Sirius Sound quality in 2008 Toyota Avalon
In my 2005 Tacoma I have an aftermarket installation of a Sportster 5 using the direct input adapter and a rooftop "hockey puck" antennae and I'm very happy with the sound quality and reception.
HOWEVER, in my wife's new 2008 Toyota Avalon I have a dealer installed Sirius receiver hooked up to the standard satellite ready cd/radio and it uses the Sirius Interior Glass Mounted Antennae (SIGMA). My problem with this setup is that I get "so-so" quality sound unless I dial down the treble to around 0 or 1 (the range is from -5 to +5). With talk radio (like Fox or CNN) I have to dial it down to -2 or -3. The poor quality is akin to what a torn speaker would sound like - a vibrating or buzzing or rattling kind of noise. The only time I have the problem is with satellite - AM, FM and CD all sound just fine. I'm pretty disappointed with this - the sound is kind of flat. I had the dealer do this installation because my wife did not want anything added to the interior like a Sportster sitting on the dash. The dealer has replaced the tweeters in the windshield pillars trying to get rid of the noise with no success.
Doe anyone have any experience with this problem? Any advice?
Thanks!
Hopefully the end of this story in another week...
Suddenly last weekend and during the next several days it began to take 1 to 2 full minutes to get a signal in to the receiver in the 2008 Avalon. And then reception would be spotty. So, I said to heck with the warranty and took the car to the same shop who did the Sportster install in my 2005 Tacoma. The owner of the shop believes I have a defective receiver. Using his contacts at the Toyota dealership, he arranged for them to order a replacement which he will install and return the existing receiver to the dealership as an even trade trade. Total cost to me should be under $50.00 and hopefully great sound!
This prompts a few comments, though:
1 - Did the slow signal capture have anything to do with the new satellite? Becuase as Murphy would have it, that morning it went back to normal, gaining signal in 10 0r 15 seconds. I live in the Augusta, georgia area.
2 - It seems that the receiver that is currently installed (a Toyota part number but with full Sirius logo) is discontinued and is probably being replaced by a unit about half the size of the existing. Is this due to the switch from Directed to Audiovox?
3 - From what the shop owner was telling me, Toyota is going to discontinue installing Sirius units and stick with only XM. Kind of odd (to me anyway) if they're becoming one company.