Clarion FZ409 MP3/WMA/AAC Receiver with USB Port
- AM/FM radio, MP3/WMA/AAC, USB, iPod receiver
- 4 x 50 Watts maximum power with three RCA pre-amp outputs
- Multi-line, touch-sensitive OEL display shows buttons relevent to current task
- Includes rear auxiliary input, USB port, direct iPod control; add Clarion interface for SAT radio, Bluetooth, OEM steering wheel remote
- One-year limited warranty
Product Description
2 Line OEL Full Dot Matrix LCD Display ¿Touch Screen¿ Operation Rear 3.5mm Stereo Mini-Jack Auxiliary Input with Level Control Rear USB Port with iPod Direct Connect iPod Audio/Video Control (CCA723 and Monitor Sold Separately) CeNET Sirius Satellite Radio or XM Satellite Radio Ready Bluetooth Interface Ready OEM Steering Wheel Remote Interface Ready Magna Bass EX Beat EQ High and Low Pass Filters 200 Watts (50 Watts X 4) 6 Channel / 2 Volt RCA Output Remote Control Optional.Amazon.com Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description If you’ve given up CDs for the convenience and economy of MP3, WMA or AAC files, then Clarion’s future-forward FZ409 is for you. Why bother carrying around CDs if you’ve already ripped them to your PC anyway? The FZ409 does away with the standard CD player and instead offers a USB port for direct control of your iPod or streaming of your digital audio files from a USB device. Connect your iPod or thumb drive and enjoy hours of music and a clean touch-sensitive interface. Expand your options by adding SAT radio or Bluetooth, connecting your steering wheel remote, or adding more power via the three preamp outputs. And if you really want to spin a scratched-up old CD, connect a portable player to the unit’s auxiliary input.
Cutting-edge features and looks to match. Click to enlarge. |
Touch sensor operation with only the buttons you need displayed. |
Connect your iPod directly and enjoy the tunes. |
Stream music from USB devices. |
Includes wireless remote. |
Sleek Touch-Sensitive Front Panel
The FZ409 features a clean, multi-line OEL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) display that responds to your touch. Only the buttons you need for your current task are displayed, so there’s less fumbling for the right button.
Digital–Not Physical–Media
The FZ409 plays MP3, WMA and iTunes AAC Compatible files directly from USB devices, complete with ID3-TAG display for track information like artist and song title.
AM/FM Radio
No matter how futuristic everything else gets, sometimes you just want to listen to the radio. Store your favorite radio stations on the 18 FM and six AM presets.
Bluetooth Ready
Keep your cell phone or Bluetooth Audio enabled playback device safe and sound in your pocket or purse while enjoying crystal-clear sound through optional BLT370 Bluetooth transceiver.
Direct USB iPod Control and USB Audio Streaming
No adapter box required. Just connect the USB cable that’s included with your iPod to the Clarion source unit’s rear USB input and you get complete control of your iPod including genre/album/song title search using iPod’s control wheel, with high quality sound reproduction through the car speakers. The same connection can also be used to play back audio files stored on USB memory.
What’s more, using the optional CCA723 iPod video cable and additional monitor, your passengers can enjoy iPod video.
BBE MP for Better Sounding MP3/WMA/AAC Files
BBE MP (Minimized Polynomial Non-Linear Saturation) Process improves digitally compressed sound such as MP3/WMA/ AAC by restoring the harmonics that are lost through compression, thereby reproducing the warmth, details and nuances that you would otherwise miss. BBE MP enhanced harmonics even serve to make regular CDs sound better.
Beat EQ for User Customizable Sound
In addition to providing 3 preset equalization patterns–BASS BOOST, IMPACT, and EXCITE–Clarion’s BeatEQ even lets you freely customize the level and range of the bass, midrange and treble portions of each pattern. You can tune the sound to your liking, depending on the category of music, for a more fulfilling listening experience.
Auxiliary Input
With a rear auxiliary input, it’s easy to plug-in a portable audio device, portable satellite radio, or other external audio gadgets (yes, including CD players) for instantaneous enjoyment.
