XM-out ..DAC-in

[SEAWOLF97]

I've had the XM radio service for almost 4 years...they've raised rates 50 percent , but my real problem with them was the inane DJ's ...would end up surfing the favorite channels just to get away from the jerks. Since quitting in June, I've fought with customer service as they keep billing my VISA and then giving reduced credits...

In these days of internet radio, there is no need to put up with XM.

Acquired a really deluxe laptop this year (19 in RGB screen, SACD, fingerprint security etc etc) and had plugged it into the main system (BGW 750D, 250Ti's) but using the headphone jack did not produce good quality sound. Did notice that it has a mini-Toslink optical port tho.

This week I went out on a CL ad for an Adcom preamp , noticed the seller was also offering an Adcom DAC , so I bought that too. OK..you are already guessing the end of this story.

Plugged the Toslink from the laptop into the DAC (and it is an older Burr-Brown chip) , but WOW !! :D ...the laptop has mostly FLAC/WAV's/hbr MP3's ....the sound now is VERY smooth and good detail (tho I'm sure the new ones are much more so) and very dynamic..its abt the best that I've head the 250Ti's sound ...beats the HELL out of XM and it will take less than 2 months of NO satellite charges to recoup the DAC cost.....WIN/WIN :applaud::applaud::applaud:

[scott fitlin]

Like I have been saying now for quite some time, the digital technologies have come a long way from just a few years ago. File based formats, CD, and whatever is coming in the future is getting really good.

I agree about XM, as just a few years back, maybe two or three, XM was really good. This summer I also noticed that XM was becoming too laden with idiotic commercials, and the programming of music was not good anymore as it really had been up until pretty recently. XM has become CHEESEY! I guess this is the price of success?

In any event, you seem to be getting something good with your laptop and some ADCOM gear, so IT'S ALL GOOD!

[SEAWOLF97]

I agree about XM, as just a few years back, maybe two or three, XM was really good. This summer I also noticed that XM was becoming too laden with idiotic commercials, and the programming of music was not good anymore as it really had been up until pretty recently. XM has become CHEESEY! I guess this is the price of success?

You are right there, Scotty .....$9.95/mo , decent programming , pretty good sound (despite Mr.W's experiences) when it started , BUT now its $15/mo , the 60's channel is mostly a guy named "Motor Mouth" ..its like a bad AM top 40's station from 1965. My fav was "Deep Tracks" , but the main guy there has seemed to tap in to my subconscious "do not play" list and follows it to the tee. He tries to act cool, but comes off as a 40 something trying to be accepted by teens.:crying:

XM has billed my VISA every month since I canceled in early June , I call CS and then they partially refund the bad charge...then the same thing is repeated the next month and next... I THINK , that now, late September , it MAY finally be fixed..:eek:

Anyone want to buy a used XM receiver ???

__________________________________________________ _____________________

I've been enjoying Pandora , sound is nice.....any recommendations on net radio stations ??

[scott fitlin]

Here is what I would do, and have done in the past when I couldn't get whatever I cancelled to STOP CHARGING MY CARD. Destroy your current CC, report it lost, then cancel out that account, and get a new CC with a NEW number. When XM goes to charge you, they just can't! And since you have cancelled, you aren't doing anything wrong. It works.

[scott fitlin]

You are right there, Scotty .....$9.95/mo , decent programming , pretty good sound (despite Mr.W's experiences) when it started , BUT now its $15/mo , the 60's channel is mostly a guy named "Motor Mouth" ..its like a bad AM top 40's station from 1965. My fav was "Deep Tracks" , but the main guy there has seemed to tap in to my subconscious "do not play" list and follows it to the tee. He tries to act cool, but comes off as a 40 something trying to be accepted by teens.:crying:

XM has billed my VISA every month since I canceled in early June , I call CS and then they partially refund the bad charge...then the same thing is repeated the next month and next... I THINK , that now, late September , it MAY finally be fixed..:eek:

Anyone want to buy a used XM receiver ???

