Customer Reviews

SIRIUS Stiletto 2 Portable Satellite Radio with MP3 Player

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(32)

 

 

I thought about writing a review for some time now. I wanted to make sure I was out of the honeymoon phase before I wrote about this device. I have had it for over a couple of weeks now and feel like it's time.

I purchased the Stiletto 2 as a late Christmas present to myself. I had signed up originally for the 3-day trial and loved the radio selections. I live Montana and our radio stations are pretty decent, but we have a lot of commercials. So, being able to listen to music without commercials is fantastic.

I wasn't sure what device to purchase, so I started reading. I had read a number of reviews (particularly the poor ones) about the Stiletto 2, but I liked the portability aspect, so I purchased it.

I now understand their complaints. They want better reception from the device itself, better/more comfortable headphones, etc. I agree the reception on the device isn't the best when indoors, but I purchased the home kit and that significantly improved reception.

When I am away from my home dock, I connect through Internet radio and it works just fine.

I also bought the car kit, but haven't had a chance to install it yet. I was able to get reception in my car without it though, so I imagine the car kit will only improve upon that.

The user interface is quite easy to navigate and the controls on the device are fairly intuitive. I like to test devices without reading the manual first to see how easy it is to figure out and the Stiletto 2 was pretty straightforward. I had to refer to the manual to understand the recording options, but otherwise, it was simple.

The recording option is fantastic. I set up a number of recurring sessions in the middle night. In the morning, I can then listen to them when I am working out, running errands, etc. I think this is probably one of the best features of the device. I have 15+ hours of recorded content and have used only 35% of the internal memory. Replay is fantastic. You can skip through songs just like your MP3 player and for me, that's a great option.

The size of the device is just right. It fits in my pocket, but it's not so small that I am afraid it's going to get broken or lost.

The battery life has been more than adequate. It's rated at like 4+ hours for Satellite or Internet radio and 20+ for recorded or library selections. I can attest that I have listened to it for many hours without running out of power. I wouldn't mind having a spare battery, but it's probably overkill.

As for the additional SD card slot. It's too bad it's under the battery. When you install an SD card, it's like you are putting in RAM in your laptop. This is not simple or intuitive for a lot of people (thinking of my mom here). I am sure there was an architectural reason, but it's too bad it's not just inserted on the side like a number of cell phones.

I have owned a number of musical devices in my life, 5+ iPods, a Zune, Rio, CD players, Walkmans, etc, but I can say this device has really reminded me of how music can be such a wonderful part of your life. I listen to my radio non-stop, and I wouldn't have it any other way now.

As the subject states, I really wanted this to work.

For those who read through my review, I want to make it clear that I am a Sirius fan. I've had a Sirius satellite radio in my car for two years now and I cannot imagine driving around without it.

Last year I accepted a new job that puts me on the train every day instead of in the car for my morning commute. I've missed my satellite radio since then so for the last few months, I've had my eye on the Stiletto. I decided to wait for the Stiletto 2, and I finally took the plunge over the weekend.

Out of the box, the radio looks very attractive and fits perfectly in my hand. The large display is colorful, bright, and easy to read and navigate. The controls are very easy to operate. Overall, a very intuitive design.

The radio is feature packed. You can import your own music into the device via included software. In my opinion, there is plenty of space for stored content out of the box (about 100 hours worth) and I think that will acommodate most people. For those of us with large music and audio book libraries, the added micro-SD card slot is a nice touch. Another feature was wireless connectivity. Some claimed they had problems with frequent disconnects. I didn't have this problem.

Activation was pretty simple, however I couldn't grab a signal indoors, I needed to stand outside on the front porch to complete the activation and the initial download of the channels. I was hoping this wasn't going to be a typical problem, as I even had the antenna headset plugged in. By the way, I've heard rumblings about the Altec Lansing headphones being uncomfortable and I would have to agree. I think Sirius could have made a better choice in headphones, since they seem to be a requirement for this device to get any kind of a signal.

Now, on to reception. Let me make it perfectly clear that I live in the outer suburbs of Chicago. I live near a small city called Crystal Lake, and although is not very close to downtown Chicago, I wouldn't consider myself as living in the "boondocks" either. I also want to make it clear that I purchased this radio so I could listen to it on the train. Those of us who have long train commutes would appreciate having such ability to listen to their iPod or satellite radio. And since my commute is up to 1.5 hours each way (up to 3 hours round trip commute) one could see how I would become excited about bringing my Sirius programming with me on the train.

