Monday Choon: Genix & flowanastasia - Lights, Sound, Camera, Action

Genix finds himself featured again on the blog, the last time we featured him was after the release of his EP Warehouse55. The UK DJ and producer teams up with Ukraine born vocalist flowanastasia for his latest track "Lights, Sound, Camera, Action". The track is Genux through and through with that deep bassline with techno synths coming throughout the track. It has a 90's groove undertone that gives the track that catchy feel and add on the vocals, it's another banger from his bag of tricks. I'm sure we will be hearing more from Damion following this so keep an eye and ear out for him. 

Premium Audio Company brings legendary electronic audio solution

Premium Audio Company, a subsidiary of the Voxx International Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of VOXX International Corporation ("VOXX"), is pleased to announce that audio solutions from Onkyo brands, Integra and Pioneer will soon be available for purchase for its existing network of distributors and resellers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The products will be available this fall.

In September 2021, Premium Audio Company, through its joint venture with Sharp, acquired the Onkyo and Integra brands, and, through VOXX, it established a license and distribution agreement with Pioneer Corporation. The collaboration includes all intellectual property and responsibility for product development, engineering, sales, marketing and distribution of Onkyo's Home Entertainment business. Under the joint venture, Sharp assumed all manufacturing of these products, which include a variety of A/V and stereo receivers, amplifiers and hi-fi components under the Onkyo, Integra, Pioneer and Pioneer brands. Elite.

Paul Jacobs, President and CEO of Premium Audio Company, said: "Demand for Onkyo, Integra and Pioneer products has been very strong, and we expect it to intensify in the years to come. We have been working in working closely with Sharp to increase production and have already grown our business significantly since completing the acquisition. We have big plans for Onkyo and the other brands and as we expand production and expand distribution, we believe sales will more than double in the short term."

The combination of the world's leading loudspeaker brands and the most technically sophisticated Japanese electronics brands ushers in a new era of design, innovation and performance. Premium Audio Company looks forward to creating cutting-edge products for the next 75 years, to ensuring the profitability of its partners and to enabling its customers to live their passion for entertainment.

Bucket Tech: Klipsch Fives McLaren Edition Speakers

Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, Klipsch ® , the official headphone and portable audio partner of the McLaren ® Formula 1 team, is pleased to add The Fives McLaren® Edition powered speakers to its collection of co-branded products. The speakers combine McLaren Racing’s renowned design ethos and use of advanced materials with Klipsch’s legendary high-fidelity audio and technical innovation.

Klipsch The Fives McLaren Edition powered speakers are extremely versatile, easy to set-up and use, and connect to virtually everything — including a TV via HDMI-ARC. They also include an integrated phono pre-amp, Bluetooth® wireless technology, digital optical, analog RCA, USB inputs and a subwoofer output. Klipsch The Fives McLaren Edition powered speakers feature an advanced, high efficiency DSP amplifier for high-resolution audio (192kHz/24-bit decoding) from dedicated right and left speakers, as well as the supreme strength and ultra-low mass of carbon fiber for enhanced performance. Klipsch engineers designed the high-excursion carbon fiber woofer cone from scratch to ensure maximum output with minimal cone break up for detailed, deep, dynamic bass and decreased distortion. The result is a big, bold sound stage, and a better listening experience than the common sound bar.

Other enhancements include:

• Hand painted super matte black paint finish with accents of McLaren’s signature papaya color
•  McLaren’s iconic speedmark logo
•  Signature papaya tweeters, control panel, nyylon braided speaker and power cables
• Stability pad inspired by Formula 1’s intermediate racing tire tread
•  Laser etched Klipsch | McLaren paddock garage sign

The Fives are compatible with Klipsch Connect, giving users access to customize EQ and subwoofer volume settings, dynamic bass, night listening mode, over-the-air firmware upgrades, a digital quick-start guide, and much more.

Klipsch The Fives McLaren Edition powered speakers are available for 1,499€ per pair. For more information, visit the Klipsch website.

Bucket Tech: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX

Bang & Olufsen launches Beoplay HX, a powerful and authentic sound experience with digital ANC, up to 35 hours of play time and elevated comfort, exemplifying Bang & Olufsen’s expertise in sound, design, and craftsmanship.