__________________________________________________ _____________________

I've been enjoying Pandora , sound is nice.....any recommendations on net radio stations ??For me, with the advent of iPod docking stations in todays premium sound systems in cars, that IS what I do. And when I fly, or am going somewhere I know won't have the music I want to listen to, I bring my 8in Sony Vaio laptop, Grado RS1i phones, and Grado RA1 battery powered headphone amp. I have all my current libraries of music in my Vaio as I do my bigger Macbooks, and it all fits in a nice carrying case that isn't too big. BUT I have what I like listening to, and HIGH QUALITY sound at that! The Grado phones have GREAT bass! The battery powered amp makes em rock! And besides my own enjoyment, I have caught the attention of others too, in a positive way. I have what I like, and both FM and XM for me are no longer about music. AM radio for traffic reports, and news, FM for some talk show radio, that's about it! Have LAPTOP WILL TRAVEL!

[SEAWOLF97]

Here is what I would do, and have done in the past when I couldn't get whatever I cancelled to STOP CHARGING MY CARD. Destroy your current CC, report it lost, then cancel out that account, and get a new CC with a NEW number. When XM goes to charge you, they just can't! And since you have cancelled, you aren't doing anything wrong. It works.

Ah , yes...the nuclear option. I did a similar to stop that GD Paypal . My primary funding source was a small checking account..absolutly DESPISED the fact that they could put or take from that acct ..AT WILL.

Now using the visa as primary and they dont know yet that I've closed the bank account.

Oh, XM claimed that their CSR didnt cancel my subscription when I called June 5, tho they have the record and can also tell that I hadnt received the service since that date. I had considered calling visa and trying a chargeback & bar of any future XM charges.

[SEAWOLF97]

For me, with the advent of iPod docking stations in todays premium sound systems in cars, that IS what I do. And when I fly, or am going somewhere I know won't have the music I want to listen to, I bring my 8in Sony Vaio laptop, Grado RS1i phones, and Grado RA1 battery powered headphone amp. I have all my current libraries of music in my Vaio as I do my bigger Macbooks, and it all fits in a nice carrying case that isn't too big. BUT I have what I like listening to, and HIGH QUALITY sound at that! The Grado phones have GREAT bass! The battery powered amp makes em rock! And besides my own enjoyment, I have caught the attention of others too, in a positive way. I have what I like, and both FM and XM for me are no longer about music. AM radio for traffic reports, and news, FM for some talk show radio, that's about it! Have LAPTOP WILL TRAVEL!

sounds like a good plan.

my Vaio is billed as a "desktop replacement" / "photographers special" . it is so big that I can't find a case for it and had to custom fab one. It has 6 speaker Dolby , SACD drive, fingerprint scanner, usb, firewire, takes all kinds of mem cards. 320gb drive and dual core 2.66's. with W7 premium. its a great machine, but too heavy to lug around (which kinda defeats the purpose of a laptop :crying: ) ...the mini-toslink sure does make for great source to the DAC and on to the BGW/JBL's ...:bouncy:

[scott fitlin]

Ah , yes...the nuclear option. I did a similar to stop that GD Paypal . My primary funding source was a small checking account..absolutly DESPISED the fact that they could put or take from that acct ..AT WILL.

Now using the visa as primary and they dont know yet that I've closed the bank account.

Oh, XM claimed that their CSR didnt cancel my subscription when I called June 5, tho they have the record and can also tell that I hadnt received the service since that date. I had considered calling visa and trying a chargeback & bar of any future XM charges.Yeah, BULLSHIT they don't know! They ABSOLUTELY do know, and what they do, is they just keep trying to charge you and figure you will eventually stop bitching and they get away with it, for a decent amount of payments. And, funny that you mention GD Paypal, that IS exactly what I did mine over, too! They upgraded my acc't, and THEN I couldn't change it back, and when I tried, that screwed everything up. I nuked that CC, never again went back to Paypal, and because of NO Paypal, it became almost, if not completely impossible to use ebay. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing though, as the last few ebay deals I did, I got burned!