When I first put the headphones on and fired up the unit, I was standing in the depot after having just finished mixing my coffee. No signal. Okay, so I walked outside and with a cloudless sky, I was able to get two bars and I was able to listen to the radio. I walked across the tracks and went to one of the open-air shelters (it was a particularly cold day and there are warmers installed overhead in the shelter.) As soon as I entered the shelter, I lost signal. Huh, okay. I decided to test it. I walked out of the shelter and received signal again. I walked around and although uninterrupted, I walked under a tree and the signal was interrupted. I started to become discouraged.

So, the train arrived and I boarded, selected a window seat and settled in. I was very disappointed (heartbroken, would be a better term) that I could not get a signal for pretty much the entire train ride. I tried moving the headphone wire closer to the window, I tried leaning my head closer to the window, tried holding the unit closer to the window, but the screen continuously displayed "Acquiring Signal." It was only when we were a couple miles from downtown that I was able to get a signal, but I attribute this to retransmitters that I hear people talking about.

I realized the same results on the way home. I tried it again the next day, this time sitting on the upper row of seats but to no avail. Since this purchase was primarily for entertainment while on the long train commute, I have decided to return the radio. I suppose I'll look into XMs option or just get an iPod. I will keep a sharp eye out for future offerings from Sirius and XM. I haven't given up on my quest to bring satellite radio with me where ever I go.

I give this product two stars, for the added features and well designed menues and navigation. It's too bad that I couldn't use it for its intended purpose, hence the deduction of three stars.

This item is a homerun. I had the first Sirius Stiletto and that, while a nice item, was a little limited with it's WIFI connection and also it was a little large.

Sirius hit a homerun with this, the much improved SL2. To start off, the WIFI capability has been expanded to support 802.11b/g and also will work with most wireless hotspots. Plus, you can now enter a username and password to connect where you could NOT do this on the first Stiletto.

In addition to it's upgrade, it is also almost 30% smaller that the first Stiletto yet this item does not feel cheap. It is very solid, yet very small. It is slightly larger than a Motorola Razor phone. The feel of the device is also very nice with the all black look and the rubberized plastic covering on the back that will prvent scratches when set down.

Overall, the performance of the device has been 100% perfect with no lockups, freezes or issues. Plus, the exandable memory is GREAT. You can add up to an 8gb micro sd card making this a 10 gig MP3 player (2 GB internal memory).

Sirius has also updated the channel logos and wallpaper screens for each individual channel. Plus, the sports alerts are much improved and when listening to on NFL game, the screen displays a graphic of each team's helmet, ie. if the Raiders are playing the Cheifs there will be a Radier Helmet and a Chief helmet on the screen. This doesn't enhance your listening of course, but does make for a nice touch.

There are a few other added features but most importantly, they have included a bass boost with four settings (off, low, med, high) and also SRS Focus, also with four settings. The sound is much improved over it's predecessor when using as an mp3 player and, in my opinion, far better sounding than any IPOD.

The antenna headphones are probalby the BIGGEST improvement as the original ones were god awful. The improved headphones are extremely comfortable and are made by Altec Lansing. Portable reception has also improved with this device but if you do not live near a terrestrial signal repeater, you are probably going to be forced to either use the Antenna Headphones or try to connect over a wireless network because the built in antenna on the device is just not that strong and probably never will be---this is just a shortcoming of satelitte radio, not of the SL2 or Sirius.

Overall, I am loving life with this device as it is now my Satellite Radio for use in my home, car and in portable modes and also my primary MP3 player. I ditched my Ipod since I am now able to squeeze 10gb onto this player. Also, I can record any Sirius program on a daily basis and listen back when I have the time.

If you have been considering Sirius, or your are a current subscriber looking to upgrade to a better radio, your 100% best choice would be the Stiletto 2. A great device without a lot of cool features and capabilities.

I received my Stiletto II about two weeks ago, and I've enjoyed the convenience of listening to Sirius programming on-the-go after recording it in my office during the day. The headphones it comes with are quite nice (metallic wiring). Most of the joy I get out of the device, however, is dashed by the very buggy software that's installed - and that I find myself having to reinstall over and over again - on it. In the last two weeks, I've had to perform an approximately 15-minute "device recovery" using a PC and the provided software to erase everything I've recorded and then reformat the Stiletto II. Thus far I've had to recover because: 1) the device had some kind of issue with an inability to delete recorded programs I no longer needed, freezing and then giving me an "error, plug into computer to recover" message; 2) for no apparent reason other than waking up the device after it had been recording during the afternoon; and 3) the software crashed the first time I attempted to upload mp3's onto it because I foolishly downloaded updated device software when prompted to by the "My Sirius Studio" program (the software you use to upload music and manage the files already on the Stiletto II, provided on a CD-ROM). In fact, I'm typing this as my Stiletto II is recovering after incident #3 ("Recovering / Please wait..." it says).

