Radio Volume
 

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I am having an issue with the volume on my radio. 2011 Touring with Sports package and Bose system.

When listening to the XM radio, I have to turn the volume to 18-20 before it sounds good. At that same level, if I plug in my ipod to the AUX or switch to an FM station, the volume is much higher and the sound quality is better.

Is this normal? Not being any kind of audio expert, could this just be a loose connection? Before I go to the dealer and deal with them, I wanted to see if there was something I could try on my own. Thanks in advance everyone!

C

the XM sound on my wife's pilot is sub par

I have a 2009, but I have noticed this also. Sorry I can't give you a reason as to why it is like this, but Ipod is much louder than any other audio source in the vehicle.

My wife drives a 2009 Xterra with XM and it ROCKS! The volume on 10 in the Xterra is very loud! That is why I am so puzzled by the Z's volume.

This is normal. The radio and playing CD's should always sound louder than the XM radio and possibly even your mp3 player. It all depends on compression. XM is digital and has a very low compression rate. I found varies articles and posts; some say XM/Sirius is around 96, others as low as in the 30s, and others up to 192. This is all in kbps. Your mp3's on a player or cd will sound louder if they are compressed higher than this. I only use an mp3 rate of 320kbps, which is the highest mp3 rate...after that is wav. Of course, the higher the rate, the larger the file.

This may help...
Dynamic range compression - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Regarding XM/Sirius quality, here's some data from '08 I found:

Satellite radio bit rate channel by channel - Hydrogenaudio Forums

For reference, 64kbps is roughly considered FM quality.

So, if current XM/Sirius bitrates are roughly the same as these '08 values, then I wouldn't be surprised that FM sounds better than most of the XM/Sirius channels.

This should be independent of volume level.

Actually you mean to say cd and xm are going to be louder and fuller than radio as radio has the most compression so do mp3's.

So, is it possible I just have a bad connection or a bad radio? Like I said, I have the stock Rockford Fosgate in an 09 xterra and it shakes the vehicle at a volume of 10. In the Z I have to really crank it to 18-20 before it's any good or even the slightest bit loud on XM.

Dissappointing to buy such a high priced vehicle and have the sound system suck so badly.

No I doubt it, different systems are different qualities plus the bose is a weird system to being with.

Still think this is normal. I've had XM since 2001...probably 4-5 varies aftermarket units and 3 factory units...and the radio and CDs have always been louder than the XM.

Might be time for you to consider updating some or all of your system.