And then, of course, like just about everyone else, I can't be without internet, and internet purchasing power, either! My music, If I want music, I HAVE TO PURCHASE OVER THE INTERNET! But, I watch my CC statements like a hawk, IF I see charges that shouldn't be there, I am on it right away, that has happened to me, too.

You dispute it, and eventually they have to do what is correct, after all, they do have a record of the fact that you haven't received XM service since a certain date. It just sucks that you have to fight them this hard to make them correct their own misdoings and charge errors. THIS is why the Gov't NEEDS to step in and force certain things, even though I am not usually a big fan of Gov't stepping in. Same thing with the ebay/paypal thing.

And then, after all is said and done, and laid to rest, you STILL cancel out that CC acc't, and open a NEW one.

Kind of sad, just the fact that business has become so what sometimes seems seedy and tawdry. As well as the fact that when XM first started it WAS REALLY GOOD! It sounded better than FM, IMO, and the programing was good, everything that FM wasn't!

Welcome to the 21st Century I suppose!

[SEAWOLF97]

. As well as the fact that when XM first started it WAS REALLY GOOD! It sounded better than FM, IMO, and the programing was good, everything that FM wasn't!


Yup...my Dad, who was a noted psychologist , who's who in America guy, always said

"if you find a good deal ...do it to death , 'cause it won't last"

[SEAWOLF97]

DAC help...:dont-know:

I'm new to using a DAC , but having great results with Toslink

the Adcom also takes input from:

XLR (AES-EBU) ??
and
2 Coax's ...rca style

I'm unfamiliar with either of these, but have 3 unused inputs...

can standard rca to rca cable be used as coax or special cable needed ??

[SEAWOLF97]

well, I'm really happy with the sound from Pandora going wireless to the laptop , out through its optical port via Toslink to the DAC...

I still had not installed those old AudioQuest rca's that I picked up a while back ('member dem ??) and figured that since I only had 1 pair, that the best place to place them was from the DAC to the preamp (BGW203) ...results ??? its still very clear and well balanced...did the AQ cables help ??? dont really know..but they certainly didnt hurt.

found a salvage place yesterday that had a box of new rca2rca 6 footers...cheap . I've always used whatever is handy (usually the freebies that come with gear) ...so I bought 2 and installed for I/O on the MD deck ....improvement ?? mebbe/prolly not , but I'm going back to buy out the rest and swap out every cable...have never had all new cables in a system..ever.

[opimax]

I have a long term borrowed DAC. I was going from PC to reciever via digital coax previously using the receiver's built in DAC (Sony str-da9000es). I now go digitl coax to DAC to nothing special but decent Audio quest cables. Got rid of some harshness in the high end. I also pay for the higher bit rate 192 which also is unlimited use too.

I have XM in my car. I recently added a BOSE to aftermarket world adapter(JL Cleansweep) which includes a standard mini DIN connector which works with my BlackBerry headphone jack to provide Pandora on the road. XM is in trouble :) . Jst did my 1st long trip with both choices

I may have to join the digital age of music now that I can play it everywhere.

Mark

[hjames]

I have a long term borrowed DAC. I was going from PC to reciever via digital coax previously using the receiver's built in DAC (Sony str-da9000es). I now go digitl coax to DAC to nothing special but decent Audio quest cables. Got rid of some harshness in the high end. I also pay for the higher bit rate 192 which also is unlimited use too.

I have XM in my car. I recently added a BOSE to aftermarket world adapter(JL Cleansweep) which includes a standard mini DIN connector which works with my BlackBerry headphone jack to provide Pandora on the road. XM is in trouble :) . Jst did my 1st long trip with both choices

I may have to join the digital age of music now that I can play it everywhere.

Mark

Tell us more - what kind of DAC is it??

