Polk Audio XM Radio Reciever A Winner

Jsawhitlock,

Please let us know how it sounds through your DAC. Which DAC, BTW? Also, do you find that the analog output still sounds better than a high end FM tuner?

Regards,

Mark

I just ordered mine today and I can't wait for it to arrive!! I occasionally listened to the Delphi SkyFi unit connected via a mini-jack to RCA into my preamp. The sound was just okay at best, but probably better than FM. The SkyFi had a cheap DAC and no digital output (although I did see somebody offering a modified SkyFi unit on Audiogn with a digital output). The new Polk XM receiver has both Toslink and coaxial digital outputs. I can't wait to try it with my Levinson 360s DAC. I'll post a review when the unit arrives and I get a listen. I hope the sound is better than the digital stream I get from my digital cable TV provider (Time Warner Cable). They offer Music Choice which has great music programming and a huge variety, but the PCM stream is far from CD quality, although again probably better than FM.

I initially was going to order mine from the XM site (which links to Polk, so you really order from Polk directly). The price was $299.95 with free shipping. When I went to pay, they added sales tax. I cancelled the transaction and went to another site, xmfanstore.com, where I ordered the Polk receiver for $299.98 with free shipping and no sales tax. They are located in St. Charles, MO. Obviously, if you live in MO, you will have to pay sales tax if you buy from them.

IMHO, XM is still a winner even if they didn't have the Polk receiver for better XM sound in the home. I've had XM in my car for two and a-half years and I love it.

Maineiac,

I was wondering the same thing about the antenna. From the looks of it in pictures I've seen, the extension looks the same. I'll post to let you know as soon as mine arrives. To my chagrin, my unit has been backordered and was supposed to come in last Friday. I haven't gotten a shipping confirmation yet:(

You will need to have the antenna pointed out of a window, or possibly an outside wall. It will depend on the construction material of the wall and anything outside in the line of sight to the satellite. I have vinyl siding and I'm able to get reception through the outside wall; even with a woods behind my house. The reception is better (3 bars on the Delphi) in the winter when the trees are bare. The antenna needs to point toward the southern horizon at about 30 degrees above the horizon. Where I live in Wisconsin the antenna should be aimed slightly south southeast. The deviation from direct south will depend on your geographic location.

:-( Still waiting for my Polk receiver to arrive :-(

Running the optical output from the Polk XM to my Levinson 360s smokes the Delphi SkyFI (analog only outputs), as well as the analog outputs from the Polk XM (as one would expect). I've been using my Polk XM for almost 6 months without any problems.