StereoNET: KII Audio Kii THREE Active Loudspeaker Review

JULY 2017

KII AUDIO NEXT GENERATION HI-FI REVIEW / KII AUDIO / KIITHREE ACTIVE MONITOR LOUDSPEAKERS

KII AUDIO

KII THREE ACTIVE LOUDSPEAKERS KiiTHREE Speakers KiiTHREE HiFi Stands KiiCONTROL

$16,950 $1,600 $2,000

True. My regard for servers and music streaming

Speakers I’d own in a heartbeat if I ever get the

isn’t overwhelming.

chance. An amazing admission on my behalf

And equally true: if I give servers any thought at all, it’s merely to relegate these devices as specs of dust swirling needlessly in the audio cosmos.

a huge upside, but one blown away by an even bigger downside.

The gains in dynamic response, detail and

Ditto for active speakers.

But this flat-earth attitude has now morphed into a grudging respect for these components. Especially so after a thoroughly illuminating stint with as minimalist an audio system as it’s possible to assemble.

Heading the gear was an Antipodes EDGE server running Roon as a signal source, connected to a KiiCONTROL working into a pair of oh, so elegant KiiTHREE active speakers.

By the end of the review period I noted a new-found respect for the capabilities of servers designed as well as the Antipodes.

The highlight of this ensemble was the superb ergonomics of the control unit and its matching active speakers from this relative new-comer to the HiFi market.

because I’ve always thought active speakers had

transparency accrued by having amps built right up the clackers of speaker drivers is a worthwhile virtue of the best active speakers.

So is the elegant solution of having no speaker cables and fewer components cluttering a nice room, visually and physically.

So why haven’t hordes of audio buffs taken the active route to audio bliss?

Because individually and as a collective we don’t like the idea of being locked into the same amplifiers for all eternity.

For those not bound by audiophile ideology, this system scores big time by delivering oodles of ergonomic simplicity and musical enjoyment.

Moreover, it’s eye pleasing styling, footprint and abundant user friendliness makes it a system more likely to allay that audiophile curse called PAF,

(Partner Acceptance Factor).

“speakers I’d own in a heartbeat if I ever get the chance.”

Serving my time The Antipodes Edge Whilst I can’t say I’ve had a Saul to Paul

And yes, I’d also want the dedicated KiiTHREE

I’m undeniably an analogue enthusiast though,

conversion on the road to streaming

speaker stands. They’re a class act and

so the Antipodes EDGE Music Server doesn’t

Damascus, I’m now prepared to admit servers

$1600 is a fair price for their level of fit and

quite grab me in the same compelling way.

and streaming can hover between acceptable

finish, and certainly a contributing factor to the

But I would have one if I needed a new server.

and enjoyable if the gear used to tease out

excellent sound the KiiTHREEs provided.

those pesky digits is impeccable.

I wouldn’t describe any streamer heard to date

The Antipodes is high-end. My Mac isn’t. It

as musically compelling. I can take or leave

has more grunt, more detail, greater levels of

these devices without a jot of regret because I

transparency and is overall more refined musically.

have superior high-end alternatives.

qualities have forced a complete rethink about

It’s a great product, works flawlessly, is

The Antipodes Edge comes without any

the active route to audio Nirvana.

beautifully built and as far as servers go, it

internal storage, but our version came with a

sounds pleasing track after track.

2TB SSD in its user serviceable hard drive bay

As for active loudspeakers, the KiiTHREE’s stunning styling and comprehensive audio

No, I wouldn’t part with my traditional, passive loudspeakers. Not for a second.

But if I had a spare room and a spare $19,000 I’d own the Kii THREEs ($16,950)

It also kills my Mac Pro computer solution that usually does duty as the family music and

that’s accessible in the rear of the chassis.

This configuration sells for $4,180 RRP.

movie server.

and the KiiCONTROL ($2000) in a heartbeat.

The KiiCONTROL This ultra-useful controller is a joy to use. A

room before giving the thumbs up. They

A single CAT6 cable carries the digital audio

turn of the master knob allows you to adjust

assured me though that the KiiTHREE are

signal from the KiiCONTROL to one of

volume, while the buttons allow you to switch

designed for easy setup by the end-user.

the speakers. A second CAT6 cable then

between sources, effortlessly.

For its part the KiiCONTROL is so easy to

Along with my MacBook Pro serving merely as

install, anyone can do it within minutes. This

a remote control for the Antipodes and Roon, I

wee device is a piece of audio jewellery, so

dipped into CD and Vinyl at the proverbial flick

good are its styling and finish.

of a wrist. Nice. Enjoyable. And sooo easy.

