Satellite Radio: Here, There, Everywhere Page 3
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Enthusiasts want top-quality hi-fi equipment for the best possible sound. For them, there are now several component satellite-radio tuners to choose from. While many of these tuners were designed for custom installation, almost all of them can also be used in a simple single-room system.
Just in case anyone had doubts about satellite radio's high-end cachet, component maker Krell will soon begin shipping its way-cool Trio tuner ($4,000), an AM/FM/XM unit that also offers a Wi-Fi-capable Internet radio option. The Trio can send signals to three zones, allowing you to simultaneously feed AM to one room, FM to a second room, and XM to a third. Wall-mounted keypads in the remote rooms relay the track title and artist information provided by XM. krellonline.com Polk XM Reference Tuner 12 ($330)
Polk Audio, best known for its speakers, is also getting into the XM tuner business. Its XM Reference Tuner 12 ($330, shown on the next page) uses audiophile-grade Burr-Brown digital-to-analog converters, and like the Krell, it can be controlled as part of a whole-house system through its RS-232 control port. Its ultraslim chassis (only 2 1/4 inches high) will slip easily into any A/V rack. polkaudio.com
Speaking of multiroom systems, Crestron, one of the key players in the field, has introduced an XM tuner. As you might expect, the CN2-TXM ($1,100) is designed to be used with Crestron's high-tech touchscreen control panels. crestron.com
Audio Design Associates (ADA), another major name in custom installation, has two products that include XM satellite tuners. The Tune Suite four-band tuner ($2,499) has AM/FM/XM and the WX weather band, while the impressive HTR-2400 ($9,900) incorporates these same features into a state-of-the-art home theater receiver. ada-usa.com
Antex might not be a household name, but this pro-sound company has covered all the bases by offering three-zone tuners for both XM (the XM3000, $1,999) and Sirius (the SRX-3, $1,999). Both models have three independent satellite tuners so you can play different channels in each of three rooms simultaneously. antex.com Kenwood's DT-7000S tuner ($299)
Antex isn't the only company making component tuners for Sirius. The Audiovox CE1000SR ($250) is a single-zone unit with an RS-232 control port and a digital output, while the snazzy-looking Kenwood DT-7000S ($299, shown below) has a scrolling dot-matrix display, along with a song-title and artist memory bank to help you remember the name of that great new band you just heard. audiovox.com, kenwoodusa.com
Tivoli Audio Sirius tabletop radio ($300) For more casual home or office use, a stylish table radio is an excellent option. Tivoli Audio, makers of the popular Model One radio, has the Tivoli Audio Sirius radio ($300, shown below), which combines the looks and performance of the Model One with a Sirius satellite tuner. The Tivoli addresses one of the main complaints about satellite radios with its large, easy-to-read display. tivoliaudio.com
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