Kii Three - my impressions and pro reviews

[Saburo]

8 minutes ago, Bernstein said:

Hi guys,

 

I have the KIIs at home since a week and hear sometimes a ping or click noise (once) during warmup or cooldown of the KIIs. I mean I also sometimes experienced this with amps and other devices and I think due to the construction of the KIIs (plastic combined with metal parts with different thermal expansion rate + Metal Parts which also act as heatsinks and get hot) this should be normal and shouldn’t worry me. It happens on both so...

But it does worry me (I am a emotional 😭 guy and sometimes irrational) and sometimes to hear from someone else that this is normal can help to have peace of mind  

 

there were reports of repeat clicking sounds (electronic) audible w/o signal or during soft passages, not related to thermal heat expansion/contraction or anything mechanical. the culprit was software based and audible. Anyone else experienced or heard of this?

[Bernstein]

1 minute ago, Saburo said:

 

there were reports of a clicking sound (electronic) audible w/o signal or during soft passages, not related to thermal heat expansion/contraction or anything mechanical. the culprit was software based and audible. Anyone else experienced or heard of this?

Mine is I think thermal...regarding the other noise: sometimes Roon also can play games  or a SW update can help. 

[phosphorein]

1 hour ago, Bernstein said:

Mine is I think thermal...regarding the other noise: sometimes Roon also can play games  or a SW update can help. 

I think I’ve heard this as well. It’s generally minor and a random occurrence and likely due to thermal expansion. No worries I expect.

[ragwo]

4 hours ago, Bernstein said:

Mine is I think thermal...regarding the other noise: sometimes Roon also can play games  or a SW update can help. 

I've heard the same noises and has concluded that it's thermal. I thought it was my television though. I'm not worried. 

[Saburo]

no worries? i've heard this is an actual issue and owners in the US have sent their speakers in for warranty work over it. The dealer I purchased my set from (former US dist) says it indeed was a problem but was solved (?) with later units. I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy from responders here, seems like it's still is an issue. I don't have a  lot of time on my pair so I can't say i've heard the clicking as I spend the majority of time listening to my primary system which is analog based. 

[fpalm69]

FWIW:  Tonight while navigating the Roon page I heard a clicking/thumping sound and realized it was my mouse pointer making a sound when it hovered over certain headings on the page.  I went into my Windows Control Panel under mouse pointer and made sure sounds were turned off.  That took care of it.  The above mentioned click may be something different as mine was not while playing music, just a paused screen.

[firedog]

7 hours ago, Bernstein said:

Hi guys,

 

I have the KIIs at home since a week and hear sometimes a ping or click noise (once) during warmup or cooldown of the KIIs. I mean I also sometimes experienced this with amps and other devices and I think due to the construction of the KIIs (plastic combined with metal parts with different thermal expansion rate + Metal Parts which also act as heatsinks and get hot) this should be normal and shouldn’t worry me. It happens on both so...

But it does worry me (I am a emotional 😭 guy and sometimes irrational) and sometimes to hear from someone else that this is normal can help to have peace of mind  

If it's only during warmup or cooldown I wouldn't worry about it; if it starts happening when music is playing - that's something else and I'd contact Kii or my dealer. 

[ragwo]

2 hours ago, Saburo said:

no worries? i've heard this is an actual issue and owners in the US have sent their speakers in for warranty work over it. The dealer I purchased my set from (former US dist) says it indeed was a problem but was solved (?) with later units. I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy from responders here, seems like it's still is an issue. I don't have a  lot of time on my pair so I can't say i've heard the clicking as I spend the majority of time listening to my primary system which is analog based. 

Haven't heard about the issue before, but if it's an actual fault I have to talk to my dealer. The speakers have just been serviced, and I'm not looking forward to the possibility of another 4 months without them. 

[firedog]

26 minutes ago, ragwo said:

Haven't heard about the issue before, but if it's an actual fault I have to talk to my dealer. The speakers have just been serviced, and I'm not looking forward to the possibility of another 4 months without them. 

