# Radio vs. XM volume levels



## MattG (Jun 6, 2018)

I found an older thread where someone else had this issue, but there wasn't a solution so I thought I'd ask it here. 

I have a 2017 Sedan LT.. Factory everything. When I switch between an FM station and a Sirius/XM station, the XM stations are all at least 40-50% louder than the Radio.. I have the Auto volume turned off, so it's not that.. 

Has anyone had this issue and is there a solution? Do I need to update the software? Is there a place to download updates to transfer with USB?

Thanks,

Matt


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

From my tour of an FM station. What you are hearing is heavilly, heavilly processed. Not just by the station, but also by your own radio. Songs will be hissy, or you will only get part of it if it wasn't there.

Like 99.9% of stations are also going to add a dynamic compressor to their mix. And 99.9% of the time it is going to be configured to effectively make everything louder by making all the sound as close to clipping as they can. They also do some fanciness to pull up the quiet sounds and make them louder (forgot what this dsp was called).

When you listen to song you know. Note the relatively quiet parts from your radio, and compare it with a better copy (spotify, iTunes, cd, etc...). There will be a massive difference.


Now XM. Actually does the exact same thing, just not to the same degree.


----------



## MattG (Jun 6, 2018)

Problem is, in my previous car (Kia Rio5), I had XM and there was no discernible difference in quality or volume level between FM and XM. 
The difference in the Cruze is listening to FM at a comfortable level and switching to XM and having it scare the crap out of me and blasting my ear drums..


----------



## HatchLifeRS (Oct 3, 2017)

MattG said:


> Problem is, in my previous car (Kia Rio5), I had XM and there was no discernible difference in quality or volume level between FM and XM.
> The difference in the Cruze is listening to FM at a comfortable level and switching to XM and having it scare the crap out of me and blasting my ear drums..


Do you have the same issue with a high quality audio file through usb/aux/phone(usb not Bluetooth)?

Sounds like the Kia had a **** stereo system. I never had a problem listen to music through Bluetooth or the radio on my Hyundai. Now I can't stand it on the Cruze because it sounds so much clearer through USB that I never got with the Hyundai. They're also two completely different cars running completely different systems. Can't really compare them when it comes to little quirks. They're going to have different ones. 

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk


----------



## llbanks522 (Nov 23, 2017)

MattG said:


> I found an older thread where someone else had this issue, but there wasn't a solution so I thought I'd ask it here.
> 
> I have a 2017 Sedan LT.. Factory everything. When I switch between an FM station and a Sirius/XM station, the XM stations are all at least 40-50% louder than the Radio.. I have the Auto volume turned off, so it's not that..
> 
> ...


I have a 2017 LT Sedan also (Factory stock) with the same problem. I usually listen to XM 50’s/60’s with volume between 18-20. When switched to FM I have to increase volume to 26-28. First time I experienced this I was listening to one of my favorite 60’s song on the oldies FM station with the volume really *turned** up, *then when I switched back to the XM 60’s station I got sound blasted. ? My IPhone has the same problem too. Volume on radio has to be increased quite a bit even though it’s in the USB port with phone volume all the way up. Don’t know if this is a normal problem with the radio or if there is a fix.


----------



## Heretic (Apr 25, 2018)

llbanks522 said:


> I have a 2017 LT Sedan also (Factory stock) with the same problem. I usually listen to XM 50’s/60’s with volume between 18-20. When switched to FM I have to increase volume to 26-28. First time I experienced this I was listening to one of my favorite 60’s song on the oldies FM station with the volume really *turned** up, *then when I switched back to the XM 60’s station I got sound blasted.  My IPhone has the same problem too. Volume on radio has to be increased quite a bit even though it’s in the USB port with phone volume all the way up. Don’t know if this is a normal problem with the radio or if there is a fix.


My '17 Premier does the same thing, XM is way louder than FM or AM. I'm assuming it's mismatched output levels between the two types of receivers built into the head unit and could probably be fixed with a programming change. I'm not much concerned with it because I'm dumping the XM feed anyway when the trial runs out, but I do understand that would be annoying if you're keeping XM.


----------



## firehawk618 (Feb 24, 2013)

My previous 17' Volt was the exact same way. Switching from android auto music to XM. The volume difference was huge.


----------



## ottoman32 (May 22, 2017)

I figure its like listening to a cd, then switching to fm.


----------

