Clarion DXZ775USB VS Alpine CDA-9885

[Shinju 10+ year member]

I have the Clarion unit now and it has a ton of options 2 and 3 way with TA ect ect.

Both have the 24bit DAC

As anyone ran both that can give some insite on what one you liked and the Pros and Cons of both decks?

I like the Clarion but I really am unsure about the slider controls. and the Face Plate is kind of cheap looking.

Any feedback would be great!

thanks!

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[Shinju 10+ year member]

I am currently running a Kenwood KDC-MP832U.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

up, Anyone?

 

[stuckinok 5,000+ posts]

The face is cheap looking and feels cheap on the clarion but I can not get over how many features it has. There is not many bad things I can say about the clarion. 6V pre-outs, 3-way active, 24 bit DAC w/ sound restorer, ect ect ect. Very good SQ wise in clarity. If your picky on looks then the kenwood or alpine would be better. If you ever plan on running active and using t/a then you cant get any better then the Clarion unless you spend around 300 bucks more. It really depends on what your trying to do there.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

The face is cheap looking and feels cheap on the clarion but I can not get over how many features it has. There is not many bad things I can say about the clarion. 6V pre-outs, 3-way active, 24 bit DAC w/ sound restorer, ect ect ect. Very good SQ wise in clarity. If your picky on looks then the kenwood or alpine would be better. If you ever plan on running active and using t/a then you cant get any better then the Clarion unless you spend around 300 bucks more. It really depends on what your trying to do there.

I have ran kenwood since the early 2000's, I have never had an issue with them I just want to try something new, I have played around with a high end JVC deck that came with a car I bought but I ended up selling it for a new Kenwood Excelon //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif.

I have the Clarion now I might as well just give it a try. After looking at the faceplate some more it really is not all that bad. It kind of grows on you after awhile. And yes it has more options then most decks I have seen recently.

 

[corrie32 10+ year member]

i'ld go with the clarion, just cause it changes diff colors lol

 

[Fast1one 10+ year member]

If you recall I traded you that deck. Guess what? Ended up going with the 785USB after my 9813 never showed up complete. Its more intuitive to use, has a low noise floor and plenty of features to boot. It may not have 24db/octave slopes (only 18) BUT it has a bandpass on the sub channels, independent gain control for ALL channels, phase control for each pair of channels and you can go as low as you want on the front high pass (25hz). Very versatile deck and superior to the comparable Alpines IMO.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

If you recall I traded you that deck. Guess what? Ended up going with the 785USB after my 9813 never showed up complete. Its more intuitive to use, has a low noise floor and plenty of features to boot. It may not have 24db/octave slopes (only 18) BUT it has a bandpass on the sub channels, independent gain control for ALL channels, phase control for each pair of channels and you can go as low as you want on the front high pass (25hz). Very versatile deck and superior to the comparable Alpines IMO.

I did get the 775USB from you //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif And the fix will make you cry it was something that you had to look very hard to see. Basically there is a small piece of rubber that sticks out of the middle about a half inch long that keeps the face from hitting the deck itself.

This after being heated up and cooled off over and over swells up pushing the face away from the Pin Connectors on the right side causing what looks like a non responsive bad face plate. I was looking at it from the bottom and I noticed that the face was bowing in the middle pretty bad so I just pulled off that rubber blocker piece (since there was a rubber blocker already on the deck side to keep the face from rubbing on the deck).

Fired it back up and there she goes, Fully working deck. This is a huge design flaw and there was quite a few decks going on EBay for DIRT *** cheap because if this rubber blocker swelling up and causing the face plate to be non responsive. And folks not knowing what is going on, Infact there was one that just ended recently with the same issues I had with mine.

So Cliffs.

IF you have a DXZ775USB and after awhile the face gets stuck in Speaker Select Mode due to the rubber blocker swelling up from heat this will cause lack of connection pins (and it will happen) Just pull the face off, Take the Rubber Blocker off completely and your deck is fixed.

Save you 145.00 flat rate fix from Clarion. I'll post photos later this eve.

Also I snagged up a CDA-9856. Clean deck but the Subwoofer control and Setting confuse me, I set the Subwoofer to 60hz I can hear the bass change from 60-150 Hz when selecting the xover point But I still hear full range audio coming from the Sub out RCA's. Is there a way to defeat the Treble on the Sub out only?

I read the manual and I am setting it right but maybe there is a setting that I am missing or not fully understanding.

Any input on this would be great!

 

[Fast1one 10+ year member]

I did get the 775USB from you //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif And the fix will make you cry it was something that you had to look very hard to see. Basically there is a small piece of rubber that sticks out of the middle about a half inch long that keeps the face from hitting the deck itself.
This after being heated up and cooled off over and over swells up pushing the face away from the Pin Connectors on the right side causing what looks like a non responsive bad face plate. I was looking at it from the bottom and I noticed that the face was bowing in the middle pretty bad so I just pulled off that rubber blocker piece (since there was a rubber blocker already on the deck side to keep the face from rubbing on the deck).

Fired it back up and there she goes, Fully working deck. This is a huge design flaw and there was quite a few decks going on EBay for DIRT *** cheap because if this rubber blocker swelling up and causing the face plate to be non responsive. And folks not knowing what is going on, Infact there was one that just ended recently with the same issues I had with mine.

So Cliffs.

IF you have a DXZ775USB and after awhile the face gets stuck in Speaker Select Mode due to the rubber blocker swelling up from heat this will cause lack of connection pins (and it will happen) Just pull the face off, Take the Rubber Blocker off completely and your deck is fixed.

Save you 145.00 flat rate fix from Clarion. I'll post photos later this eve.

Also I snagged up a CDA-9856. Clean deck but the Subwoofer control and Setting confuse me, I set the Subwoofer to 60hz I can hear the bass change from 60-150 Hz when selecting the xover point But I still hear full range audio coming from the Sub out RCA's. Is there a way to defeat the Treble on the Sub out only?

I read the manual and I am setting it right but maybe there is a setting that I am missing or not fully understanding.

Any input on this would be great!

Glad it worked out for ya //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I don't see it as a loss, just paying it forward I suppose. I am GLAD it was an easy fix, if it ever happens with my deck (even though its newer) then I know exactly where to go. I honestly didn't have the time to mess with it, being a full time student sometimes I feel crunched for time //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I ended up buying a 9813 (before the current one) and swapped it.

 

[Johnny Law.Lulz 5,000+ posts]

Buy my 9886

 

[gunz4me2 10+ year member]

I have used the 9885 and I purchased a DXZ785usb for my future wife.

Reasons to like the 9885:

Faster IPOD control of the actual content

It has a volume knob

Reasons to hate the 9885:

Requires the KCE-422I for ipod use

Limited crossover with front/rear high pass only

Limited onboard processing with Bass and Treble controls only

Limited colors if you are into matching the rest of the dash

Reasons to like the DXZ785usb:

3 way active crossover

Time alignment

USB works with a thumbdrive or ipod

More color choices than one can shake a stick at

Three band Parametric EQ

Reasons to hate the DXZ785USB

GD slider controls

Hard to see in bright light

Motorized face (I hate them)

As for any "sound" differences between the two, I can't say I prefer one over the other.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

I think I am going to try the Clarion since I already have it.

I want to figure out this Subwoofer crossover on the Alpine CDA-9856, I have it crossed at 60htz but I still hear full range audio coming from the sub.

I have to admit for a budget deck the 9856 has a lot of options.