Difference in volume between cd and XM??

[librarianjen]

Believe it or not, this is my FIRST car that has a cd player. Pathetic, I know.

The audio system sounds great, and I had my XM installed at Circuit City. My question - the volume is a lot louder when I'm playing a cd, as opposed to listening to XM - is that normal?? For instance, if I'm listening to a cd at a volume of 8 or 9 - then press the FM button to listen to XM - it sounds like I've turned the volume down to 3 or 4!

Is this normal?

[KKaWing]

My factory head unit came with XM, and the volume is also different for mine as well. XM is quieter than CD for some reason.

[Kolk1]

On aftermarket XM and Sirius receivers, they have a audio adjust option. When Im installing them at work, I always turn the unit up to 100% to have to get it close to matching the other volumes.

[Broadfield]

This is the norm. Some of the XM radios, like the Pioneer Inno, have horrible output. And since you are running it through FM modulation, it is even worse! If your factory radio has an AUX input, then I would highly suggest you use that input for your XM. It will sound a lot better and match the volume of your CD player a little better.

[Kolk1]

hopefully since a shop actually did the install, its not installed with a FM modulator, and they at least used a XM FM direct part. This part normally runs $30, and you will need that part, plus the normal Versa antenna adapter, and a Reverse antenna adapter. Assuming you have a stock radio, those are the parts you would need. This will allow you to have the XM going directly inline with your factory antenna, and not just broadcasting a weak signal, and hoping for the best.

[Broadfield]

Regardless if it is wireless or direct, it is still FM modulation. Wireless FM modulation just doesn't work anymore on the XM and Sirius. All satellite radio companies were required to weaken their wireless modulator strength about a year ago. So now a wired modulator is a must! However, it is still limited to the bandwidth of FM frequencies. So a line-out into a AUX input would be far superior.

[Ever Victorious]

This is the norm. Some of the XM radios, like the Pioneer Inno, have horrible output. And since you are running it through FM modulation, it is even worse! If your factory radio has an AUX input, then I would highly suggest you use that input for your XM. It will sound a lot better and match the volume of your CD player a little better.

I beg to differ on your singling out the Inno. I have a Helix (identical unit) and the output on it is better than any other portable device I have used in my Versa, including several different models of iPod.

[XterraVersa]

I beg to differ on your singling out the Inno. I have a Helix (identical unit) and the output on it is better than any other portable device I have used in my Versa, including several different models of iPod.

I just changed to the Inno also & it matches the volume of everything else. With the MyFi it replaced, I always had to turn the stereo up even with the Aux connection on the aftermarket radio.

[Broadfield]

I beg to differ on your singling out the Inno. I have a Helix (identical unit) and the output on it is better than any other portable device I have used in my Versa, including several different models of iPod.

I am just going by lots and lots of experience. I've never installed one that was louder than an I-Pod. I just did one on Saturday and it was substantially quieter than an I-Pod.

[xtwoonamatchx]

well think about the path that the sound takes to get out of your speakers...

for your ipod or cd, it goes RIGHT to your speakers.

for siruis/xm... it starts where they broadcast from, up to the satellites, down to your reciever, then to your stereo... and if you have it through FM modulation, then through an fm transmitter before the stereo.

thats a miniumum of 3 extra places where the sound file can deteriorate. Every time you convert a sound file, or put it through several sources in line, the sound can deteriorate.

cds play the file directly to the speakers so its much louder and clearer then the sound that is processed at about 3 other places.

[Rockhound]

well think about the path that the sound takes to get out of your speakers...

for your ipod or cd, it goes RIGHT to your speakers.

for siruis/xm... it starts where they broadcast from, up to the satellites, down to your reciever, then to your stereo... and if you have it through FM modulation, then through an fm transmitter before the stereo.

thats a miniumum of 3 extra places where the sound file can deteriorate. Every time you convert a sound file, or put it through several sources in line, the sound can deteriorate.

cds play the file directly to the speakers so its much louder and clearer then the sound that is processed at about 3 other places.

Just keep in mind - there's a difference between loss of quality and loss of volume.

The factory-installed XM in our Versa (and my Element) is slightly quieter at a given volume than a 'typical' CD. I say 'typical' because many poorly mastered CDs or CDs from ancient master tapes (think Beatles remasters) are quieter than a modern-day release.

Of more concern than volume, of course, is sound *quality*. Who cares about volume if the quality is poor? That's my biggest gripe with satellite radio - most of the music is broadcast around 64 kbps, a bit rate that I didn't find acceptable when I first started using MP3s ten years ago. The shimmery, watery, flat sound quality is atrocious and will ultimately be the reason I don't maintain a subscription with XM.

[XterraVersa]

well think about the path that the sound takes to get out of your speakers...

for your ipod or cd, it goes RIGHT to your speakers.

for siruis/xm... it starts where they broadcast from, up to the satellites, down to your reciever, then to your stereo... and if you have it through FM modulation, then through an fm transmitter before the stereo.

thats a miniumum of 3 extra places where the sound file can deteriorate. Every time you convert a sound file, or put it through several sources in line, the sound can deteriorate.

cds play the file directly to the speakers so its much louder and clearer then the sound that is processed at about 3 other places.

