New music and technology: March 2022
Here's what's new in music and technology this month
Chord Mojo 2 Portable DAC/Headphone Amplifier
$999
Seven years ago, UK hi-fi company Chord Electronics introduced the original Mojo portable digital to analogue converter and headphone amplifier, and it revolutionised the audio world. Suddenly, a tiny gadget could transform the signals from gadgets like phones and tablets to truly audiophile levels. Now Chord has reinvented the legendary gizmo.
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The sequel to Chord’s Mojo reinvents the humble DAC
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One major advance is the newly developed UHD DSP, which allows the user to make tone adjustments across the frequency range with absolutely no degradation in quality. Another major new feature is a menu system that includes a mute function and a button-lock control for travelling.
Other major upgrades include improved battery life and speedier charging, a new USB-C data input (along with optical and coaxial inputs and a micro-USB). But it’s the proprietary technology of the UHD DSP that’s the game-changer here.
With its extensive internal noise-shaping, Mojo 2 can deliver complete transparency by preserving the filtering of ultra-small signals. For anyone who regularly uses headphones, the Mojo 2 is a nifty piece of noise-shaping gadgetry that will truly transform music into magic. And there’s a nifty piece of storage (2TB worth!) called the Mojo 2 Poly that you can clip on as well ($1095).
Technics SA-C600 Network CD Receiver
$1899
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A one-size-fits-all network player/amp/whatever from Technics
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Technics has come up with a box that combines the power of their latest amplification smarts with the ability to stream music from any source. And for those moments when you feel like pulling out a CD for old-time’s sake, it’s got a CD player built-in too.
The ‘premium class’ network CD receiver boasts a smart and unique design, too, but one that will blend with your other Technics components. Featuring the latest digital amplification with the JENO Engine (Jitter Elimination and Noise Shaping Optimisation) found on all the latest Technics amps, the SA-C600 is especially great at resolving hi-res detail but is also clever at maintaining the soft textures in older analogue recordings.
With its twin power supply circuit system and built-in phono equaliser with its own dedicated power supply, and its clever Space Tune function that enables the adjustment of sound to suit the room and location of the gear, the SA-C600 is a fantastic piece of hybrid technology that will meet the expectations of those who don’t want to fiddle around with a lot of separate units. Stunning.
Magnepan LRS Speakers
$1999
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Magnepan’s budget LRS speakers that sound like a million bucks
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Genuine bargains are thin on the ground in the audiophile world, but Magnepan’s award-winning LRS (Little Ribbon Speaker) give the listener more than just a taste of the legendary "Maggie" sound. Looking a little like the mysterious obelisks from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the entry-level LRS speakers boast the classic Magnepan design and technology that makes the brand so iconic.
These incredibly thin (1.5-inch) loudspeakers have a sound unlike any other because of their quasi-ribbon design—where soundwaves are created by moving an ultra-light film or aluminium ribbon—which bypasses the need for conventional drivers and tweeters.
Ask any hi-fi buff and their eyes will take on a mystical expression at the mention of Magnepan speakers with their incredible high-definition imagery and seamless transparency. But the thing about the LRS is that despite its decent price, if you happen to own a top-quality amp and source components, it will truly astound. What’s not to like?
Well, Magnepan speakers are at their best on acoustic or electronic music and will bring out every little detail, but they’re not bass-heavy and won’t be good for a heavy metal fan who really likes to crank up the decibels. Everyone else should hear a pair at least once in their lives to decide for themselves.
Gramsci—The Hinterlands
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Gramsci’s new album has a big rock sound redolent of the 1980s
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Auckland-based musician Paul McLaney has pumped out dozens of albums over the past two decades under his own name, as well as The Impending Adorations and Gramsci. And that’s not to mention his pseudonymous progressive rock epic Immram: The Voyage of the Corvus Corrone, his various collaborations and all the music he’s composed for theatre productions.
Never one to be limited by genre, McLaney is nevertheless a man with a fine voice and an articulate way with the guitar, as well as superb writing ability, and The Hinterlands is an album that sees him at the top of his game. Available both digitally and as a sumptuous slab of vinyl, it’s a 1980s-influenced album of big rock tunes that sounds great and deserves to be played loud.
Die! Die! Die!—This Is Not An Island Anymore
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Another fantastic album of short, sharp, angry rants from Die! Die! Die!
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I don’t know about you, but my listening habits demand contrast. Yeah, I love cruisy summer grooves, but sometimes you’ve just got to play some really angry music to counteract the everyday frustrations of modern life. Dunedin’s Die! Die! Die! have been belting out wonderful nuggets of visceral post-punk rock since 2003, and going by their new album, This Is Not An Island Anymore, they’re just getting better and better.
Andrew Wilson’s high-pitched rants and intentionally dissonant guitar combine with Michael Prain’s full-on drumming to perfectly convey their broadsides on talkback radio and the disinformation wormholes on social media. Short, sharp, and effective as nails.
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