Kii Audio's "Three": Let me know if you would like to see it reviewed

[milan616]

Add me to the list of those who want to see!

 

[restorer-john]

The rep's (US Brand Manager?) job is to sell as many Kii speakers as he can and build the brand in the US. They are an expensive product and they pretty much have all their eggs in the one active DSP cardioid loudspeaker basket.

The question being, will your @hardisj online Youtube review help Kii speakers or hinder them in their goal? Will your review highlight the benefits or hide them under a bushel?

Personally, I don't think attempting to garner support for a loaner pair in the form of 'likes' by ASR members is remotely an indication of interest that will actually translate to more sales through their network, regardless of the outcome of said 'review'.

Are your Youtube viewers and the general ASR membership representative of the cashed-up buyers Kii is going after? It's a tough sell IMO.

 

[hardisj]

Well, folks, I appreciate the support. I also posted this on my Facebook group as well this morning and I had two reps from Kii contact me about 3 hours after posting. They are gonna try to help me out. I gotta thank Lars @ Purifi for helping me out as well. I will update this thread when I get more information.

 

[LTig]

Not a priority, S&R measured them with great accuracy: https://www.soundandrecording.de/equipment/kii-three-midfield-monitor-im-test/ including multitone distortion. Unless you test with the BXT.
But well, do you have anything else interesting to test, anyway?

May I suggest the Grimm Audio LS1? The best speakers I auditioned at Munich Highend.

 

[richard12511]

May I suggest the Grimm Audio LS1? The best speakers I auditioned at Munich Highend.

I too am interested in these. Technically, I don't see how they could be as good as the D&D or Kii, but I've heard other impressions like yours.

 

[Dialectic]

The rep's (US Brand Manager?) job is to sell as many Kii speakers as he can and build the brand in the US. They are an expensive product and they pretty much have all their eggs in the one active DSP cardioid loudspeaker basket.

The question being, will your @hardisj online Youtube review help Kii speakers or hinder them in their goal? Will your review highlight the benefits or hide them under a bushel?

Personally, I don't think attempting to garner support for a loaner pair in the form of 'likes' by ASR members is remotely an indication of interest that will actually translate to more sales through their network, regardless of the outcome of said 'review'.

Are your Youtube viewers and the general ASR membership representative of the cashed-up buyers Kii is going after? It's a tough sell IMO.

Apparently, Kii thinks it will help sales to have Erin measure them.

Hell, I almost bought them after reading not much more than Keith's posts about them on ASR back in 2017....

 

[pozz]

May I suggest the Grimm Audio LS1? The best speakers I auditioned at Munich Highend.

The Grimm subwoofers as well

 

[Dialectic]

I too am interested in these. Technically, I don't see how they could be as good as the D&D or Kii, but I've heard other impressions like yours.

I think the different opinions about these three loudspeakers stem from different preferences regarding directivity.

 

[soundwave76]

Yes please! As a Genelec fanboy this would be a frightening read...

 

[richard12511]

I think the different opinions about these three loudspeakers stem from different preferences regarding directivity.

I think you're probably right. Kii seems to have wider dispersion than D&D, but I'm not sure how it compares to the Grimm. It actually looks like Kii and Grimm may be using the same waveguide? I wonder how the Kii and Grimm compare(above 300Hz) in terms of dispersion width.

Something interesting of note I found in the Grimm whitepaper on their website was them talking about only being able to get the pattern control down to below 300Hz. I forget the exact words, but they kinda made it sound like they knew it would be better to control lower, but there was just no way to do it(without making the baffle wider than even they wanted). It seems Kii and D&D figured out a way to do it.

Have you heard all 3?

 

[sajgre]

Can't wait!

 

[Skeptischism]

Yes please!!!

 

[thewas]

It actually looks like Kii and Grimm may be using the same waveguide?