That would be true if it was NOT a digital signal. Digital signals do not degrade when rebroadcast becasue all it is, is a bunch of 1s & 0s. Signal lose vs signal decay are 2 different things. The XM radio through an AUX connection is just as clear as a CD. You just need to balance the volume setting for each device in your headunit.

[librarianjen]

WOW - thanks to everyone for your responses! I may call Circuit City to inquire exactly how they hooked it up (my hubby took it in for me) but...the sound quality is great - just the volume is lower.

Thanks so much for your input, everyone!

[Ever Victorious]

I am just going by lots and lots of experience. I've never installed one that was louder than an I-Pod. I just did one on Saturday and it was substantially quieter than an I-Pod.

Did you bother to check the line-out level after you attached it to the car cradle? The default setting is 33%. I turned mine up to about 66% and the volume is now the same as the CD output. (and yes, this setting is ONLY available while the unit is sitting in the cradle).

Before I got the car kit, the output levels were just as horrid as the iPod, but once I got the kit and had the level setting available, it was great. And the signal strength on my Helix's antenna is stronger than any other unit I have ever used, including the Nissan OEM unit on my first Versa.

We'll save my feelings on iPods for another thread, anyway.

[Lanthom]

EVHow is your radio installed? I've got a Helix I installed to the outside of the little CD tray and have been using FM Modulation because I couldn't get a cord to the AUX and still have it hidden. I also had problems finding a direct FM connection to connect to the stock radio in the Versa because of some weird FM atenna setup.

I'm just curious how others set it all up to see if there are better ideas out there.

[Broadfield]

Did you bother to check the line-out level after you attached it to the car cradle? The default setting is 33%. I turned mine up to about 66% and the volume is now the same as the CD output. (and yes, this setting is ONLY available while the unit is sitting in the cradle).

Before I got the car kit, the output levels were just as horrid as the iPod, but once I got the kit and had the level setting available, it was great. And the signal strength on my Helix's antenna is stronger than any other unit I have ever used, including the Nissan OEM unit on my first Versa.

We'll save my feelings on iPods for another thread, anyway.

Yep! I crank it all the way up on every single satellite radio install I do, no matter the brand. For reference, I have personally installed in over 20,000 vehicles in the 15 years I have been at my business. So I like to think I know what I am doing. However, I have come across some strange things many a times. Like a product that will work in one vehicle, then won't in another vehicle of the same manufacturer, model and year. Oh well, who knows!

[Ever Victorious]

EVHow is your radio installed? I've got a Helix I installed to the outside of the little CD tray and have been using FM Modulation because I couldn't get a cord to the AUX and still have it hidden. I also had problems finding a direct FM connection to connect to the stock radio in the Versa because of some weird FM atenna setup.

Mine is excellent. After looking at the AUX setup on the stereo, and how short the cradle's power cable is, I gave up on having everything 100% hidden. My sat antenna cable comes out the front of the dash just below the aux on the stereo, and runs to the unit (which is attached to the gray dash plastics just to the right of the stereo). The antenna cable is mostly stored inside the dash, between the vents and the upper pocket, and comes out at the top back edge of the vent panel. It then runs right, just in front of the passenger air bag, and is velcroed to that little square panel thingy just to the right of the forward defroster vents.

My AUX cable is a Scosche retractible cable (so I can pull it out further if I need to use another AUX device like a friend's iPod), and I have it set at a length that directly connects it from the cradle right to the front of the AUX with no slack. The cable sits at maybe 3" length right now at most.

The power cable I had the most trouble with, simply because its' too short to route properly. I have it plugged into the 12V socket by the parking brake, tucked under the center console plastics on the passenger side, and then it pops back out right in front of the gearshift and goes straight up (exposed) to the unit. If it was about 6" longer, I could have tucked it all the way forward under the console plastics, but it's not horrible as it is.

Yep! I crank it all the way up on every single satellite radio install I do, no matter the brand. For reference, I have personally installed in over 20,000 vehicles in the 15 years I have been at my business. So I like to think I know what I am doing. However, I have come across some strange things many a times. Like a product that will work in one vehicle, then won't in another vehicle of the same manufacturer, model and year. Oh well, who knows!

Yup. I've fixed about that many computers in my nearly 15 year career as a computer tech as well. I don't jump to absolutes about computers because as soon as you do, something goes weird. I'd imagine your job is much the same way. We both have products that I'm sure we intensely dislike that we are required to support, but some people absolutely love those products and we have to leave it at that.

[KimberKenobi]

No one asked me...

but here's my only thoughts...

it's an iPod. not an I-Pod.

[bdu]

Yep! I crank it all the way up on every single satellite radio install I do, no matter the brand. For reference, I have personally installed in over 20,000 vehicles in the 15 years I have been at my business. So I like to think I know what I am doing. However, I have come across some strange things many a times. Like a product that will work in one vehicle, then won't in another vehicle of the same manufacturer, model and year. Oh well, who knows!

I'm sure *you* already know this, but just so that a less savvy user doesn't make a mistake:

It's not always advisable to crank any given aux input device up to 100% output volume. Depending on the voltage swing of the device's analog audio output and the expected input levels of the head unit's input, it's entirely possible to introduce distortion to the signal at the aux input connection. As always, give it a good listen before you seal it up and call it good!