Sony DRN-XM01C XM Satellite Radio Receiver

Can’t use it if I don’t have an antenna

Yes, really. In my experience, Sony makes good stuff, mostly. This DRN-XM radio is no exception. Yes, this radio is not the latest, feature-rich device around, but the damn thing does extremely well in picking up signals, even in my downstairs office where the signal must penetrate at least a foot of concrete. I am using the shark fin antenna and I have it stuck sideways on my metal filing cabinet which is about 18 feet from the basement window. I've used the smaller, low profile antenna down here also and it works just as well. I have another shark fin antenna on the radio installed in my pickup truck, and it very, very rarely loses a signal. The signal drops out a bit sometimes on the radio in the basement when I turn on the microwave which is a foot away from it, but that's not typical. I have 5 Sony DRN-XM02 radios and 1 DRN-XM01 radio. They look identical and work the same, but the DRN-XM02 has a fancier remote control on it and a whiter screen vs. the bluer screen of the DRN-XM01 and smaller remote with less buttons on it. I ended up paying for a lifetime subscription for one of my radios, which is great because I hate recurring, never-ending charges to my credit card, but I don't think XM/Sirius offers this option any longer. I've tried newer XM radios and they seem to have problems with keeping a consistently strong signal due to their tiny antennas. You folks can keep your newer XM radios with crappy signal strength and features that I'd never really care to use on a regular basis...I'll keep my Sony DRN-XM radios.

This was one of the early first XM units, and it has no extra features that all newer XM units have. It has a noisy fan. It has a display that went bad in a year and you can't read it anymore. It has NO built-in FM modulator. You have to use the big huge-sized 'shark fin' antenna with two antenna cables. It appears to have no built-in buffer as it has more dropouts than my SkyFi unit does. I suggest you buy the Delphi SkyFi2 or MyFi instead, do not buy this Sony unit unless you need it for spare parts. It's the first Sony item I've ever owned that I was really disappointed with. XM radio I like, but this old Sony XM I don't care for.