Kii Three - my impressions and pro reviews

[firedog]

Congrats. Be careful moving them around - they are very heavy and the drivers are exposed everywhere.

Let us know how you are enjoying them.

[firedog]

28 minutes ago, baconbrain said:

Also curious as to how they will sound in a 2.1 setup.

 

Interesting, especially with that sub. How are you going to do the hookup?

[firedog]

1 hour ago, baconbrain said:

 

I am going to let my Trinnov (acting as a pre-amp/streamer) handle the bass management configuration. My thinking is to allow the SW to only handle the really deep end stuff. Will certainly take some experimentation to find the appropriate crossover and filter settings.

 

If in fact, it turns out to be too much of a good thing, I can always use the SW as an attractive coffee table ..  

Okay, didn't see you have a Trinnov. Are you going to be doing DRC? Kal Rubinson reported that using DRC made little difference in his setup when evaluating the Kiis, so let us know what you find.

[firedog]

Just finishing up a long listening session with the Kiis - everything from Bach organ music to the Beatles' "Abbey Road".

I really am amazed at how good they sound, with every type of music.....

[firedog]

5 hours ago, baconbrain said:

Question regarding the Cat. 5 cable connecting the two speakers.

 

Can it be replaced by any standard Cat. 5 cable or does it have a Kii specific pinout?

I did just that. Kii confirmed they use standard cable.

[firedog]

10 hours ago, AMR/iFi audio said:

 

It's cool that you like 'em! What's the distance between you and both speakers? 

Approx 2.85m. It's a fairly small room, which is part of the reason I bought the Kiis. I can get full range reproduction (20-20k), lots of dynamics, and still not overload the room. Difficult to do with a conventional system in a room like this. 

[firedog]

10 minutes ago, jaspal kallar said:

 

How far apart are the Kii's? And, how far from the wall are the Kii's?

About  1.5 m and about 70cm from wall behind and side walls

[firedog]

Asked Kii if there is any news on the bluetooth update to the controller. This is the answer I got:

 

Quote

happy new year ;-))
Currently not, sorry. We are indeed busy with a few more features to add in a future update.

But most importantly we are working on an easy to use Software tool, which customers can download to do all firmware upgrades (Kii THREE and Control) themselves.
When this is ready it´s much easier to offer firmware updates.

 

[firedog]

Note that they also mentioned firmware updates to the Kii itself (not the controller). Good to know updates are possible and planned.

[firedog]

8 hours ago, Kelly said:

After 5 months of flawless operation, my Kii Control has stopped responding to my Apple remote. I have changed the battery and no help. I tried to imprint the remote again and the control is acting strange. If I try to scroll thru which type of remote it does not alternates between RC5 and none selected, then maybe 1 time in 10 it will show Apple. If I attempt to manually select this it just goes back to "none selected." Has anyone had any sort of erratic behavior like this? I reset the Control to Factory settings with no change. I am hoping I don't have to send it in, but I will contact my dealer tomorrow morning.

 

I should add I have tried two different Apple remotes to no avail.

Write Kii - either the info address or the address for owners. They've always responded to me with 24 hours other than weekends or if they are all at a  show (there aren't many of them). 

 

Do you have an RC5 remote to try?  

[firedog]

11 hours ago, baconbrain said:

I am building a set of power cables for my Kii’s and was wondering if anyone knows which terminal on the speaker power socket is phase? 

Can you update us about using them with the sub and Trinnov? I'm very curious.

 

 

[firedog]

When I bought the Kiis, I called Kii Audio and asked them about upsampling the feed into the Kiis and if there was an optimal samplerate to feed them. Basically the answer was no, they said Kii uses its own proprietary signal resampling which upsamples to a non-conventional rate, and does this differently for each type of incoming rate. They recommended that I  just feed the Kii the native rate of whatever I play back, even DSD.

 

I was skeptical, as I'd previously used both HQP and Roon DSP/conversion to positive effect. But so far, every time I try any outside DSP,  I find that reverting to just sending the Kii native rate sounds best - more clear, easier to hear detail, and even more apparent volume - in short, more alive. Note I am not talking about some additional room correction from outside the Kii if you find that necessary in your listening environment. 

 

I am wondering if that is just me? Anyone doing pre-processing to the Kii and finding they prefer it? If yes,  how are you altering the signal? 

[firedog]

3 hours ago, baconbrain said:

Which email address are you utilizing when contacting Kii Audio? I have written them twice via web interface and never received a reply. 

