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!

humm.......I haven't noticed the BAD SQ everyone talks about, when I 1st bought my Sportster 5, and got SIRIUS, it sounded kinda compressed and FLAT, but, after a while, now that the weather is a lot better, it sounds ok, to me, as I have it in my Ford-Truck, and there is NO Terrestrial signal anywhere in my area, all I get is the full SAT-signal (with full bars) and NO terrestrial bars ,at all in my car, I don't know if that has anything to do with the SQ, but, I've gotten used to it, by now, it sounds as good as any Terrestrial FM-Radio to me, you'll get used to the SQ ,like I did after a while..........I live 7,300 feet above sea-level, so, maybe that's why I have VERY GOOD Reception in my Truck?........ dunno?

I haven't ever heard of this problem. Most toyota connection audio problems are due to the lack of sound. This sounds like you have more problems related to the installation of the unit and the device instead of a signal issue. I would try and get a second opinion form a professional audio installation guy as supposed to the dealer. Just because they are certified in the car doesn't mean they are the most qualified in this peticular installation.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the reply. I too, am happy with the Sportster in my truck. It's the dealer installed Sirius setup in the new Avalon that kind of sucks. Unfortunately the dealer who did the install went bankrupt and the one who bought the Toyota franchise is trying to figure out what's wrong. I thoght about going to the folks who did the Sportster install but I don't want to do anything to void the warranty. If anyone else finds something new about this please post a reply.

regards,

I agree with Matt, the crappy sound is probably caused by a crappy installation or simply the nature of the standard installing. For instance, maybe the signal wire or output wire run near some kind of electrical main or magnetic source. I have no idea how they wire toyatas but, I once saw friend run his amp power line right next to his cheap rca cables and then wonder why his system sounded like crackly white noise. For all of those who read this... keep your power away from your input/output/signal.

Here is another guy that doesnt seem thrilled about his avalon;
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f15c909

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Originally Posted by SiriusBuzz

For all of those who read this... keep your power away from your input/output/signal.[/url]

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Very good advice sir!

Thanks guys. Sounds like I learn to live with it. Or the next option is to see if Toyota will refund the extra bucks for the satellite - the odds of that happening are about the same as winning the PowerBall I would guess.

It's not that you have to live with it, I would encourage you to go and get a second opinion for a credible installer. Crack open your yellow pages or do a yelp search for installers in your area. If toyota does a bad job they will make up for the cost on a car or extra undercoating package. If joes car stereo screws up it will seriously effect their business.

Yeah, I've thought about going to the folks that installed the Sportster 5 setup in my Tacoma. They did a great job - no exposed wiring, aux input, clear sound. Just worried about warranty issues since the Toyota dealer did the installation.

One other thing, though. Looking at the install in the trunk of the Avalon I've noticed that the wiring from the receiver/tuner is inside a "tube" and it terminates in one connection at the bottom of the receiver which tells me that both signal and power wiring are contained within the "tube". The antennae wire is outside of the tube but taped to it at points. The antennae plugs in at the top of the receiver. Is this enough insulation between the two? I've suspected the SIGMA antennae might be a big part of this problem. I mentioned to Sirius CSR that the reception with the SIGMA is not as consistent as with the Sportster 5 hockey puck but they kind of blew that off. The signal with the SIGMA will drop in and out but be constant with the hockey puck on the same route.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FastFrankie

Yeah, I've thought about going to the folks that installed the Sportster 5 setup in my Tacoma. They did a great job - no exposed wiring, aux input, clear sound. Just worried about warranty issues since the Toyota dealer did the installation.

One other thing, though. Looking at the install in the trunk of the Avalon I've noticed that the wiring from the receiver/tuner is inside a "tube" and it terminates in one connection at the bottom of the receiver which tells me that both signal and power wiring are contained within the "tube". The antennae wire is outside of the tube but taped to it at points. The antennae plugs in at the top of the receiver. Is this enough insulation between the two? I've suspected the SIGMA antennae might be a big part of this problem. I mentioned to Sirius CSR that the reception with the SIGMA is not as consistent as with the Sportster 5 hockey puck but they kind of blew that off. The signal with the SIGMA will drop in and out but be constant with the hockey puck on the same route.

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I have found that whatever antenna comes with whatever radio you purchase is the best way to go, most SIR/XM antenna's will work, but, it's always better to install the one it came with, there is a reason why all radio's (like XpressRC, Sportster, XMp3) comes with it's own antenna, recently found this out when I replaced my SIR-Sportster 5 with a XMP3, after I swapped out the SIR-antenna, with the correct XM antenna, reception was a lot better.............the XMP3 worked with the SIR-antenna, just not as well, until I installed the XMP3 antenna............

Yeah, your power wire sharing with your sound and or antenna may be affecting your sound quality. I really stress on getting another look at it from someone else before abandoning it.

WOW, I just lost the entire reply I had typed when I went to the preview screen! It apparently lost my login. Here's another attempt...

Following Matt's suggestion I talked to the folks who did the Sportster5 install on my truck last year. He was booked up but suggested that I ask the dealer to outsource to him as he had done installations for them before. They insisted that they had to do what corporate Toyota would suggest first. So I left the car with them all day Friday and the fix this time was to remove the SIGMA antennae and install a Sirius "hockeypuck" antennae on the trunk lid. They claimed this was an "new upgraded" antennae and Toyota's suggested solution. However it looks just like the one installed on my truck last year. It is a "Sirius" model number SIR3.3RCTMOB05 with the number 07340 on it as well. And get this - the service ticket shows that they got it from the same shop I wanted them to outsource the work to!

Well the result is somewhat better reception and better sound quality - I think it's almost as good when listening to music as the sound with the Sportster5 in my truck. I can now put the bass setting where I want it and the treble almost where I want it, though I still get a little distortion on high end sounds. But with talk radio it is still pretty bad.

My suggestion to others is to stay away from the SIGMA antennae. The lesson for me is to never have a dealership do this type of work on a vehicle. I still have no idea what receiver they used. It has the Sirius logo and "SiriusConnect" on the casing but I can't get at it to see a model number. It is stuck to the wheel well in the truck with double-sided adhesive.

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.