Again, if it's only during boot up or cool down I don't think it is unusual or meaningful. If it isn't happening for you, why worry about a situation that doesn't exist?

And if your speakers have just been serviced and need to be again, then your dealer should get you some kind of loaner. 

[Bernstein]

7 minutes ago, firedog said:

Again, if it's only during boot up or cool down I don't think it is unusual or meaningful. If it isn't happening for you, why worry about a situation that doesn't exist?

And if your speakers have just been serviced and need to be again, then your dealer should get you some kind of loaner. 

It happens only in warm up/cool down I think And not everytime (depends I suppose on the volume you drive them and how fast they heat up). And it is thermal (metal expanding). Sound is clear as hell  

 

[Blade1001]

38 minutes ago, Bernstein said:

It happens only in warm up/cool down I think And not everytime (depends I suppose on the volume you drive them and how fast they heat up). And it is thermal (metal expanding). Sound is clear as hell  

 

 

Does the sound come from the speakers drivers themselves, or from the cabinet?

[Bernstein]

Just now, Blade1001 said:

 

Does the sound come from the speakers drivers themselves, or from the cabinet?

Cabinet. Experienced it also from near. Sometimes very low in noise, sometimes louder. „Metal pling“. Only happens once on each loudspeaker I think. 
 

Doesn't it happen with yours? I hear it, when listening at night with low volume. When playing normal volumes or louder, it doesn't matter

[Blade1001]

8 minutes ago, Bernstein said:

Cabinet. Experienced it also from near. Sometimes very low in noise, sometimes louder. „Metal pling“. Only happens once on each loudspeaker I think. 
 

Doesn't it happen with yours? I hear it, when listening at night with low volume. When playing normal volumes or louder, it doesn't matter

 

Mine aren’t set up yet - currently stripped for painting. 

 

There is a lot of aluminium in these speakers. Not only the exterior panels you can see, but each amp and DSP board sits on a thick aluminium plate which is bolted to the case (four in total). Aluminium expands and contracts a lot with changes in temperature, so I think maybe a thermal expansion click or two is to be ‘anticipated’ (though obviously not desired). Do you keep your speakers switched on (in standby) all the time?

 

If the noise was coming from the drivers then I’d be more worried I think, as that would be more likely to suggest an electronic fault. Though even then, if you’ve ever heard a tube amp warming up, it sets a high bar for odd noises!

[Bernstein]

I only have them on while listening and turn them off after. I mean it doesn’t happen everytime (or I don’t hear it everytime), but it happens. But if it happens once, then it doesn’t appear again (even over hours of use e.g. 6-8). Only then in cool down after turning them off, but also not reliable: sometime it happens and sometimes not. In studio environment they keep the KII on all the time, so it wouldn’t be noticeable even if it happens once. 
 

PS: I am the pickiest guy I ever encountered....😐

[baconbrain]

13 hours ago, Bernstein said:

Hi guys,

 

I have the KIIs at home since a week and hear sometimes a ping or click noise (once) during warmup or cooldown of the KIIs. I mean I also sometimes experienced this with amps and other devices and I think due to the construction of the KIIs (plastic combined with metal parts with different thermal expansion rate + Metal Parts which also act as heatsinks and get hot) this should be normal and shouldn’t worry me. It happens on both so...

But it does worry me (I am a emotional 😭 guy and sometimes irrational) and sometimes to hear from someone else that this is normal can help to have peace of mind  

 

Pls disregard, my browser was not up-to-date content wise.

[Bernstein]

No just metallic pling. Have them on since morning and no pling 😀 

[Bernstein]

@phosphorein @ragwo

Thanks! So this seems to be „normal“ if you also experience it. 

[baconbrain]

22 minutes ago, Bernstein said:

@phosphorein @ragwo

Thanks! So this seems to be „normal“ if you also experience it. 

 

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to ask Kii what they think? I do not recall my set ever making a metallic pling noise ...