[email protected]

[email protected]

also the contact form on the web site.

I've also called the phone number. It's a small company. If they are there you get one of the principals. 

[firedog]

1 minute ago, atletico said:

I have also got extremely well support from Kii Audio. Thomas has answered my questions on mail and also help me updating  , first my Kii speakers to the latest software using TeamViewer,  and last updating also my Kii Control to v.0.3.

 

My Kii Three are made late 2016 and there was a minor issue with the speakers "automatic sleep mode", sometimes just one speaker was shutting down, this was before I got my Kii Control. The update performed from Germany using the web and TeamViewer solved this. Great Support !

Very Good to know. Mine are mid 2017 and I have had zero issues. But it is great to know that in the future we will be able to do updates and improvements.

[firedog]

Yes, I’m using the silver Apple remote and am very happy with it.  Different strokes for different folks...

But you can also use any RC5 remote. So look around and find one you like. 

I agree that it would be great if they released a wireless Devialet  type remote. 

[firedog]

2 hours ago, Evo-No-Revo said:

Thanks firedog.

 

Yes, I can definitely deal with the Apple Remote.  I just like that tactile feel.

 

I have been looking for any opinions regarding USB vs AES when listening to PCM no higher than 192kHZ.  I thought I had read that some people preferred AES but I can't seem to find anything.  Admittedly I have just scanned online and not read everything.

I’m getting a Bricasti M5  soon so I’ll be able to compare USB to AES.

[firedog]

1 hour ago, Mazza said:

Is that Apple's inexpensive little silver sliver of a remote?

Yes. You can also use any RC5 based remote if you have one you like.

[firedog]

1 hour ago, Mazza said:

i dropped a thread on the usb vs aes etc question, you might want to have a look

Where?

[firedog]

8 hours ago, baconbrain said:

Also, has anyone heard any additional rumors that Kii may release a bigger and better version of the control in the near future?

There have been various online statements (not from Kii) that a bigger and better version of the control will be  made available. One Kii dealer told me he had also heard this. Not verified by Kii, and no expected date has been published. So we don't know if it is actually coming, or if it is a project that has been dropped.

 

Kii has been saying for over a year that Bluetooth will be added to the control with a firmware update - the HW is already in the control. At last response they said they are also working on a program that will allow updates and access to the Kii remotely, and that they want to finish this before adding BT. When will it arrive? Your guess is as good as mine.
 

If there is a bigger Kii Control in the future, it would seem to make sense that it would also include wireless, but who knows? 

[firedog]

What I'd really like is a wireless volume control knob like the Devialet. 

[firedog]

6 hours ago, simonp said:

What's wrong with the little apple remote for volume and source? 

Nothing. I just prefer a solid feeling knob. I'd also prefer some indication of the volume level I can see from my listening position, even if it is only the knob position. Just me, I like having the visual feedback. I'm way past the stage where I can hope to read something the size of the numbers on the Kii Control from my listening seat.

[firedog]

 

1 hour ago, Ralf11 said:

do you use the wired remote for different source material?  or is it a set it up once and forget it type thing?

The Control isn’t really a remote.It’s more like a digital preamp/source control and gives the ability to program all the features of the Kii (if you want) without fiddling around with the rather difficult and small panel on the back of the speaker. It also enables switching between different sources. 

It can be a set and forget type device. For me it pretty much is. 

[firedog]

I use them for listening; I'm not a pro and don't do mixing. 

I can imagine people not liking them; I can't imagine someone saying they are dull, flat, and uninteresting.

They are not a "warm" speaker, buy they playback warmth if it is there; they don't create it if it isn't. They are precise and revealing, does that make them "analytical" - with the implied negative connotations? 

 

I have certainly heard conventional speakers that I thought sounded more analytical than the Kii. 

 

If a speaker is warm sounding could someone also describe it as "bloated, slow, and overly lush"? Probably. Does that make it true? 

 

You need to hear them instead of just reading about them and judge for yourself how they sound to you. You may like them or you may not. 

 

I find them very enjoyable for all types of music. 

 

The EQ can certainly change the sound. You can with the Kii Control also use EQ to change the sound in many ways, acc'd to your taste. 

[firedog]

I'm listening to the Santana song "Mother's Daughter" over the Kiis (MFSL version) as I write. Sounds properly "warm" to me. I don't know why anyone would want it "warmer".

[firedog]

If you are auditioning, you might take a look at the Dutch&Dutch 8c also.