 “Our dedication to create the best audio products has resulted in Beoplay HX which delivers an immersive and accurate sound experience, ultimate comfort and a refined user interface to meet our customers habits, values and needs. Whether working from home, travelling for business or pleasure, escape from the noise of everyday life and revolutionize your listening experience with our new headphones”, says Bang & Olufsen SVP of Product Management Christoffer Poulsen.

OUTSTANDING SOUND

Beoplay HX offers a powerful listening experience through two custom designed 40mm speaker drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports which ensures optimal bass performance. Four dedicated microphones create an impressive call quality by utilizing advanced beamforming technology, while the battery optimization ensures up to 35 hours of play time – the equivalent of five working days of listening experience without having to recharge the battery.

Bang & Olufsen’s signature sound is further enhanced due to improved speech delivery and the listening experience is even finer and more immersive thanks to the introduction of the next generation of Digital Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation technology which cancels unwanted noise without compromising on sound quality.  Escape the everyday with Beoplay HX’s enveloping sound that transports the listener to the feeling of being at a concert with the music on full volume. Through Bang & Olufsen’s dedicated app, users can easily change sound profiles, ANC presets, while also accessing the most essential features directly on the refined headphone interface.

ULTIMATE COMFORT

Comfort is essential for wearing headphones and Beoplay HX has been designed with well-being in mind. Lightweight and designed for durability, the ergonomic design ensures that the headphones can be worn all day in total comfort for a broad variety of head sizes. This is due to the revamped headband which has a center-relief zone for long-time wear.

Crafted from authentic materials, the ear cushions are made from soft lambskin and the inner material consists of memory foam that adapts to the shape and curves of the ear for supreme comfort. The upper headband is made from cow hide with a smooth grain, while the lower headband is covered in a knitted fabric. Beoplay HX includes a form-fitting fabric case which protects the headphone and its accessories while on the move.

ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY

To further elevate the headphones, Beoplay HX has been created so that it can reach up to 35 hours of playtime which makes it one of the stand-out options in the market. It offers fast, strong, and stable connectivity through Bluetooth 5.1, Microsoft Swift Pair, Google Fast Pair and Made for iPhone (MFi). The product set-up process is convenient on both Android and Apple-devices, leading to a better and more frictionless interaction. 

ELEVATED CRAFTSMANSHIP

Known for refined Scandinavian design and craftsmanship, Bang & Olufsen have used the best materials for Beoplay HX to create the most luxurious headphones, incorporating soft leather and polished aluminum for aesthetics as well as their ability to enhance comfort, acoustics, and durability. The arm sliders are made of anodised, pearl blasted recycled aluminium with a light brushed detail in the upper part. The disc is crafted from aluminium with a diamond spin finish which is nestled within a polymer-painted recycled plastic structure, creating contrast between the alternating smooth and matte sensations.

Available in Black Anthracite, Sand, and Timber, Beoplay HX has a global three-year warranty upon registration, underlining the quality customers can expect when purchasing Bang & Olufsen headphones

Locally the Beoplay HX is priced at R9,999 and available at all B&O distributors. 

Bucket Tech: Polk Audio Monitor XT & Signature Elite Series

 

If you're into high end sound systems, Polk Audio needs no introduction to you, as they are world renowned in producing high-end speakers at affordable pricing for the purists. Polk Audio are proud to announce two additions to the Polk Audio portfolio: the all new Monitor XT and the updated Signature Elite Series. The Monitor XT provides all listeners an entry point into Polk Audio's 50 years' worth of experience building iconic loudspeakers that deliver clarity, high-output and effortless bass. The Polk Signature Elite Series is the successor of the Signature E Series which has won numerous awards, is highly regarded by industry press, and is loved by thousands of owners.

POLK MONITOR XT SERIES  

The Monitor XT Series is the latest addition to Polk’s Loudspeaker portfolio targeting consumers who want to feel confident that they are making a good purchase decision. The Monitor XT Series offers two floor-standing towers, a slim and a full center channel, two bookshelf speakers, a Dolby Atmos enabled Height Module and a 12’’ Subwoofer. The Series is compatible with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, & Auro 3D. Monitor XT’s Terylene tweeter is Hi-Res Audio certified. With playback up to 40kHz, MXT speakers create high-end energy and spaciousness you’ll not only hear but feel.

Available in Black vinyl finish, includes anti-diffraction grille.

