jmanpc
5,000+ posts
CA.com Nostalgist.
Well, I finally got a hold of a Clarion DXZ955MC (after quite long and arduous... quest... to get it on eGay). I snagged it for a grand total of $310 shipped.
First impressions: This head unit is a showoff. It has a brushed aluminum faceplate, which brags white-illuminated accents above and below the full color touchscreen. Theres a minimum amount of buttons, and a single knob. Its interface is very easy to use, thanks to the 4.2" Touchscreen. Taps on the screen don't need to be hard or exaggerated- it's very natural. One thing I really like is you don't get lost in menu after menu after menu, and the functions are very plainly laid out. Features are easily and logically located. I remember on my 9855, I couldn't for the life of me figure out where some features were located! This is not a problem with the DXZ955MC.
The features, like the time alignment and crossovers are very easy to program. Again, on my 9855, there are a billion buttons and a Glidetouch... each doing their own functions. The Clarion lays everything out simply, but very functionally. There is little confusion while setting the sound adjustments.
The equalizer is a dual 3-band parametric, which is a major turnoff for some, seeing that the 880PRS offers a dual 16-band graphic equalizer. I have to agree, the Pioneer does offer a better eq, however, the Clarion's does not disappoint- oit boasts a wide variety of center frequencies, Q-control and level adjustment. In addition to this, in 3-way mode, the user can independantly change the level of each speaker, which is a major plus in taming or pronouncing specific drivers. I use the PEQ in conjunction with my Kicker KQ9 9-band graphic equalizer, which offers plenty of equalization.
Well I know what y'all are thinking-- how does it sound? Well let me first say, I am coming from using an Audiovox flipout. It sounded good, but it didn't sound good. The difference the Clarion has brought is incredible. It has a much smoother, more natural sound. Thanks to the time alignment, the image is smack-dab in the middle of my dash. I still have to do some gain adjustments, but I must say I am extremely pleased with the sound. It's rich and warm, not.... mechanical and shallow like the Audiovox. Everything is very clearly pronounced and annunciated.
I almost forgot! The Music Catcher! Let me tell you- that's an incredible feature! The deck can record up to 6 full CD's worth of music at the push of a button. Very nice! Also, very east to use. Mad props to Clarion on that one.
Gripes- no major ones, really, so far. The EQ could use more bands, but it's not been a problem for me. The time alignment is in centimeters, but I just whipped out my phone and multiplied by 2.54. I could see some people not liking the touchscreen, (kind of like Glidetouch), but I love it... makes the hu extremely easy to use.
Jman Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars
First impressions: This head unit is a showoff. It has a brushed aluminum faceplate, which brags white-illuminated accents above and below the full color touchscreen. Theres a minimum amount of buttons, and a single knob. Its interface is very easy to use, thanks to the 4.2" Touchscreen. Taps on the screen don't need to be hard or exaggerated- it's very natural. One thing I really like is you don't get lost in menu after menu after menu, and the functions are very plainly laid out. Features are easily and logically located. I remember on my 9855, I couldn't for the life of me figure out where some features were located! This is not a problem with the DXZ955MC.
The features, like the time alignment and crossovers are very easy to program. Again, on my 9855, there are a billion buttons and a Glidetouch... each doing their own functions. The Clarion lays everything out simply, but very functionally. There is little confusion while setting the sound adjustments.
The equalizer is a dual 3-band parametric, which is a major turnoff for some, seeing that the 880PRS offers a dual 16-band graphic equalizer. I have to agree, the Pioneer does offer a better eq, however, the Clarion's does not disappoint- oit boasts a wide variety of center frequencies, Q-control and level adjustment. In addition to this, in 3-way mode, the user can independantly change the level of each speaker, which is a major plus in taming or pronouncing specific drivers. I use the PEQ in conjunction with my Kicker KQ9 9-band graphic equalizer, which offers plenty of equalization.
Well I know what y'all are thinking-- how does it sound? Well let me first say, I am coming from using an Audiovox flipout. It sounded good, but it didn't sound good. The difference the Clarion has brought is incredible. It has a much smoother, more natural sound. Thanks to the time alignment, the image is smack-dab in the middle of my dash. I still have to do some gain adjustments, but I must say I am extremely pleased with the sound. It's rich and warm, not.... mechanical and shallow like the Audiovox. Everything is very clearly pronounced and annunciated.
I almost forgot! The Music Catcher! Let me tell you- that's an incredible feature! The deck can record up to 6 full CD's worth of music at the push of a button. Very nice! Also, very east to use. Mad props to Clarion on that one.
Gripes- no major ones, really, so far. The EQ could use more bands, but it's not been a problem for me. The time alignment is in centimeters, but I just whipped out my phone and multiplied by 2.54. I could see some people not liking the touchscreen, (kind of like Glidetouch), but I love it... makes the hu extremely easy to use.
Jman Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars
