Dutch&Dutch 8C- The Kii Three Slayer?

[Pearljam5000]

Many reviews claim they're better than the Kii Three... have mors low end etc... 

Anyone compared the two? 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I believe @mitchco has had both. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

 

 

[mevdinc]

I have listened to them both side by side and I also liked the sound of the D&D 8Cs more. They have a bigger cabinet and they do sound bigger with better bass and soundstage.
I thought the D&D 8Cs sounded more like my big active ATCs. If I were to downsize my system I would definitely go for a pair of D&D 8Cs.

[bobfa]

I have them both in my house right now.  I have the Kii BXT also.    At their price points I would not hesitate to put either one of them on the check out list.  They both have some warts.  The 8Cs are not wife friendly.  THEY ARE BIG.  The Kii on the BXT has a very modern look and they come is some really nice colors.  They may not be wife friendly either.  Both can be very nicely placed near the front wall.

 

The 8Cs have had some software issues and someday they may be Roon Endpoints.  The Kii Control gives you a lot of flexibility on inputs. 

 

Feed either of them with a Good analog source and good XLR cables and you will be rewarded.    

 

For the Kii + BXT get four power cords and feed each BXT and KII speaker directly, do not feed through the BXT "extension Cord.  Also run the good XLR cable directly to the Kii Three not through the BXT.  I would also make sure to have a clean power feed to the breaker.  Just count the number of amplifiers in the full set of Kii's!  

 

The 8c's need some stable stands.  They are about 60lbs each.  Bolt them to the stands.  

The Kii Threes are lighter but tall they need good stands too.  Unless you have the BXTs!

 

There is very little that can compete with a Kii Three + BXT.  

 

And do read what @mitchco has written on these speakers.  

 

Oh and really take a look at floor coupling.  Isoacoustics might just be your best friend.  

 

bob

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 hours ago, bobfa said:

I have them both in my house right now.  I have the Kii BXT also.    At their price points I would not hesitate to put either one of them on the check out list.  They both have some warts.  The 8Cs are not wife friendly.  THEY ARE BIG.  The Kii on the BXT has a very modern look and they come is some really nice colors.  They may not be wife friendly either.  Both can be very nicely placed near the front wall.

 

The 8Cs have had some software issues and someday they may be Roon Endpoints.  The Kii Control gives you a lot of flexibility on inputs. 

 

Feed either of them with a Good analog source and good XLR cables and you will be rewarded.    

 

For the Kii + BXT get four power cords and feed each BXT and KII speaker directly, do not feed through the BXT "extension Cord.  Also run the good XLR cable directly to the Kii Three not through the BXT.  I would also make sure to have a clean power feed to the breaker.  Just count the number of amplifiers in the full set of Kii's!  

 

The 8c's need some stable stands.  They are about 60lbs each.  Bolt them to the stands.  

The Kii Threes are lighter but tall they need good stands too.  Unless you have the BXTs!

 

There is very little that can compete with a Kii Three + BXT.  

 

And do read what @mitchco has written on these speakers.  

 

Oh and really take a look at floor coupling.  Isoacoustics might just be your best friend.  

 

bob

 

 

Ahhhhh. How could I forget you have these Bob! Thanks for the info. 

[AnotherSpin]

6 hours ago, bobfa said:

I have them both in my house right now.  I have the Kii BXT also.    At their price points I would not hesitate to put either one of them on the check out list.  They both have some warts.  The 8Cs are not wife friendly.  THEY ARE BIG.  The Kii on the BXT has a very modern look and they come is some really nice colors.  They may not be wife friendly either.  Both can be very nicely placed near the front wall.

 

The 8Cs have had some software issues and someday they may be Roon Endpoints.  The Kii Control gives you a lot of flexibility on inputs. 

 

Feed either of them with a Good analog source and good XLR cables and you will be rewarded.    

 

For the Kii + BXT get four power cords and feed each BXT and KII speaker directly, do not feed through the BXT "extension Cord.  Also run the good XLR cable directly to the Kii Three not through the BXT.  I would also make sure to have a clean power feed to the breaker.  Just count the number of amplifiers in the full set of Kii's!  

 

The 8c's need some stable stands.  They are about 60lbs each.  Bolt them to the stands.  

The Kii Threes are lighter but tall they need good stands too.  Unless you have the BXTs!

 

There is very little that can compete with a Kii Three + BXT.  

 

And do read what @mitchco has written on these speakers.  

 

Oh and really take a look at floor coupling.  Isoacoustics might just be your best friend.  

 

bob

 

 

 

Hi Bob,

 

How you can compare both D&D and Kii (+BXT) with Buchardt Audio A500? Soundwise?

 

THank you.

[bobfa]

I am actually trying not to compare them!  Of course I cannot help myself, just a bit. I am dialing this whole thing down as my Buisness is closing.  All the extra gear is slowly being sold.

 

This is sort of a spoiler for something that is not yet published here in AS.  I am firmly in the #FutureFi camp where we see “self powered” speaker systems expand in the market.  I have had four systems in my home this summer that all fit into this camp.  Each one stands up pretty good in their own price class.

 

1. Kii Three + BXT

2. Dutch and Dutch 8c

3. Buchardt Audio A500

4. Elac Navis ARB-51

 

In my quest (probably never-ending) for a proper fit I have started to settle down into a systems design where there is a single box with music, etc.  Server/Streamer/DAC that feeds the speakers.  With that flavor of design I started chasing speakers two years ago with the Kii system.  The Dutch and Dutch came in with the promise of no gear other than the speakers in the listening room, they are not there yet. These two were the core of my idea.  Then came COVID-19.  Screeching Halt.

 

Along with COVID-19 I have a personal health problem that I have to attend to!  So dialing it back; with some real thought into simplicity and sound quality.

 

The Kii Three + BXT is some of the best money you can spend at around $40K.  They are very tight, even, and precise.  You can put them in almost any room.  As a set they present a line driver style sound front that has solid impact.  The Kii system dominates your stereo design with their Kii Control.  Consider how this works when you build a system around them.  

 

The Dutch and Dutch 8C is an anachronism.  It looks like a over weight bookshelf speaker.  They kick like there is a  sub-woofer in the room.  Yet there is a delicate quality to them too.  They need really good supports.  For $16k list or so, they belong on your list.  There are some limitations and some promise here.  They have one input.  XLR Analog that can be switched to AES/EBU.  We are still waiting for what appears to be active development of direct software streaming to them.  

 

There will be an article published here on AS about the A500 so I will leave this for the future.  Keep an eye out. 

 

The Elac Navis ARB-51 were only hear for about a month and they present a nice soundstage and while not quite up to what I want, they are well worth your study.  I did not like the sound through the discovery connect system, it disappointed me.

 

Please read @mitchco reviews of the the first two.  His reviews greatly informed my choices here.  I have also worked with him on Roon Room Correction.  

 

 

This is all a fast moving target.  Next week something new will come along.  For example the new KEF LS50 Wireless II speakers.  

[The Computer Audiophile]

If the D&D network input was Roon Ready, one could have a NAS in the closet and these speakers, and call it a day. Would be really cool. 

[bobfa]

25 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

If the D&D network input was Roon Ready, one could have a NAS in the closet and these speakers, and call it a day. Would be really cool. 

They are still promising that.   

[firedog]

1 hour ago, bobfa said:

They are still promising that.   

Apparently they have Roon working in a Beta with one set of speakers, but haven't gotten Roon to work in multi-room, which is (of course) a requirement for Roon certification.

[Rocinante]

I've had the 8cs for a little over a year. They are very good. The latest firmware update added REW integration. It is now very simple to generate PEQ filters for them using REW. The speakers generate the sweep tones so there is no need for a connection across the room or to put the files on your source. I have them on Skylan stands that are built to the dimensions of the 8cs. They support them well without bolting them to the stands. I haven't had a chance to hear the Kiis. I don't have any plans to as I am happy with the D&Ds. They are hard to beat at their price.