POLK SIGNATURE ELITE SERIES 

Polk's Signature Sound goes Elite, offering music, movie and gaming with room-filling, high-resolution, cinematic sound and effortless base. Signature E has been relaunched in the global Polk portfolio to Signature Elite, this line-up now find's it place in the center of the Polk Speaker portfolio. It was designed with quality, timbre matched Polk components throughout to enable the mix and match models to build a dream home theatre or music listening environment consumers look fore. The Signature Elite Series offers three floor-standing towers, a slim and a full center channel, two bookshelf speakers and one surround speaker.

Available in Black and White finish.

Polk Audio is exclusively available via Homemation 

Bucket Tech: Michi Integrated Amplifiers

Michi adds the X3 and X5 Integrated Amplifiers each delivering the range’s hallmark of reference quality performance and exceptional value.

The Michi brand, distributed exclusively by Homemation in South Africa, have added the Michi X3 Integrated Amplifier and Michi X5 Integrated Amplifier to its portfolio of amplifiers. Michi is a flagship series of products built on the history and heritage of the legendary Rotel brand. 

Michi has already successfully created a new category in the high-end audio market by producing quality products - for sound quality, design elegance and build. Officially recognised by the P5 Preamplifier and S5 Stereo Amplifier winning the 2020 - 2021 EISA Award for HIGH-END PRE/POWER AMPLIFIER.

The Michi X3 and X5 build upon the established Michi formula of offering the best-in-class audio engineering, via the exhaustive, critical evaluation of every circuit, signal path and component in combination with the in-house development of key technologies and components.

“We are very excited about the introduction of the X3 and X5 Michi amplifiers” said Daren Orth, Chief Technology Officer of Rotel. “The X3 and X5 are a natural extension of the ground-breaking work we have achieved with the relaunch of the Michi brand. These Integrated Amplifiers represent the best of Rotel and represent nearly six decades of engineering excellence, with products manufactured to the highest quality standards and offered with unsurpassed value.”

 

Michi X3 Stereo Integrated Amplifier: R 105 990

Michi X5 Stereo Integrated Amplifier: R 145 990

 

Bucket Tech: Bowers & Wilkins Home Audio

When it comes to home entertainment sound Bowers & Wilkins needs no introduction, they have been one of the leaders in speaker system as well as speaker designs for decades. Having this knowledge and knowing the products as well as dealing in this industry, Homemation have an exciting announcement to make. 

Homemation, South Africa’s audio, cinema and home automation specialists are proud to announce that they are now the official and exclusive distributors of the exciting premium brand Bowers & Wilkins.

 “Acquiring the distribution rights for Bowers & Wilkins in Southern Africa is a real feather in our cap with this new stallion in our stable creating a natural synergy between our current proud stock of premium brands. We are now able to offer discerning South Africans prime opportunities to expand their audiovisual and home theatre horizons – all the better for immersive rides into virtual sunsets”, says Nicholas Gliksman, co-Founder of Homemation.

Bowers & Wilkins

A legacy as one of the world’s leading luxury audio brand who are committed to doing what they love: empowering music lovers to truly hear music as the artist intended, with all the passion and emotion of the original performance. Boasting a range of speakers and headphones that deliver superior audio and that have redefined the design in the categories, which are visually highly impactful. The first Bowers & Wilkins speakers were built in the 1960s and their innovation and reinvention continues, in their extensive R&D facility.

Bucket Tech: Lyngdorf Home Entertainment

When it comes to home entertainment, quality is key especially if you wanting the true sound performance of what you are listening to, whether it be music or movies. Studios spend thousands, if not millions of dollars on sound recording equipment to record in high-quality audio to give the listener the experience of being right there with them. Most of the modern day sound systems allow you to listen to audio but are you really listening to it, that is the question. You see, there are amplifiers and surround processors and then there is Lyngdorf Audio, the Danish sound technology company who lay claim to the first real digital amplifier which was developed in 1999, take quality to  a whole new level and four of their latest innovations have just arrived in South Africa. 

Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 Amplifier

The Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 provides ultimate flexibility. Its small design footprint allows it to be easily placed anywhere in the home, and the vast features offer a great variety of streaming options. All the user-friendly features you could ask for are paired with Lyngdorf Audio’s world-famous digital amplification technology and patented RoomPerfect™ room correction for the ultimate listening experience. Connect the TDAI-1120 to the HDMI (ARC) output of your television to turn the TDAI-1120 into the best sound system for your movies. Connect the TDAI-1120 to your WiFi and enjoy all the integrated streaming services.

