The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word DIPSWITCH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
D
I
P
S
W
I
T
C
H
More clues leading to the result DIPSWITCH
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "less of a dazzler" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case less of a dazzler = dipswitch.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DIPSWITCH mean?
DIPSWITCH noun- A miniature switch designed to be attached to a circuit board to customize the behavior of the circuit.