Clever too. It’s the ideal minimalist interface

An exercise that provided a deep insight into

for the Kii speakers but it functions just like a

the relationship between the audiophile and

digital preamplifier. Not once hearing familiar

the music lover to their audio equipment.

tracks was there any hint of colouration. Think

I can now say unequivocally that all things being equal, servers and streaming and active

of a straight wire with gain and you have the Kii control’s character.

speakers give the music lover instant access

Sources that connect to this control are

to music in a way denied the audiophile.

anything you may desire. CD player,

If we define the music lover as someone who buys and keeps their equipment for the long haul, and the audiophile as a geezer who lives to swap and shop audio geared ad infinitum, this system makes it a no contest win for the music lover.

Warwick Freemantle and Rom Beyerle, from Pure Music Group, the gear’s national distributor, spent a little time tweaking the placement of the speakers in my listening

server, streamer, TV or set top box are all accommodated. The KiiCONTROL has three

connects one speaker to the other. Traditional power connections are made to each speaker. A separate button gives users a choice of up to six user-selected pre-sets.

Menu navigation is via an OLED display that can be used to fine tune the speakers Boundary and Contour settings and these in turn ensure the KiiTHREEs are fine tuned for any room, regardless of shape or size.

Stunning also is the fact that the control’s functions such as source selection, volume and mute can be remotely accessed by an IR remote that conforms to the RC5 spec, or an Apple remote.

additional digital inputs for its companion

If you’re budget won’t stretch for the

speakers and these comprise Coax SPDIF,

KiiCONTROL, don’t dispair. KiiTHREE can still

Optical TOSLINK and USB (up to PCM

be operated without the additional control,

24/384kHz and DSD64/DSD128 on USB.

however its inclusion does offer more input

All the inputs are on the rear of the control and they’re called to duty using touch buttons located around the volume knob on top of the control facia.

options, more optimisation choices and infinitely adjustable equaliser settings.

cont

Actively engaged The KiiTHREE speakers are the brainchild of a

All are driven by six 250 watt full-custom

The KiiTHREE’s enclosures are made from

talented team of designers headed by Bruno

Ncore amplifiers. Frequency response is

a pair of identical halves of moulded high-

Putzeys. These included DSP specialist,

stated at 25kHz to f3-20Hz +/- 0.5dB.

density polyurethane that fit together via an

Bart van der Laan.

The KiiTHREE has a compact footprint and

ingenious and laborious method entailing heaps of grooves and notches.

It would be an understatement to describe

measures 20cms wide, 40cms high and 50cms

the KiiTHREE as loaded with a mountain load

deep. Each speaker weighs 17kg. Inputs

Pure Music Group explained that the Boundary

of the best of everything. Peer closely at their

include analogue XLR, AES/EBU and KiiLink.

Control setting adusts the directivity of the low

Swiss watch finish and you’ll be engaged by four 6.6-inch woofers, one 5-inch midrange and a single waveguided tweeter, per speaker.

Users also get the option of 14 selectable corrections for various room positions.

frequencies, according to room placement. The Contour Control allows equalisation adjustment to the users listening preferences.

“this ultra-useful troller is a joy to use”

Alongside the XLR input is a tiny button used

Both server and MacBook digital versions

to control the onboard DSPs latency for those

sounded clean, almost clinical. But the scale

using KiiTHREE in conjunction with video

of the performance was pared back and where

sources. This ensure perfect audio sync with

the LP had spades of depth, the digital versions

video, and is not used for general music listening.

had two dimensions: width and some height.

Whilst the bulk of the listening was done

None of this is surprising to analogue users.

using the Antipodes server hard-wired into the

But since the object of the review was to

KiiCONTROL, vinyl was initially installed to get

assuage a digital active speaker fed by a

a point of sonic reference.

digital signal source, the SME turntable was

This source was an SME 20/2 turntable with SME V tonearm carrying a recently Garrott

powered down for most of the review save for a couple of tracks to provide points of reference.

retipped early long bodied Koetsu Rosewood

So, how do the KiiTHREE active speakers fare

Signature cartridge.

fed with the Antipodes digital signal?

Let’s dispense with the vinyl/server/streaming

Quite nicely, thank you.

differences quickly and easily. Armed with both vinyl and Tidal versions of the new Patty Griffin Album, ‘Servant of Love’, vinyl’s superiority was ridiculously obvious.

