[Pat]

I've listened to SiriusXM since the day I drove off the lot but yesterday I plugged in my USB loaded with MP3 songs and the Bose came alive! I never realized how bad music sounds using the satellite radio. I won't get rid of it because I use the APP bluetooth mowing the yard and such but for the most part I think I'll use the USB in the Honda going forward.

P.S. I never played it through Android auto (or Apple Carplay) so I couldn't give you that comparison.

 

[deamon]

Yes, SiriusXM suffers from compression, and will never be the same fidelity as high quality MP3.

 

[PONGTP99]

I have a lifetime Sirius subscription, but I signed up for a free trial of Apple Music and I couldn't believe the difference. I am loving listening to music again in this car.

 

[Mic]

Maybe decades working with power tools has fried my eardrums, but Sirius sounds pretty darn good to me?

 

[Exhile]

The 12 speaker Bose System came alive for me when I used Google Android to play my mp3's rather than using Bluetooth Audio. BIG DIFFERENCE. Unless there is some sort of software issue with the Bluetooth Audio where Bluetooth Audio is under amplified.

 

[TungstenMeteor]

Maybe decades working with power tools has fried my eardrums, but Sirius sounds pretty darn good to me?

Sirius is extremely compressed audio in order to fit their channel catalog within the bandwidth of their satellites and it shows. I genuinely believe that FM radio, as bad as that can sound these days, is a step up from Sirius. They've been calling me non-stop since I bought my Civic wanting for me to subscribe and there's just no way I would want to spend money pairing such a terrible audio source to the pretty solid Bose system in the Tourings.

The 12 speaker Bose System came alive for me when I used Google Android to play my mp3's rather than using Bluetooth Audio. BIG DIFFERENCE. Unless there is some sort of software issue with the Bluetooth Audio where Bluetooth Audio is under amplified.

Bluetooth is fairly limited in bandwidth so there's an upper limit on the quality of music that can be played back over it. Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto doesn't have the same limitation because it uses Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth, so playing back even higher quality audio is no problem with bandwidth to spare.

 

[Exhile]

Bluetooth is fairly limited in bandwidth so there's an upper limit on the quality of music that can be played back over it. Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto doesn't have the same limitation because it uses Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth, so playing back even higher quality audio is no problem with bandwidth to spare.

I understand the bandwidth required for high-fidelity music but I was referring to the amplification of the music when using Bluetooth Audio. The decibel level of Bluetooth Audio is under powered compared to what Android Auto amplifies the music to. Regardless of the spectrum of sound that could be heard from the music playing, I just don't feel that sub-woofer in the back pounding.