Mike728

I've been an XM subscriber since around 2002. Its sound quality has always varied, depending on what I'm playing it through. It sounds pretty good in my wife's CR-V and was acceptable in my last vehicle, a Hyundai. I rented a Ford last year that had it and the sound was intolerable. XM on my new ES with ML audio sounds pretty bad, as well. Not as bad as the Ford, but not nearly as good as something I'm willing to pay for once the trial expires. That said, I have the XM app on my phone and it sounds 10x better than the built-in. It's just not as easy to navigate and you don't get the artist and track info on the display.

This morning I tried Pandora through the Enform app suite. It sounds great. All the song data is present, plus album covers. You can skip songs using the steering wheel button, too. Now, this is something I'll be more than willing to pay for. I think you only get 40hrs of listening and a limited number of skips using the free version. I already pay for Slacker, which is better IMO, but there's no Enform app for it. I would also pay for an XM app, but I doubt they will add one, since it doesn't benefit XM's bottom line. I can see Sirius/XM being in serious trouble, (pun intended) due to the insurgence of on-line competitors, like Slacker and Pandora. I never thought this was possible, but now that I see how seamless it can work in vehicles, I'm pretty sure it's days are numbered.

Does anyone know if the Enform app suite gets new additions? I could see it being a huge success for Lexus if it's managed and marketed correctly.

Mike728

I've been looking around the forums and see that some are having issues with Pandora, or Enform in general. Those were mostly GS forums, though. Anyone with an ES having problems, or even using it? I still can't get over how much better it sounds than XM. I suppose I'll have issues with it if I drive into poor data coverage areas, but I have an iPod for those times.

LisaES350

I love Pandora via enform. Sounds so good I blew my subwoofer! I do get annoyed with how glitchy Enform is though. On both my iPhone and my husbands droid we often have to disconnect and then reconnect in order to get the app working correctly.

Mike728

I only have one phone paired at this point. Are you saying you have to re-pair them each time this happens? I see my phone connect, disconnect and reconnect each time I start the car. It's usually ready to go within a minute.

IS350atWOT

iTrader: (1)

I use Pandora on my phone and stream it to the audio via Bluetooth. Of course, you don't have the control via the steering wheel or can see what's playing on the nav screen, but it is a great alternative when I get tired of XM. Unlike Enform, it's free. The only downside really is that you have to crank the volume up high. But once it's there, it sounds pretty good to me.

Mike728

Aren't you getting the free year of the Enform app? I think it's only $8/mo after that, which is much cheaper than XM. Does XM sound comparable to Pandora in your ES?

mikedege

XM sound is fantastic in my car, equal to Pandora. And much better than my previous Mercedes.

-Mike

Mike728

Just curious, which audio system do you have?

LisaES350

I have open the Enform app on my phone, select disconnect from vehicle, and then reconnect again. Enform will always connect but with a glitch such as Pandora station loads and acts like it is playing but no sound or the station loads but it is paused and it will not play after hitting the button multiple times. It goes through phases where it works more constantly and it sure is annoying when it doesn't. There are no issues with my Bluetooth connection and telephone use.

Machog

I listen to Pandora 100% in my IS250C, don't bother with Enform, just use Blue Tooth.

When I get in the car, Pandora automatically comes on, unless I've turned it off on my iPhone-don't have to touch a thing.

Quality is first class, I have the 'basic' Lex stereo, don't even have Nav, excellent system. Couldn't be happier.

Machog

txes

Same here.

Play through Bluetooth.

John

Mike728

Why Bluetooth and not the app? The only thing I stream with Bluetooth is Google Play. It sounds great, just no track/artist info is displayed.

Mike728

I guess I spoke too soon. I'm now having connection issues with the app suite.

I guess I'll have to do what LisaES350 said, disconnect and reconnect to see if that helps.

IS350atWOT

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I have it free for a year. But I've decided Enform would be useless to me, so I don't won't to get used to the Pandora app. XM sounds about equal to streaming Pandora from my phone via Bluetooth. You just have to crank the volume level up for Pandora.

Does the Pandora on Enform use your phone's data plan or is it streamed from satellite like XM? If it uses my phone's data, I'd run into a data limit. I listen to so much radio, XM would be the cheaper route after I had to get an unlimited data plan.

Mike728

Yeah, it uses the phone's data, just like it would if I was using Bluetooth to stream it. What audio system do you have? I'm doubting you have the ML option, if you say XM sounds good.