The TDAI-1120 accepts all your media interfaces and has an advanced media player of the highest quality. Through the network or via the USB connectors, you can access your library of music via the DLNA/UPnP enabled player. All can intuitively be controlled with your smart phone, tablet, or computer.

The TDAI-1120 ships complete with RoomPerfect™, providing the ultimate listening experience. With RoomPerfect™, the TDAI-1120 delivers a perfect musical experience in all living rooms. In a nutshell, without the need for extensive acoustic treatment, you get a sound system with optimal frequency response, seamless level alignment, and bass management that perfectly integrates the speakers and subwoofers.

Priced from R61,400

Lyngdrof TDAI-3400 HDMI Amplifier

Extreme audio processing options combined with the most powerful and advanced digital amplifier technology, givea you the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, the most powerful product from Lyngdorf Audio. Through the web interface you can perform all setup and operations. The menu system allows you to tailor your setup and sound, and the digital crossover allots three individual output settings. With their proprietary RoomPerfect™ room-correction software to eliminate the negative influence of the listening room, the TDAI-3400 delivers perfect sound without the need for extensive room treatment.

A variety of inputs and outputs provide plenty of options to connect your audio and video sources as well as your speaker setup – such as seven digital inputs including a balanced AES/EBU, USB inputs connects to music stored external, two analog inputs for simple analog music sources and optional modules.

The TDAI-3400 accepts all media interfaces and features a built-in media player with the highest playback quality. Through your local network or via the USB connectors, you can access your entire library of music with the DLNA/UPnP enabled player. This media player also connects to streaming services like Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, and Airplay as well as internet radio. The TDAI-3400 supports TIDAL Connect which enables lossless audio quality with the TIDAL app as the controller.

Priced from R123,100

Lyngdorf MP-40 Surround Processor

The Lyngdorf MP-40 surround sound processor offers sonic qualities and performance in a streamlined design for smaller applications. Ease of installation and user-friendly features are complemented with a simplified feature giving you the opportunity to experience the performance that Lyngdorf Audio is famous for.

The MP-40 features 12 native channel decoding and 16 balanced audio outputs. The MP-40 offers full support of the immersive surround formats DOLBY ATMOS®, DTS:X® and AURO-3D®.

The MP-40 is equipped with Lyngdorf Audio’s proprietary RoomPerfect™ calibration technology, the world’s most sophisticated technology for adapting the sound system to the environment. The RoomPerfect™ calibration ensures a perfect surround sound experience in nearly any installation environment, reducing or even eliminating bulky bass traps and other acoustic treatment.

Priced from R228,900

Lyngdorf MP-60 Surround Processor

The Lyngdorf MP-60 is equipped with all the advanced technologies for which Lyngdorf Audio is known, including the renowned room correction system RoomPerfect and unsurpassed quality in digital signal processing.

The MP-60 features decoding and balanced outputs for 16 audio channels, with extraordinarily easy installation. With eight HDMI inputs and three outputs (one being HDBaseT), this new masterpiece from Lyngdorf Audio supports the HDMI 2.1 feature eARC, Dynamic Lip-Sync and QMS (Quick Media Switching) as well as the latest decoding and post-processing formats. Now with full 16 channel decoding, the MP-60 offers full support of the immersive surround formats DOLBY ATMOS®, DTS:X® PRO and AURO-3D®, and it delivers a surround sound experience that outmatches anything in and above its class. With a video throughput of up to 18 Gbps, the MP-60 supports the full 4K 60Hz video stream including the passing of HDR or Dolby Vision information. eARC enables a full Dolby Atmos audio bitstream being returned to the processor from the television, ensuring full audio quality from the TV’s built-in media players. The MP-60 of course also supports the pass-through of the new HDR format for streaming video: HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma).

Priced from R324,700

Lyngdorf products are exclusively available through Homemation

Bucket Seat: Mazda CX-5 DE Akera 2.2L AWD

So a few weeks back I got my first Mazda on test, venturing into the unknown since I have never driven a Mazda in my life and haven't been in the inside of one that was made in the last five years, you could say my knowledge on the brand was pretty low. I know in the past and in some aspects of the current generation, they borrow or share a lot with Ford vehicles, most notably the BT-50 bakkie and the Ranger but in terms of the other models, one really cannot tell. Anyway, I was scheduled the new all new Mazda CX-5 DE Akera 2.2L AWD, immediately I visited the website to find out what exactly I was getting, Medium size SUV, all wheel drive, 2.2L diesel engine and top of the line spec in the range, so I was looking forward to receiving this car, from the pictures and the massive billboard I pass on a daily basis of it, it looks like quite a stunner so I was counting down the days till the day I got it. 

