Sirius S50 Portable Satellite Radio Receiver with Car Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've waited for three months for the S50 to come out.I finally found one and had it installed professionally in my car.I love what the S50 can do, and I'm overall very pleased, but I have some problems with the S50.First the good stuff.It's a great design with an awesome LCD display.The station, artist and song are always visible.None of the scrolling stuff.The base has a rotating know to change channels, replay songs, press to record a song you like while it's playing and a host of other options.Very cool.The removable lightweight unit is about the size of 2/3 of a deck of playing cards.With this unit, you can remove it from your car, plug in the headphones and play your downloaded MP3's and recorded content from sirius.The rechargeable battery is supposed to last around six hours.I haven't drained it yet.It recharges automatically when plugged into the base unit.Additionally, it will automatically download music from your three most listened to stations...ingenius.Also, if you like a song you're listening to, you simply press the rotating knob, and the song is recorded for you onto the portable unit...awesome!Additionally, if you like a song you just heard, you can click the knob, and it plays again.You can then skip ahead to the current song playing or keep listening.You can also pause the broadcast and unpause without a hitch.As you turn the knob to change channels, a voice tells you what channel you're selecting which is a cool feature if you want to keep watching the road.

I love the selection of music that is available for my taste (alternative stuff).Some stations are lame, the all Elvis channel or all Bruce Springstine channel for example, but that's a matter of taste.Besides, there's plenty to choose from no matter what your taste in music.

And now, the bad stuff.1) I was disappointed with the sound quality.I would describe the quality as somewhere between good FM radio and AM.Voices often sound like they're speaking or singing through a tin can.I thought it may have been the FM broadcaster in the unit, but when I play MP3's in the car through the unit, they sound great, so I guess it's not enough band width in the broadcasts.2) The portable unit does not have an equalizer option.You can't adjust the bass or treble which even the cheapest MP3 players have.That was poor oversight on their part.3) My biggest gripe is that the removable unit will sometimes vibrate loose, causing a loss in the transmission.This is very annoying, but I'm getting used to tapping my unit from time to time to prevent it.I think part of the problem there is that my unit was installed so that it lies in a flat position.I may have to get that changed, despite the fact that I love the way it's positioned right now.Sirius should have designed it so that the unit locks in.However, when you lose the signal (not from the unit vibrating loose), the voice asks if you'd like to switch to downloaded content which can be done very easily.
UPDATE:I had the unit re-installed so that it's not flat, no problem now with the unit slipping out.

Moreover, I'm very pleased with the S50.If you're aware of sound quality issue I'd definitely recommend the unit.

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Product Description:
If you're serious about keeping your music with you at all times, the Sirius S50 Satellite Radio Receiver and MP3/WMA Player System Pack may be just what you're looking for. Small enough for your shirt pocket, and loaded with all the accessories you need to play it over your car stereo, the Sirius S50 offers an intoxicating blend of satellite radio and digital music capabilities that are certain to transform your portable listening experience.


Use the optional home dock to route Sirius radio to your home stereo. View larger.

Load up tunes from your computer via bundled software. View larger.

Your satellite programming. Your MP3/WMA digital music files. Take them all on the go with the S50. For starters, when the Sirius S50 is set up in your car, or in the optional home docking station (sold separately), it's ready to capture more than 120 channels of Sirius satellite radio programming. But don't feel intimidated by the scale of all that programming; the Sirius S50 has several automatic and one-touch features that will help you get the most out of your satellite-radio experience in no time flat. Game alerts automatically prompt you when your favorite teams are playing, and a sports ticker gives you up-to-the-minute scores throughout the day. The unit's 30 channel presets offer one-touch navigation to your favorite Sirius stations as well as to Sirius traffic and weather reports.
The Sirius S50 also boasts an internal memory that can store up to 50 hours of digital content, either from your favorite satellite programming. With a simple push of the unit's easy-to-spot heart-shaped "love" button, you can save the Sirius program you're listening to for future playback.
So when it's time to work out, or when the beach is calling, just slip on the earphones and enjoy the commercial-free programming and music files of your choice. (A belt clip for the player is included in the kit.) Note that while live satellite radio content is available when you're in your car or at home--using either the included car cradle or the optional home cradle--it is not available when the S50 is in portable mode.
You'll also get the accessories you'll need to play the Sirius S50 over your car stereo -- a cradle that allows the unit to receive live Sirius broadcasts, a car mount, a DC power adapter, a remote control, and a roof-mount antenna. The car cradle's media dial makes it super easy for you to surf through 120 channels of Sirius programming, and a voice-assisted navigation announces the name of the channel you've just tuned into, so you can find your favorite channels without taking your eyes off the road. The unit's built-in wireless FM transmitter "broadcasts" the sound over an unused frequency on any FM stereo, so there's no complicated installation process. And if your in-dash stereo has an auxiliary input, you can connect the Sirius S50 directly to it for even better sound.
The unit's bright 176 x 220 TFT color display makes it easy to read programming data and sports scores. And at a mere 1.9 x .9 x 3.9 inches (WxHxD), and with rechargeable batteries that will give you six hours of play per charge, the Sirius S50 is ready to go wherever you take it.

Note: Sirius Satellite radio programs require a subscription that's sold separately.

What's in the Box
S50 satellite radio, AC adapter, cigarette lighter power adapter, car antenna, car mount, earbuds, remote control, USB cable, belt clip, and PC software.

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