[BMWCCA]

I have XM in my car. I recently added a BOSE to aftermarket world adapter(JL Cleansweep) which includes a standard mini DIN connector which works with my BlackBerry headphone jack to provide Pandora on the road. XM is in trouble

BMWs made from September 2010-on offer Mobile Office connectivity for Blackberry phones and others. You can stream wireless from your phone into the sound system. I can even play anything on my old Sanyo phone wireless through the new systems. Up to this point I've been downloading via thumb-drive into the 12GB music storage in the Navigation systems.

I'm just sayin' . . . ;)

[SEAWOLF97]

. I now go digitl coax to DAC to nothing special but decent Audio quest cables.
I also pay for the higher bit rate 192 which also is unlimited use too.

XM is in trouble :) .

Mark

am considering digi coax in from the MD & CD decks since I have 2 available coax in's on the DAC

Happy enough with free Pandora that am considering HBR/no commercial version for only $3/month

XM ...it took nearly 4 months to straighten out their billing mess ... they tried to blame me for their CSR not stopping service correctly....then they were calling 2x/week begging me to come back ...first it was "we'll give you 3 months FREE" ...then 6 months .....I told them to keep their free service if they couldnt guarantee that I wouldnt have another billing mess...its gone now, and I'm happier.

[scott fitlin]

am considering digi coax in from the MD & CD decks since I have 2 available coax in's on the DAC

Happy enough with free Pandora that am considering HBR/no commercial version for only $3/month

XM ...it took nearly 4 months to straighten out their billing mess ... they tried to blame me for their CSR not stopping service correctly....then they were calling 2x/week begging me to come back ...first it was "we'll give you 3 months FREE" ...then 6 months .....I told them to keep their free service if they couldnt guarantee that I wouldnt have another billing mess...its gone now, and I'm happier.AND, IMO since you are now happy with Pandora keep this and enjoy it. Honestly, Tom, like we have already said, XM programming went in the OUTHOUSE. For me, and I think you, 3 and 4 years ago, it was XM,s nice amount of stations and programming that made it happen for me.

Now, it is commercialized, so I don't see it being what we liked about then, coming back any time soon.

Then, that billing mess, that they couldn't rectify their own matters in a reasonable timeframe? UH UH :no_wag: NO GOOD!

[SEAWOLF97]

Then, that billing mess, that they couldn't rectify their own matters in a reasonable timeframe? UH UH :no_wag: NO GOOD!

redux ?? So I got a shared debit card with my son so I can load it here at home and he can hit ATM's in the UK ...yesterday I'm checking balance...BOGUS charge from Onlingo

Chris had fallen for one of those "buy this for a path to a guaranteed iPad" deals ..ordered language course for Spanish...when it came I called for RMA (August 18) and returned it next day...so Oct 1 there is a $25 charge from them....I called customer service..."Yes, we received it, but havnt had time to process it, so you were auto billed" BS :banghead:

I would have normally showed my extream displeasure , BUT...that sly company has outsourced its customer service to The Phillipeans ...CSR was so sweet that I just couldnt YELL at her .....Brilliant business move :crying:

[opimax]

Heather it is a Theta D S Pro Prima that Wilfredo and I went back and forth on who was going to buy at the audio fest in Rockville, like 50 bucks. It is his ..But I have it...we trade a lot but I think he wants it back. if I ever see some cash again it is something i would buy, maybe a "better" one especially for streaming on the web, didn't try it on the cd player

Mark


Phil, THHHBBBT(Bronx cheer) for your expensive BMW, my Old jalopy Infiniti audio system included a cassette deck as form the factory , I was lucky it had a CD player probably:p :D and a Bose system it is (only the head piece is left for a stealth look) still want a 335d for 35K if you can make it happen.

[SEAWOLF97]

.
What happens when the CD factory closes?


.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20028837-261.html

Pitman, which has 9,365 residents and is about 17 miles southeast of Philadelphia, is home to one of Sony's two remaining U.S.-based CD-manufacturing plants--until March 31. After that, the company will shutter the facility and 300 workers will be out of jobs. A Sony spokeswoman recently cited an ailing U.S. economy and sagging interest in physical media (http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20028334-261.html) as the reasons for the closure. A longtime employee sized up the situation more succinctly for CNET last week: "The CD is dying."