DESIGN

The CX-5's design is a show stopper, the angles and edges to this car is like no other on the road, while form is still practical, the extrusions to this car make it that dramatic. Mazda call this design language, "Kodo" which means "Soul of Motion", the design is unmistakably Japanese, with the narrow but sharp LED headlights, large diamond like grille with flowing edges that run to the back and tie in with the rear lights which also are narrow and sharp like the front. The 19" rim dark rims really added character to the Eternal Blue colour in which I had it in. It's a joy to look at this car, and even while I had it, I did tweet that I envy the people who see me driving it because the car looks that good. Not to say the inside was bland, it too was great. In a weird way, the interior felt very German. With similarities to certain German manufacturer which they have no ties to, it was odd but for me, long as it looked good, was of good quality and worked, it was fine by me. The layout of the interior was good, with everything in its place or within arms reach of the driver. 

PERFORMANCE

Having the diesel option of the engine variants was up my alley as with medium to big SUV's, I prefer having the high torque option. Mazda say that the Skyactive-D 2.2L is clean-running and has the lowest compression ratio in the world at 14.0:1 for such an engine. This translates to less friction and inertia for higher revving and more power. The engine produces 129kW and a torque factor of 420Nm, all this power hitting all four tyres is simply magic, really lives up to their "Zoom-Zoom" motto. Though it was fun to drive and had power on demand, I did find the CX-5 very thirsty. For a 58L tank, the claimed fuel consumption is 6L/100km but I only managed about 500km on 1 tank. Granted I was heavy footed with it most of the times, I still thought it would return much better consumption. Other than that, I can't fault it, handling was excellent, cornering was great, that AWD drive really works well on all surfaces, also the engine is very quiet but has a nice grunt to it when you need that extra power.

COMFORT

With the CX-5, you're not going to run out on space, the car is well designed on the inside and gives the passengers maximum space in the cabin. The car can carry 5 grown adults in comfort, with dual climate control air-conditioning from the front passengers, and the option of heated seating with air-con vents at the back for the rear passengers. The CX-5 comes with a glass sunroof, to enjoy the views on your journey be it in the sun or in the bush. The boot space is huge and even comes with a retractable cover should you not want the contents to be in direct sunlight or keep away from prying eyes.  

TECHNOLOGY

As I said from the beginning, this was new waters for me, not knowing what Mazda have done or are doing, I had no idea what technology was going to come in this car so I was just expecting the norm, bluetooth telephone and audio at most but from what I saw, really blew me away. It offered most of the bells and whistles any luxury European manufacturer would off and in some cases, they do it better. Since I'm Indian, lets start off with the sound system, it came with a Bose speaker system, not sure how many speakers as I could only count 10 and I'm pretty sure there were more. The quality of the sound is second to none with Bose and the placement of the speakers in the cabin gave everyone, an optimal sound experience. Next up, the heads-up display, while not projecting onto the windscreen but rather a cool pop-up visor on the dash, it gave all relevant info one would need when driving. The active warning senses are damn reactive and gives sufficient warnings, for example of the car in front of you suddenly slams on the brakes. The lane departure feature was one I was very impressed with, like Ford, the steering did vibrate and sort of guide you back into your lane if it picked up that you were straying off, but while the car may not be autonomous, I did try letting go of the wheel (on an empty road) and it kept the car perfectly in lane, it did start shouting me after about 20 seconds for me to hold the wheel again though. 

VERDICT

From having not driven a Mazda to getting behind the wheel of this CX-5, colour me impressed, they seriously have blown me away with this one and I seriously underestimated the brand and I will eat a plate of humble pie for it. They really have a great vehicle in this, while this is in essence the range topping vehicle, for all the normal things it does it right. The ride comfort is great, the car goes like a dream and everything else is just a bonus if you ask me. The price isn't that bad as well, considering what you are getting.  

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.2L 4 cylinder, Skyactiv D Turbo Diesel
Gear Box	6 Speed Automatic
Power	129kW
Torque	420Nm
Fuel Comsumption	6.0L/100km
0-100kph	9.5 Seconds
Price	R561,700