# DRZ9255 Mini review



## Mr Burns (Sep 9, 2007)

I just replaced my Alpine DVA9861 with the Clarion DRZ9255. The Alpine was connected to an RF 3Sixty.2 for processing duties. The rest of my system consists of:

Alpine PDX 4.150
Alpine PDX 1.1000
Hertz Mille MLK 165 comps
Hertz HBX 300DS 12" Sub.

Did I notice enough of an improvement, to keep me from crying like a baby over the expense of replacing a perfectly good deck?
Thankfully, yes.
I'm not going to talk about any of the processing features, as there are other reviews on here that did that very well. I just wanted to give my personal, subjective, opinion on the sound quality.
The first thing I noticed was an improvement in clarity, and detail. It was as if a very thin film of clear plastic were removed from a picture and you could now see the details more clearly, The colours a little more distinctly. That's the best way I can describe it. 
There is a noticeable improvement in the "highs". Cymbals have more shimmer, and sparkle, with no trace of harshness. I hear details in the snare drum hits that I didn't notice with the Alpine. 
The midbass is much more controlled, tighter I guess. I played a couple of tracks from a Seal CD that I always found to be muddy in the bass and midbass, which I attributed to the recording, or my speakers. Through the DRZ, the bass was controlled, and distinct, no muddiness at all. It's the first time I actually enjoyed listening to that CD, in my truck.
The staging and imaging is also much better. With my other decks I always felt more of a sense of right, left and center imaging. With this HU I don't feel a sense of empty space between the right, left and center, more cohesive. The instruments seem to be exactly where they should be. 
Depth of the soundstage is more noticeable also.
Don't get me wrong, the DVA9861 is a pretty nice sounding HU, and was half the price of the DRZ, but there is, IMHO, a noticeable improvement with Clarion.


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## Mr Burns (Sep 9, 2007)

I should mention that when I initially hooked up the DRZ, I ran it through the 3Sixty with the same settings as the Alpine had. There was no processing from the DRZ. I wanted to compare them under the same circumstances. Since this is my first review it may not be the best, and I certainly will try to answer any questions anyone may have.


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## buchaja (Nov 10, 2007)

What kind of truck, and where are your speakers installed? Thanks.


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## Mr Burns (Sep 9, 2007)

Ford F150 2005,

Mids are in stock door locations, on MDF baffles. Tweeters are in the "A" pillars.


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## Inferno333 (Mar 29, 2006)

Your review makes me pretty happy.

I've been looking for a reason to sell my 8053 and get a 9255.


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## michaelsil1 (May 24, 2007)

My DRZ got a little better after a short break-in period.


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## buchaja (Nov 10, 2007)

Mr Burns said:


> Ford F150 2005,
> 
> Mids are in stock door locations, on MDF baffles. Tweeters are in the "A" pillars.


Hmm, same truck, same year. And, I want that DRZ. Great minds think alike I guess!

Pics please, if you can. I mostly want to see the tweeter install in the pillars.


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