with bose and dolby sounds great !

I did notice that i have to reselect the custom eq ootions when switching inputs.
 
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tomustang

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I third this opinion... XM is 100 times better. Not to mention, my factory sub becomes non existent when listening to FM radio....

What I've done is drop the Treble a couple notches and the Mid down around half way and left the bass all the way up, so I can turn the volume up and it helps a little hear the bass more.
 

VA929RR

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What I've done is drop the Treble a couple notches and the Mid down around half way and left the bass all the way up, so I can turn the volume up and it helps a little hear the bass more.
Awesome. I'll try it out. Thanks!!
 

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