Kii audio review translated from German:
Kii Audio Three
- Audio review September 2015
- nfnc via Google translate
Newcomer Kii Audio has developed a fully digital active speaker with his Three, the boxing scene upside down. The pleasantly compact audio furniture thrilled with unique authenticity and shows also incredibly adaptable.
Drives with enhanced signal fidelity and precise crossovers arise from time to time smaller progress on the speaker sound, but the big breakthrough is in failed recent years. Because
not disinterested is the aversion many users versus active concepts with integrated amplifiers and electronic filters, although their known superiority for years is and we tester at every possible opportunity to point out. No motor vehicle specialist come on the idea of an engine for city vehicles to operate in a truck, but in the hi-fi scene are those rational not always comprehensible combinations widespread. Not infrequently are simply amplifiers and speakers coupled whim, true the motto "The journey is the reward." This poking around in the fog could now go out of fashion, because the enters compact Three of Kii Audio a novel in many ways active.
Your amplifier branches are precisely tailored to the driver. The DSP-controlled crossovers create with selected drivers a unique time and frequency linearity, close to the limit of what is physically feasible. On top of that is the subject area room acoustics highly effective tackled. