Just looking at Clarions new range of head units and they look OK, but the specs from the "5" series upward look really quite impressive.

What do you guys think as a source unit for a really good setup?

Clicky here to see them

So they've changed the name of the HX-D2 Is there gonna be a HX-D3?

Thats the US site, and they have always called it the DRZ9255

The latest I've heard regarding Clarion's 2007 range is that it will be released in around 4-6 weeks. I was told to start checking the US website around this time as Australia is getting most of the new decks released for the US market. Oh, I was also told the HX line will have some new models added.

I quite like their looks and the fact they have usb. But the eq still sucks bum and the higher end models don't have a rotary volume control.

These past couple of years I think Clarion have gone downhill with their decks. I'll stick with my 835mp.

I wonder what new models the HX line will have.

In terms of price, features and ease of usability i think the Blaupunkt Bremen is a brillant deck.

I'm not talking about rotary volume controls etc...

But 6v, 24Bit DAC, Time correction, Parametric Eq etc...

Looks like they might be a very good unit.
Compare to the new Alpine range for example...they look to be a really good range.
IMO, the Clarion seem to be getting alot better and the Alpine going to s*#t

I've had my Clarion 835mp since 2003 and i think Clarion was best in their own mainstream decks during this 2000's period. It has 4v, 24 bit dac, 3 band parametric eq, dedicated sub level control, but no t/a

The years that followed bass and treble control, no t/a and a lousy 'music catcher'.
The current 06 highest dxz headunit has what...2 band para eq, 24 bit, 4v and nice looking screen.

I'm personally a big fan of rotary volume control. I've done push button volume control before, never doing that again.

I agree with you Essque that Clarion are improving but over the competition they are slighty lacking in terms of features. Sonic characteristic wise, thats hard to say until you do direct comparisons with other decks.

24bit DAC doesn't mean anything since CD is only 16bit.
96kHz DAC doesn't mean anything since CD is 14.4kHz.

what about the type of DAC - SA, SD, SM... etc. and Oversampling. That's what matters for CD's.
My old Pioneer unit was 24bit96kHz Burr-Brown DAC, but was a VERY basic DAC (read cheap) and only used at 8xFS 16bit/14.4kHz. Suffice to say I stopped using it for SQ.
Much better for a DSP/EQ in the H/U to upsample to at least 24Bit, and then use a higher FS for oversampling in the DAC. And it's not that much dearer for a real DAC.

The problem is that they can sell the unit $10 cheaper with the average internals and 99% of people don't know or care.

Mmmm indeed, Snazzy stuff they have this year

There goes my paychecks!



"Apparently" there is going to be a HXD3 but clarion are holding out to sell all HXD2s before releasing the "D3"

Which sucks

rotary dial needed, i dont know why anyone would pay big money for a sq unit without T/A like the 3rd one? 2nd one has no rotary dial either?.
It would be more ideal to get a h/u with awesome SQ and a processor rather than pay $1300 usd (1st one) , which is the only hu i would get.........cors