They even use the same tweeter, the good and not expensive SEAS DXT which is used also on the Heissmann DXT Mon any many other good DIY projects as it already includes a reasonable waveguide.
https://www.hifi-selbstbau.de/mobil.../leserprojekte-mainmenu-84/559-duo-a-la-grimm
https://heissmann-acoustics.de/en/dxt-mon/

Something interesting of note I found in the Grimm whitepaper on their website was them talking about only being able to get the pattern control down to below 300Hz. I forget the exact words, but they kinda made it sound like they knew it would be better to control lower, but there was just no way to do it(without making the baffle wider than even they wanted). It seems Kii and D&D figured out a way to do it.

It should be said that such active cardioid bass designs are long used in the PA business so no new invention there, just usage in a different (and unfortunately very anti-progressive) market (Hifi).

 

[Hephaestus]

Yes please! As a Genelec fanboy this would be a frightening read...

After reading that hopefully upcoming Kii Three review your excellent Genelec nearfields don´t suddenly become bad speakers

 

[Dialectic]

I think you're probably right. Kii seems to have wider dispersion than D&D, but I'm not sure how it compares to the Grimm. It actually looks like Kii and Grimm may be using the same waveguide? I wonder how the Kii and Grimm compare(above 300Hz) in terms of dispersion width.

Something interesting of note I found in the Grimm whitepaper on their website was them talking about only being able to get the pattern control down to below 300Hz. I forget the exact words, but they kinda made it sound like they knew it would be better to control lower, but there was just no way to do it(without making the baffle wider than even they wanted). It seems Kii and D&D figured out a way to do it.

Have you heard all 3?

Have not heard the Grimms.

 

[hardisj]

I'm not sure the Grimm's would fit on my test setup. I'd have to check the specs.



Someone asked about the GG M1 and I've been asked about it quite a bit in the past so let me address that request publicly:

I reached out to Roland (@roland{at}GGNTKT) about this last month, actually. Roland was nice but reminded me there is already a lot of NFS data available on this site. I think he would be happy to send a unit for me to review, though. The big issue is they don't have a US rep available yet:

...
As you might know Model M1 was developed with the NFS from the beginning. Because of that, I don't expect much new data or insights. We do publish most of our measurements and even beyond that in some threads over here.

I'm not saying that I'm not interested at all, since it's always a good thing to have unbiased reviews. Also you seem to have high reputation and a technical background, that fits to our products. But since we don't have an US distributor yet, it's a more challenging to get a pair of speakers to your place.
...

So, with that in mind, I completely understand the situation. But maybe when a future model comes out we can work something out.

 

[CMB]

I'm not sure the Grimm's would fit on my test setup. I'd have to check the specs.
Someone asked about the GG M1 and I've been asked about it quite a bit in the past so let me address that request publicly:
...
I reached out to Roland (@roland{at}GGNTKT) about this last month, actually. Roland was nice but reminded me there is already a lot of NFS data available on this site. I think he would be happy to send a unit for me to review, though. The big issue is they don't have a US rep available yet:
...

Yes certainly, but besides of the measurements, that would also benefit from being confirmed by an independent party; Your subjective impressions and comments under your usual conditions, also more as you already tested/experienced the DD 8c (and maybe soon KII), would be very much appreciated.
Specially for such a young company/product, it would demonstrate that they actually don't fear the comparison (@roland{at}GGNTKT).
This would be an excellent World Wide "Stage" (not only US) for their product that would only cost the shipping/insurance (probably much less that any advertising).

To be honest, if GGTKT would not use this opportunity, Me as a very potential client would start wondering why.
...
And then, there is also the KH420 (I know I said it before)

Thank you Erin for your dedication to this.

 

[richard12511]

I'm not sure the Grimm's would fit on my test setup. I'd have to check the specs.

They're 5cm taller than the HDI 3800. How close was that speaker to your limit? Balancing it on it's side might be more challenging, though.

 

[hardisj]

Balancing it on it's side might be more challenging, though.

That's the concern. Probably best to leave that one to Amir since he can test it standing upright. If he ever has the time or desire to test it, of course.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Oh hell yes! With the BXT modules if possible!