9 replies to this topic

[Captn_Awesome]

I'd been looking around for a new head unit for a while. My list of features I wanted was pretty much out side of any HU on the market.

Primarily I was looking at Alpine units as I've pretty much always been an Alpine fan boy but for DVD, Screen, Ipod and bluetooth HFK I was looking at a retail of in the region of $2400 - thats a bit of a hard pill to swallow even at street prices/mate rates.

Now, as many of the Vic guys know, one of my best mates is a rep for Clarion so naturally he was trying to twist my arm to purchase a clarion unit. I resisted for ages until I found out the features Vs price and I have to admit for touchscreen, DVD, bluetooth and full speed ipod control for $1850 RRP it was a pretty attractive package. But being a fussy bloke i wasnt that easily convinced - that was until I saw the Nav unit ($1428 RRP to suit) whilst quite an expencive nav option - the interface kicks ass!
The other thing that I love is the fact that the reverse camera input is just a standard composite input so I'll accept any camera (yay for jaycar cameras! $299 for reverse sensors and camera which overlays a distance over the image on the monitor!).

So added to the fact that my boss gave me a budget of $1000 for a new hands free kit and headunit the decision to purchase the VX709a was almost a no brainer (as it ment I had to reach into my pocket the least!)

Am I happy? Well the unit was installed over the weekend and thus far I'm pretty chuffed. The interface is nice easy to use and very responsive (something I was nervous about as some of the early touch screens I played with there seemed to be a bit of a delay responding to touch commands) Sound quality of the in built amp to my stock 6" nissan OEM paper dual cones is more than acceptable. Bluetooth HFK is fantastic (keeping in mind that the phone book from my iPhone doest transfer)

Dislikes. No rotary volume - hey cant have everything
Unit sometimes thinks that the iPhone is a Bluetooth media device rather than a phone and tries to use it to stream media. No big deal just a matter of switching it back. Only happens when you first hop in the car and turn the ignition on other wise its fine.

Things I would've liked - graphic EQ rather than parrametric and time correction would've been nice. But for me no big issue. If it was an issue I'd probably look to using a 360 or a bitone.

Over all I've very impressed with the unit and its got me back interested in Car Audio so I might even add some amps and decent speakers from my collection soon!

[sidecar44]

Ive fitted the VZ509A to the bus and gave it a quick power up over the weekend.

Big thumbs up to Clarion
Hows your goin now Kirk? got it sussed out?

Edited by sidecar44, 28 April 2010 - 08:59 AM.

[Captn_Awesome]

Yeah absolutely love it.
Bluetooth is perfect - it actually works BETTER than the OEM bluetooth in my old mans $115k+ 2009 TDV8 RR sport.
The phonebook issue with the iphone is annoying but this unfortunately is more the phones issue than the HFK.
I just bought a cheap reverse camera and reverse sensor kit for it so looking forward to adding that to the system.
I've pulled out amps and speakers - I just need to find some time to do an install.

Over all I'd recommend this unit to pretty much any one looking for an all in one unit who doesnt require time alignment and graphic EQ. Those features would be nice - but I can live without them.

A few querks with it - being a diesel I have to allow the glow plugs the warm up or the old bus doesnt start up - this sometimes causes a "glitch in the matrix" and the bluetooth doesnt properly connect - this is simple to resolve when it happens - but mildly annoying when you dont realise. The other thing is that it sees the iphone as a bluetooth streaming audio source and as such every time you turn the car on it changes from FM or CD/DVD to bluetooth - this actually does piss me off and I hope that clarion rectify this in future. Though I have been told this is partially an issue with the 3G-S iPhones and a few brands units have the same issue.
Another glitch with it is that I have the illumination wire hooked up - but I always drive with my headlights on so it always dims the screen - fortunately it has an option to control this manually. However this presents a problem in the fact that if you set it to say day then for what ever reason then turn the lights off then back on again it reverts back to "auto" and re-dims the screen. Like wise if you switch the car off (which being that I drive a noisy as all buggery nissan patrol I do when I travel through a drive through as people on the other end of the "talking box" cant hear me over the engine noise other wise.) the same thing happens. Not a big issue - but a bloody annoying one.

Looking forward to adding the nav unit when my funds free up though.

I would definately recomend this unit though. Definately worth the $!

[Captn_Awesome]

just adding to this - my boss is so impressed with the unit he is concidering fitting two of our other company vehicles with clarion head units purely for the convenience of BT handsfree. The audio clarity achived with the Clarion (even in my noisy old bus) is pretty gosh darn impressive. I can conduct business from the car more efficiently than with my previous handsfree kit as I can understand callers and they can understand me so we spend no time repeating ourselves to be understood.

For example the other day I was able to negotiate price and delivery on a 40tonne steel order with one of my merchants from my car in traffic heading home on a friday night - thats something I wouldnt have dreamed off with my old kit as the chances of being misunderstood were too great. I also would have to suggest that I'm driving a lot better as well as I'm able to concentrate on the road 100% as talking on the HFK is like talking to someone sitting in the passenger seat - a far cry from what I was previously putting up with!

Unfortunately these days I spend more time on my phone whilst driving than listening to music - so hands free quality is something that I've noticed and been impressed by the most. As such this is why I've been harping on about it.

[sidecar44]

Do you know what the illumination wire does when not connected?as Im cant connect mine due to the bus lighting being 24v.
I could use a 24 to 12 5amp convertor but I cant see it being to much of a prob as I have to wait 15-25 mins for the bus to warm up and air build up aswell so I got time to fiddle:)
As I still use the trusty old Nokia 2610 bluetooth isnt an issue yet but I dare say Ill get a newer phone soon through work,hopefully a basic Nokia with a colour screen..........a flash one eh!

Im looking at setting up a 2 cam set-up one for each internal luggage bay,Im looking around atm for some type of video splitter.
Got the 4 cam setup working over the weekend for the rear facing external views,hence why I didnt use the reverse cam on the Clarion for that.

Edited by sidecar44, 28 April 2010 - 06:38 PM.

[HISPL]

Ilumination wire is only used to dim the light intensity of the buttons/controls on the deck when the headlights are turned on, you could have a manual switch wired up if you find the button/control lights a little too bright at night.

[sidecar44]

I had an idea of feeding the dimmer wire into a dimmer switch with a power feed to the other side of switch.

Ive got a Redarc SMF10 feeding a Narva Fused Distro for the 12v stuff and could take a positive feed from there to the other side of the dimmer.....should work???

[Captn_Awesome]

Sidey could you not use a 24V relay with the 12V switched. You obviously have 12V nearby for the unit any way? Im just not sure if illumination is pos or neg switched?

HISPL I have though about just wiring in a switch on the illumination wire to get around my issues - the other thing I've looked at is fitting a redarc ignition on lights on device and then using the actual lighting switch on the stork as the switch for dash illumination. Meh no big deal - just an annoyance.

Sidey The nokia phone book xfers to the unit so a newer nokia with bluetooth would be ideal if you have any say in it - even better would be a NextG phone with external antenna port - youd have range for miles!

[Gozza]

Nice write up, needs pictures though!

How different is the VX709a to this one?

VZ709a

[sidecar44]

apart from 1 being a double din and the other single I think they are the same unit,in regards to the specs they are.