Then, that billing mess, that they couldn't rectify their own matters in a reasonable timeframe? UH UH :no_wag: NO GOOD!

miss ya, Scotty

[MikeBrewster77]

Pitman, which has 9,365 residents and is about 17 miles southeast of Philadelphia...


And my former home -- used to pass this plant every day. It takes up quite a bit of real estate in town, so it'll be interesting to see what becomes of the building and/or land. It's certain to have some impact to the community; as big as the property was, I never realized it employed 300 people (the parking lot always looked kinda empty to me.) :dont-know:

That said, in terms of physical media going away, why shouldn't it? My only gripe with the whole situation is that the quality simply isn't available on any kind of scale in the market. If iTunes or Amazon started offering uncompressed and/or lossless files, I doubt I'd ever buy another CD.

[SEAWOLF97]

. A longtime employee sized up the situation more succinctly for CNET last week: "The CD is dying."






If iTunes or Amazon started offering uncompressed and/or lossless files, I doubt I'd ever buy another CD.

well Vinyl has been declared dead many times , but now out sells SACD & DVD-A combined, we've had this discussion before on downloads and streamed media vs physical media ... good arguments on both sides

remember the MTBF !!!!

[MikeBrewster77]

well Vinyl has been declared dead many times , but now out sells SACD & DVD-A combined

Which should hardly be surprising. Have you tried to buy an SACD lately? :p Good luck with that... They royally screwed the pooch on the evolution of the CD in terms of quality, which is one of the few things that could actually contribute to the format's ongoing relevancy. And it's a shame too, because SACD's sound damned good.

OTOH, returning to vinyl is kinda self-defeating too. Unless you're buying audiophile pressings of analogue recordings, the quality of modern vinyl flat out sucks. Most labels that have decided to try to take advantage of this aberration in LP sales simply take a digital master and just press it to vinyl. You can imagine what that sounds like, not to mention you're still dealing with D/A conversion, which takes away quite a bit of the appeal of a pure analogue format.

But, point noted: physical media is not going anywhere for a while.


we've had this discussion before on downloads and streamed media vs physical media ... good arguments on both sides

Agreed! There's definitely something cool about having an actual album collection, but pure data is more convenient and portable and eco-friendly, etc., etc., etc...


remember the MTBF !!!!

Yep - it's happened to me before. Lesson learned ;)

[hjames]

Which should hardly be surprising. Have you tried to buy an SACD lately? :p Good luck with that...

But, point noted: physical media is not going anywhere for a while.


I dunno - I've gotten 4 of the RCA Living Stereo SACD albums lately for between $10 & 15 each via Amazon, some new, some listed as used - but all arrived NEW in factory sealed packages ... but you have to look often, and when you find something you want, buy it right then!

I got the first SACDs when I had the older OPPO DV 981HD (Brother in Arms Anniversary, Derek & The Dominos, Coltrane) -
but we got the new Oppo BDP93 in December and once I found the discs played well in it too, I got some more!

[MikeBrewster77]

I dunno - I've gotten 4 of the RCA Living Stereo SACD albums lately for between $10 & 15 each via Amazon, some new, some listed as used - but all arrived NEW in factory sealed packages ... but you have to look often, and when you find something you want, buy it right then!

Hmmm ... I've been meaning to check those out.

Admittedly, I lost interest in SACD for a while. When I really started digging into it, there was a lot of PCM stuff that was just re-packaged as SACD with no discernible difference. Multi-channel mixes on some of the titles were poorly executed, and I only have one multi-channel system and it's not in use at the moment anyway. Granted, titles that were actually DSD recorded did sound really, really good, but I got burned a few times, and then SACD's became harder to find on store shelves, and I upgraded my CD player to a non-SACD compatible player. You get the picture...

But when you're talking about something like the Living Stereo project, where they were working from the original tapes and using a DSD recording technique coupled with improved tape playback capabilities -- well, now we're talking! :)