C195 PLT HAS AN NMAC DURING CRUISE.

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I EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A C172 N OF INDEPENDENCE; KS. I WAS ON A MAGNETIC COURSE OF 160 DEGS AT 5500 FT MSL ENRTE TO INDEPENDENCE; IDP. I WAS TRYING TO LISTEN TO THE IDP WX AND WE WERE NOT RECEIVING IT VERY WELL; FORTUNATELY; MY WIFE; WHO WAS THE ONLY OTHER PAX ON BOARD AND A PVT PLT; THOUGHT THAT SHE COULD HEAR BETTER IF SHE PUT HER EAR CLOSER TO THE INST PANEL. WHEN SHE DID THIS SHE LOWERED HER HEAD AND LOOKED TO THE R; THE W; AND THEN YELLED 'AIRPLANE.' I LOOKED TO WHERE SHE WAS LOOKING AND SAW A C172 ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH US AT THE SAME ALT. I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED THE YOKE AND CLBED AGGRESSIVELY. THIS IS WHEN I BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT SIGHTED US AND HE LOOKED LIKE HE TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND DSNDED. WE BOTH CROSSED PATHS EXACTLY; BUT US BEING ABOVE AND THE OTHER ACFT BELOW. THE OTHER CESSNA WAS FLYING ENE; ALMOST 90 DEGS TO OUR ACFT. THE OTHER ACFT DID NOT HAVE STROBE LIGHTS OR WERE NOT TURNED ON. THE OTHER ACFT HAD 12 INCH N-NUMBERS WHICH COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN READ IF I HADN'T BEEN PREOCCUPIED IN AVOIDING A COLLISION. OUR ACFT HAS STROBE LIGHTS AND WERE ILLUMINATED AS WELL AS A ROTATING BEACON. OUR ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN 530 AND 430 WITH TFC INFO SYS THAT IS OPERATED THROUGH A GARMIN 330 XPONDER. UNFORTUNATELY; IT REQUIRES BEING IN RANGE WITH AN APCH RADAR TO PROVIDE TA'S; WHICH WE WERE NOT. OUR ACFT IS ALSO A COLOR WHICH USUALLY OTHER ACFT CAN SPOT FROM SOME DISTANCE. BOTH THE OTHER ACFT AND OURSELVES WERE AT THE CORRECT ALT FOR THE MAGNETIC COURSE THAT WE WERE ON. THE OTHER ACFT DID HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.