Built-in High Pass/Low Pass Crossovers
Crossover settings of 50Hz, 80Hz and 120Hz are available, letting you optimize the signal for high or low frequency reproduction when a subwoofer or tweeters are part of the system.
Ready to Expand
The FZ409 gives you a 50W x 4 built-in amplifier to begin with, but if you’d like to add additional power to your system, three RCA preamp outs are provided.
It’s also ready for an OEM steering wheel remote or XM/SIRIUS satellite radio.
Remote Control Included
Control the action with the included wireless remote.
What’s in the Box
Clarion FZ409, trim ring, wiring harness, remote control, installation hardware, owner’s manual, installation guide.
Comments (3)
First off, this isn’t my first first USB reciever. I purchased a JVC system for myself and loved it. My parents wanted something similar since they’re now mostly using ipods but they didn’t need quite all of the features of the JVC so this unit looked attractive. So, I bought a par – one for my father and one for my mother. They arrived the day before Christmas Eve and on Christmas Eve we installed the first. The radio worked fine and sounded great. We then tried to connect an ipod via the ipod’s USB dock cable (…which the unit is supposed to support) and the Clarion acknowledged it’s presence. From the Clarion’s display you could see the song title, artist, and you could even search through playlists, albums, etc. They only problem is that no sound comes out of the speakers. On the setup menu there’s an option for “digital” which is what it should be set to in order to get sound through the USB input of the unit. That’s what we had it set to but still nothing. We checked and double checked. With my JVC I just installed it, plugged in my ipod and it worked. Since we had two we tried the second unit thinking we just got a lemon. The second unit was the same story. To confirm it wasn’t an ipod issue we tried a file on a thumb drive. Same story, everything appeared to work but no sound out of the speakers. Again, the radio functioned properly and sounded great but the USB sources had no audio what so ever. Luckily the ipod nano I bought from Amazon atleast worked ok, otherwise this Christmas would’ve been a bust as far as my gifts to my parents goes. Looks like I’ll be having to deal with customer service the Monday after Christmas. I guess I should’ve bought locally. Avoid this unit…
Rating: 1 / 5
If you have done away with most of your cd’s and don’t wanna waste time creating mp3 cds then this is the stereo for you. This Clarion is a great example of sleekness, and simplicity. The sound is great with my infinity speakers and it does everything i need. Works perfectly with my iphone and charges it as well. Also works great with a thumb drive. There are no buttons, everything is touch sensitive. I purchased this to replace a Pioneer that had a knob that moved everywhere except where i needed it too. I was looking for something simple without a lot of buttons and no cd player and this head unit definitely delivers! There’s 2 things I wish it had; a removable faceplate and changing display colors.
Rating: 5 / 5
The Good: Nice options (internal amp on/off, HPF and LPF, USB interface and 1/8″ jack interface in the rear, front/rear/subw preamp outs, good power). The unit has a clean look when turned off.
The Bad:
From an ergonomic standpoint, this unit does not completely succeed. Regarding the touch-sensitive controls, there is no positive tactile feedback that, for instance, smartphone designers have tried so hard to emulate on their touchscreens. Also, there is a reason that most factory stereos include large dials and big buttons. Because of these shortcomings, I found myself trying to make sure I was hitting the correct button by looking at the unit more often, instead of the road. Also, the unit did not always respond to my finger presses, as a normal button-based interface does.
The following quotes are from the description of the interface:
“Only the buttons you need for your current task are displayed, so there’s less fumbling for the right button.” There is more fumbling because of the reasons stated above.
“…multi-line OEL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) display that responds to your touch” This phrase is misleading, because you cannot touch the display itself, you have to touch the up/down sliders that are vaguely close to the corresponding icons in the display. A larger display would help this problem as well as the next issue: The OEL display is too small to see. For a unit with no CD slot and fewer buttons than most other DIN untis, there is wasted real estate that could be used to make the display bigger. It is difficult to read some items from the driving position, such as the top row that shows folder number/track number.
Rating: 3 / 5
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