Kii Three - my impressions and pro reviews

[firedog]

3 hours ago, KunterK said:

Based on the views here, I started experimenting on the remote's usb input as opposed to the XLR digital. Sounds promising. Anyone experienced burn-in on the remote USB? Should I expect change in sound in the times to come?

 

Feeding directly from the USB output of Nucleus.

 

I have a similar setup, and haven't been able to pin down consistently identifiable non sighted improvements with streamers, USB decrappifiers, etc. the Kii Control USB. I therefore concluded there wasn't a reason to use any of them, and ended that aspect of audiophilia nervosa for my self. I enjoy not being concerned with it. I found the same with AES digital.

 

You may find something different in your setup; I will be interested in hearing your findings.

[H665]

After an A/B demo I ended up taking a new streamer home. For me there was an audible difference between my old streamer (Linn Majik DSM) and the new one. Better transients,  better control in the low frequencies and a more engageing musical experience( for lack of a better expression). Is it a night and day difference? No, but see it as the icing on the cake. And whenever I get goosebumps I’m sold😁 And the fact that the new streamer can be used as a Roon server also spoke in its favor.

 

My old Linn is coax out only and the new one USB so that might not be a fair comparison. However I did hear another USB streamer and it sounded distinctly different. Whether better or not is more a matter of personal taste (and wallet)  but it was also better than the Linn in terms of musicality.

 

[Yellowspider]

Don´t post this on the Linn Forum. Which Streamer could be better than Linn? :-)

 

But it would be nice to hear, which model you are now using.

 

I´ve had a Linn Klimax DS. No Digital Out. Tried it via AES. This was not my cup of tea. And i need the AES input for my phonopre. So the Linn went away...

[H665]

2 hours ago, Yellowspider said:

Don´t post this on the Linn Forum. Which Streamer could be better than Linn? 🙂

 

But it would be nice to hear, which model you are now using.

 

 

I moved from a fully activ Linn system (Majik DSM, C6200, Miso’s) to Kii. It’s a good bit of kit but the move to Exakt would have cost me as much as my demo Kii’s. So I sold off all but the DSM. Linn is good as a total system. As individual components...mwah. Needs very careful matching imo.

 

I purchased an ex demo streamer from a small Dutch company, Audio Aan Zee. Custom built with mostly off the shelf components and a bit of tweaking here and there.

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review/digital-reviews/music-server-reviews/audioaanzee-reference-flow-music-server-part1/

[Yellowspider]

Thx

[baconbrain]

4 hours ago, H665 said:

I moved from a fully activ Linn system (Majik DSM, C6200, Miso’s) to Kii. It’s a good bit of kit but the move to Exakt would have cost me as much as my demo Kii’s. So I sold off all but the DSM. Linn is good as a total system. As individual components...mwah. Needs very careful matching imo.

 

I purchased an ex demo streamer from a small Dutch company, Audio Aan Zee. Custom built with mostly off the shelf components and a bit of tweaking here and there.

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review/digital-reviews/music-server-reviews/audioaanzee-reference-flow-music-server-part1/

 

Nice looking music server!

[H665]

40 minutes ago, baconbrain said:

 

Nice looking music server!

And it sounds even better  I have a modified version that also has Roon server installed.

[baconbrain]

14 hours ago, H665 said:

And it sounds even better  I have a modified version that also has Roon server installed.

 

Very nice, I think the Roon interface is second to none. Also find it quite interesting how many Dutch companies build excellent music servers. (Taiko, Pink Faun, Audioanzee, ..) Must have something to do with the climate! 🙂

[Cazzesman]

I'm told there are further round of new updates available for the Kii's but no details of what they do.   Anyone any the wiser?

 

Regards Cazzesman

[Rubysea]

Which wise source told you so?

Since 5-FEB there doesn't seem to be any newer FW available as currently posted at Kii's download location (version 1.4 of the update-tool)

https://kiiaudio.helpdocsonline.com/update-tool

 

[Cazzesman]

11 minutes ago, Rubysea said:

Which wise source told you so?

Since 5-FEB there doesn't seem to be any newer FW available as currently posted at Kii's download location (version 1.4 of the update-tool)

https://kiiaudio.helpdocsonline.com/update-tool

 

 

on 29/1 it was version 3.8 and 4.8 that I downloaded.

 

Now

 

This download of the update tool contains the most current firmware versions:

Kii Control: 2.4
K3 PIC: 3.9
K3 DSP: 4.9
BXT: 0.6

 

I have no idea when this arrived.  Maybe it is old news.