I regret buying this; I had a Sportster 4 that worked just fine. I haven't had to reboot the Stiletto 2 in the last few days (the time between incidents 2 and 3 because, I suspect, I'd been limiting my use to very simple things, like recording and listening to just one station, rather than attempting to upload mp3's or manage what files I had on the device after successive recordings. That means, however, it seems that to avoid future crashes I'll have to avoid enjoying the Stiletto 2 to its fullest advertised capability. I hope in the future other device makers than Sirius/Directed Electronics offer Sirius reception. The Stiletto 2 is just a mess.

It's been about 15 minutes already and my Stiletto 2 is now in the "Receiving Software" stage of the software recovery. I'll have to reselect my favorite stations and will have lost all my recordings. Sigh.

What an adventure! I have had this radio for 4 days now and purchased the home docking kit so I could listen to it at work. I work in a single story building located in zone 2 (for those of you who found the satellite zones on the sirius website because of signal problems) and do not have access to an open window that faces north to northeast. In fact, I do not have access to a window at all! So I have had difficulties trying to get a good (or any) signal where my desk is at. I was able to squeeze 1 bar, but it was intermittent. I called Sirius to no avail. They suggested I use the wi-fi. We do have one at work, but I cannot get it to authenticate and connect. I think it has something to do with our proxy server. Sirius suggested that I mount an outdoor antenna. YEAH RIGHT! Not possible at WORK!!! They suggested that I use a signal repeater. NOPE! I am not about to spend another $100 just to get it working. Finally they suggested that I just use the internet radio through the website! At that point I was just about ready to return it. But, I have been a Sirius subscriber for over 4 years now, and I love the service. So, I searched the web to find a solution. I found on one of the forums I scoured, that someone had used the car antenna, which got a better signal than the antenna that comes with the home docking kit. I was skeptical at first, but found the car antenna (the low profile one) at a local dealer for $15. I took a chance and bought it. I figured that if it does not work, I can replace the bigger antenna that is already on my car with this one. So, I connected it and got no signal. #$^@!!! I disconnected it and was ready to take everything back. But, I thought to myself, I really did not try all the available spots to place the antenna. I placed it on top of the hutch at my desk, in the same spot I had the home docking antenna. VOILLA!!! It WORKED!!! I was able to get 3 bars or @ a 70% signal vs. the intermitten 1 bar and 30-40% signal with the home docking kit. I guess it has something to do with the multi-directional technology vs. the directional that the home docking antenna uses. Try it! It may or may not work for you, but I think it's worth a try. I'm a happy camper for now.

having used numerous consumer and expert reviews in the purchasing of the Stiletto 2, i feel the need to present my experience and opinion on this new receiver. first off, as a long time Sirius customer, i love satellite radio! even if you don't go with this unit, i highly recommend Sirius or XM to anyone that travels a lot or just enjoys listening to radio stations that stick to the stuff they want!

now for the Stiletto 2....

my previous receiver was a basic radio with the car and home kit that lasted 4 years, so upgrading to the Stiletto 2 was a major price jump and leap of faith on my part. i read the reviews (good and bad), product descriptions, and expert analyses. my conclusion? the Stiletto 2 is a very cool toy with lots of features and a sleek attractive design. the sole detractor to it is the extreme reliance on the accessory kits (not included).

ANTENNA RECEPTION: this is the major complaint of most negative reviews. the truth is that the Stiletto 2 has the same reception capabilities as any other unit WHEN outside or connected to a external antenna (only included in home or car kits). it will not work well indoors or in areas with significant obstructions to the sky, just like any other receiver. and its built-in antenna does allow you to listen to it with headphones while walking around outdoors. the Stiletto 2 also has a built-in wi-fi connection, allowing you to listen Sirius over wireless internet networks.

LOOK AND FEEL: nice design, lightweight, easy access menus, color display...overall A+

MP3 PLAYER: cool bonus that allows you to switch between Sirius radio and mp3 modes. the product description claims 2GB worth of space. however, only 800 MB is available for downloaded music, as the rest is designated exclusively for recording live programming from the Sirius channels. if you want more room for your mp3's, you can plug in a microSD card (up to 8GB) with your music into the Stiletto 2 and increase the size of your playlist!