[Bernstein]

2 minutes ago, baconbrain said:

 

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to ask Kii what they think? I do not recall my set ever making a metallic pling noise ...

It’s sometimes like a click...

[baconbrain]

3 minutes ago, Bernstein said:

It’s sometimes like a click...

The guys at Kii Audio should be able to say if it is normal or not. They are usually very quick to respond and have always provided me with excellent support. 

[Bernstein]

1 hour ago, baconbrain said:

The guys at Kii Audio should be able to say if it is normal or not. They are usually very quick to respond and have always provided me with excellent support. 

I already mailed them - just wanted to know what your experience is. It is not that annoying, but occasionally present. 
 

Other than that, I had a really cool KII moment today. They totally sound “analog” to my ears. Really cool!

[Yellowspider]

Hello @ all,

I´m Steve from Germany and Kii Three owner since May 2019. The Kiis are painted in magma red metallic and I´m using the original stands as well as the Kii control. Digital source is an Auralic Aries with external Sbooster powersupply, connected via USB port. Analog equippement is Platine Verdier with Graham Phantom Tonearm, Zyx cartridge, amplified by Einsteins Turntables Choice.

Actually I´m using Groneberg power cables and in front of that a PS Audio P10.
Standard ethernet cables.

Sound is very resolved without being harsh or edgy.
The Speakers are positioned 5,3 ft from front wall,  2,8 ft from side walls, distance between speakers and listening position to speakers 8,5 ft (distances measured from center front of speaker)

I´ve had major problems with room modes at 95Hz, 50 Hz, 27 Hz with my passive systems in this room. Now it is much better by using the boundary control (set up to 6) But still those modes are existing. An implemented equalizer / notch filtes would be great to eliminate the last boomy notes.
 

Some of my favourites for the Kii Three Tidal Playlist:
Philippe Chretien - Le chat noir
Susanne Abbuehl - Bathyal
markusphilippe - Pink Panther
Felix Laband - Falling Off A Horse
Susan Weinert - Die Kraniche

BartolomeyBittmann - Glockenturm
Carolin No - Waters run deep

 

Greetings from Germany

Steve

 

[Bernstein]

21 hours ago, Bernstein said:

I already mailed them - just wanted to know what your experience is. It is not that annoying, but occasionally present. 
 

Other than that, I had a really cool KII moment today. They totally sound “analog” to my ears. Really cool!

It is considered normal and will decrease/be eliminated in 3-4 weeks of break in of all components. 

[Bernstein]

2 hours ago, Bernstein said:

[Bernstein]

11 hours ago, Yellowspider said:

Hello @ all,

I´m Steve from Germany and Kii Three owner since May 2019. The Kiis are painted in magma red metallic and I´m using the original stands as well as the Kii control. Digital source is an Auralic Aries with external Sbooster powersupply, connected via USB port. Analog equippement is Platine Verdier with Graham Phantom Tonearm, Zyx cartridge, amplified by Einsteins Turntables Choice.

Actually I´m using Groneberg power cables and in front of that a PS Audio P10.
Standard ethernet cables.

Sound is very resolved without being harsh or edgy.
The Speakers are positioned 5,3 ft from front wall,  2,8 ft from side walls, distance between speakers and listening position to speakers 8,5 ft (distances measured from center front of speaker)

I´ve had major problems with room modes at 95Hz, 50 Hz, 27 Hz with my passive systems in this room. Now it is much better by using the boundary control (set up to 6) But still those modes are existing. An implemented equalizer / notch filtes would be great to eliminate the last boomy notes.
 

Some of my favourites for the Kii Three Tidal Playlist:
Philippe Chretien - Le chat noir
Susanne Abbuehl - Bathyal
markusphilippe - Pink Panther
Felix Laband - Falling Off A Horse
Susan Weinert - Die Kraniche

BartolomeyBittmann - Glockenturm
Carolin No - Waters run deep

 

Greetings from Germany

Steve

 

Do you use roon? Roon has a powerful EQ in which you can setup a lot of things! 
 

Best regards from Munich