 

Regards Cazzesman

[Rubysea]

Hi Cazzesman, yes, this is the most recent version. Also see this post (and following) on the previous page here regarding fixes:

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/34992-kii-three-my-impressions-and-pro-reviews/page/56/?tab=comments#comment-1026223

Best, rubysea

[Mazza]

31 minutes ago, Rubysea said:

 

Since 5-FEB there doesn't seem to be any newer FW available as currently posted at Kii's download location (version 1.4 of the update-tool)

 

the version of the update tool is not the same as the version of the FW that it installs. I think that is the confusion. Cazzesman post shows this too.

 

hope this helps

[Rubysea]

Mazza, you are correct. I also mentioned this once to Kii to have both in sync for the naming to avoid potential confusion.

The tool (installer) itself I think doesn't change that much (apart maybe from some under the hood things), so that a renaming according to the leading part of the FW (which is for KC) would help a lot.

(And I suppose there would never be an individual release of the tool without any changes for the FW components it includes that really would justify an individual versioning)

[bobfa]

On 2/5/2020 at 10:46 AM, Rubysea said:

New firmware update is just out. From the website:

This download of the update tool contains the most current firmware versions:
Kii Control: 2.4
K3 PIC: 3.9
K3 DSP: 4.9
BXT: 0.6

 

Fixes (from inofficial changelog):

- Fixed bug in analogue input level detection
- Bluetooth device now presents itself as a hifi device instead of a headset
- Slave settings will be copied in KC menu from master for linked settings like boundary

 

Is there a mail list or something to keep us up to date on their software changes?  I was about ready to log a bug I am having and I thought I was on the current firmware?

 

Time to get a laptop.  I bet they updated the tool also!

 

 

[KunterK]

I am already at version 2 (first night it was out 2 months ago. Managed to upgrade after a very long session with hands on support from Thomas, as initially things did not go as planned, hence the delay in final software release I guess). 

 

I understand there is another polishing release expected this weekend so I will wait a bit more to jump to the final version. Maybe next week?

 

Cheers

[bobfa]

I had some issues with the last release and doing it with an older version of macOS (supported). But the updates ran.  

 

Today I did them with a windows laptop and the only problem was Windows SmartScreen did not want to run the “unknown to it” application.

 

 

 

[Yellowspider]

Did someone compare the Kii to Magnepan speakers? If yes, which impressions did you have?

 

[Mazza]

Blimey! Are they even comparable!? My other half wouldn’t think so!

[Yellowspider]

Comparison should refer to sound / sonics. 😉

I´m aware, that this is a totally different system.

[Cazzesman]

Now the Kii’s have the high and low pass filters in the dsp, has anyone tried adding a quality sub or 2 into the mix.

 

I’m wondering what a sub would do in freeing up the Kii’s where a crossover was set 60-80.     It is not that the kii’s don’t go low enough as i get 20htz easily in my room, but I was just wondering about the advantages if any of taking some of the pressure off them.    Any thoughts.

 

I like the look of the SVS SB3000 with the new SVS App to tune it.

 

Regards Cazzesman

[baconbrain]

4 hours ago, Cazzesman said:

Now the Kii’s have the high and low pass filters in the dsp, has anyone tried adding a quality sub or 2 into the mix.

 

I’m wondering what a sub would do in freeing up the Kii’s where a crossover was set 60-80.     It is not that the kii’s don’t go low enough as i get 20htz easily in my room, but I was just wondering about the advantages if any of taking some of the pressure off them.    Any thoughts.

 

I like the look of the SVS SB3000 with the new SVS App to tune it.

 

Regards Cazzesman

 

Here‘s some past feedback from Kii Audio regarding crossover settings:

 

 Imo a SW really adds a lot to the Kii experience once they are correctly dialed-in.

[Cazzesman]

Brilliant BB thanks for the link and thoughts.

 

Regards Cazzesman

[baconbrain]

I have a question to the community regarding the analog connections of the Kii's.

 

How is the analog signal handled by the internal DAC's of the speakers? Does it go through an ADA conversion for each driver or is it simply passed through? My assumption would be ADA, but am a bit uncertain since I have never used them until now,

 

Thanks 

[Bernstein]

22 minutes ago, baconbrain said:

I have a question to the community regarding the analog connections of the Kii's.

 

How is the analog signal handled by the internal DAC's of the speakers? Does it go through an ADA conversion for each driver or is it simply passed through? My assumption would be ADA, but am a bit uncertain since I have never used them until now,

 

Thanks 

ADA is what happens