Scale, tonal palette, detail, transparency, working dynamic response and timing were all on vinyl’s side in what was clearly not much of a contest.

Better than a similarly priced traditional system comprising a server/streamer, passive speakers and outboard amplification.

Playing the Springsteen Anthem, ‘Born To Run’ revealed the Kii Three’s speed, macro and micro agility, detailing, bottom end wallop and walk in mid-range.

“ ...because they are so revealing” Born To Run is a great recording, but on vinyl

emotion-laden vocal unravelling the life and

human heart from live or recorded source on

or digital, has an excitement factor that gets

death of a mate:

a stream of emotions.

“On the ground all tags and reeves of flowers,

The KiiTHREE and Antipodes continued to

The KiiTHREEs kept things together but didn’t

with ribbons red as the blood, red as the blood

provide hours of listening pleasure with some

hide the track’s rather brittle treble. Which is a

you spilled in the central highland’s mud.”

highlights worth mentioning.

“Limousines rush down Pennsylvania avenue

Joni Mitchell’s ‘Hejira’ moves on the timing

the head swinging and the feet tapping.

way of saying they take you to the track’s production values because they are so revealing.

rustling the leaves as they fall, and apologies

of guitars left and right of the vocals, whilst in

But here’s the thing: play the vinyl version

and forgiveness got no place here at all at the

the centre the bass guitar gives all the other

of Born To run and you can forget about

wall…”

instruments their cue.

As the acerbic vocal floated on gentle lead

The Kii Three system took me straight to

acoustic guitar notes flanked by majestic

a recording where Mitchell’s subtle vocal

piano chords, the Kii Threes and the

inflections weaved through accompanying

production values. The KiiTHREEs are so high-end, they conjure the kind of aural magic that takes you to the venue and the performance.

Antipodes Edge conspired to elicit powerful

lead, rhythm and bass guitars. To be sure the

While I was in Springsteen mode, I selected

emotions laced with sadness and a deal of

vinyl version provided a mid-tier seat vista to

the Boss’s anti-war paean called ‘The Wall’.

reflection.

the live performance, but the digital version

Low-key lyrics and arrangements made uniquely Springsteenesque by the force of an

Purple prose? No just a gentle reminder that whether up or downbeat, music travels to the

was delightfully satisfying despite a lack of detail and soundstage scale compared to vinyl.

“an extremely well-performing device”

After dozens and dozens of familiar

As the digital rendition revealed the imper-

Gear that left me coveting the

tracks, the Kii AUDIO speakers and the

iously paced bass drum in the centre of

convenience of digital, but the ultimate

matching controller emerged as the

the soundstage reinforced by the fiddle

sound quality provided by vinyl.

system’s centre of excellence.

on the right, and melodious accordion on

I’m convinced the Antipodes Edge is a

the left, I made another coffee.

very special server and my traditional

But dear lord, the vinyl version of the

MacBook source should be retired. But

same track had me reaching for another

not enough to make me abandon my

tipple of my twenty-year-old port and

vinyl or CD signal sources.

after several glasses, for the repeat

And bolstering my genuine enthusiasm for the Kii Audio components, I allowed

button. But sadly, the SME 20 isn’t equipped with one.

myself the pleasure of playing Springsteen’s

This just about sums up my experience

towering version of ‘Shenandoah’.

with the KiiTHREE system and the Antipodes Edge server.

The links between both formats are the KiiTHREE speakers and KiiCONTROL unit.

And here’s the thing. I’m smitten by both.

Even though I can’t give up my Wilson Audio Sashas and Elektra pre and power amplifiers for professional and personal reasons, the KiiTHREE’s high end magic and elegant one-box solution ensure they’ll remain perched at the top of my audio wish list as must-have high-end components.

One day…

WORDS: Peter Familari

SPECIFICATIONS

/ Compact DSP controlled monitor speakers / Drivers - 4 x 6.5” Woofer / 1 x 5” Midrange / 1” Waveguide Tweeter / Amplification - 6 x 250w full custom Ncore Amplifiers / Frequency Response - +/- 0.5dB - 25kHz, 20Hz -6dB / Phase Response - minimum (best possible time coherence) / Long term SPL - 105dB / Short term SPL - 110dB / Peak SPL - 115dB / Controlled Directivity - 4.8dB (80Hz - 1kHz, slowly rising thereafter) / Size - 20x40x50cms (WxHxD)