STAND-ALONE/ACCESSORIES: out of the box, the Stiletto 2 will only run using headphones or earbuds. if you want to play it in your car or home, you MUST get an accessory kit (either home or car). websites claim that the universal kits for Sirius radios are compatible with the Stiletto 2. THIS IS MOSTLY INCORRECT! the external antenna is standard, but does not plug directly into the receiver. a cradle (included in kits) is necessary to play Sirius through your car or home stereo. the AC/DC adapter is also a different size and voltage. if you buy the home kit, you can only connect to a stereo via audio cables. this is a change from other receivers, which allow either a wired connection or have a built-in FM transmitter. only the cradle that comes with the car kit allows you to connect to a stereo over an FM signal. my suggestion to those that want the Stiletto 2 to work on any stereo or have previous Sirius radio kits is to buy the Stiletto 2 car kit only, and use your previous antennae to run the radio at home using the car cradle.

i give the Stiletto 2 a three-star rating. it has very nice features and a good look, but some of its advertised capabilities are misleading. there is no reason that the unit should not be able to FM transmit to any stereo without a car cradle, other than to gouge customers out of another $50.

I'm a Gadget junkie...you name it, I've bought it and tried it, from the latest PC's...HD TV's,, Sling TV, TIVO, HD DVD players, Blu-Ray players,I-Touch, Zune, X-Box 360, PS3, Blackberry, XM radio & Sirius players...etc...etc...etc...

If your looking for he Ultimate portable music device, the Stiletto 2 is the answer...This unit does it all, you need no other portable music device...

First: How much money do you spend on downloading songs???
Possibly hundreds of $ a year? With Stilleto 2 you can download up to 10 hours of indiviual songs from Sirius...and it's no additional cost, just the monthly subscriber fee you're already paying, and you can replay them at any time with the built in memory.

Second: It automatically records the stations you listen to, up to 100 hours, so when your in a no signal area, you can listen to hours & hours & hours of music during this time.

Third: Not only does it have 2GB of built in memory but you can add a Micro SD card to increase your music collection. You can transfer / import music files from your PC...it will replaces youe Zune, Ipod, MP3 player, and using the Yahoo music site (software included) you can purchase music online and continue to add to your colection.

Fourth: It has not only satellite reception capability, but WiFi as well, and both work excellent! So if you have WiFi at home, no need to worry about a Satellite signal, it connects to your Wifi...and if you'e in a free hotsspot...wala, connetion!

Fifth: The reception of a satellite signal is very good even without the antennae earphones...anyone who complains that they can't receive a satellite signal indoors with this unit needs to remember "IT'S SATELLITE", that means you need a clear view of the sky to receive, if you got a roof over you, it will block the signal!!!

The only option I would like to see added is being able to load photos for viewing...

I say BUY IT! You'll throw away every other portable music player you have after you do!

I'm really surprised by the handful of negative reviews on here. I have been a long time Sirius user and have just recently upgraded to the Stiletto 2 after a car break-in led to the loss of my old radio.

Switching to the Stiletto 2 has really changed the way I use Sirius. The DVR like capabilities (rewind, record songs, record shows) has done for my radio what TiVo has done for my television viewing.

Due to recent FCC regulations the FM transmitter has led to signal quality loss when broadcasting from the Stilleto to your car radio but a $30 direct FM adapter solves this problem entirely. When you hear people speak of "reception issues" it has nothing to do with the satellite signal but rather their own broadcast to their radio. This fixes the problem. In most cars you can self install this in a few minutes. In my truck it took a 15 minute audio shop install because I had to get behind the radio.

My daily use of the Stiletto usually starts with the recording of my favorite show before I even wake up. I can then listen, pause, fastforward, etc until I get to work. Then I pop the head phones on and head inside and listen to the rest of the show.

An internal MicroSD card allows you to expand the MP3 player capabilities and can give you iPhone/iTouch/Ipod-Nano like storage.

The MP3 player is suprisingly intuitive (better than my iRiver). Overall I could not go back to a standard radio or even a non-Stiletto radio after a few months with this product.

Between the quality of the product and their misinformed technical support, I am sorry I spent my money on this product. Constant signal strength issues, CMOS battery issues, requires rebooting (is this a Windows product?) and to top it all off. This is my 4th unit in about 8 months. I only just received the 4th one, which was sent without a necessary firmware upgrade. I think their staff is better trained at feeding angry customers with lies than with actually addressing issues with their product.

I've had it almost a year now. It kept shutting down on it's own, and they sent me a replacement under warranty. I think the on/off switch just wore out, I used the unit nearly every day. So hooray for the warranty. Problem is, the unit and it's firmware (the embedded, onboard operating software) just have so many little tricks and bugs and shortfalls. Over the year, I've learned how to deal with these things, how to reinstall the firmware, how to avoid crashes and how to increase the odds that my planned recordings will work. It's all so damn frustrating. I love what the unit is trying to do, and I love the sirius content, so I NEED this little gadget for my daily life. But, simply put, it is alot of work to live with. I still love it though, but there are times I'ev wanted to whip it under a steamroller. Word to the wise: This is not something that your grandma can operate, it takes a tech saavy youth to maintain and keep this puppy operating.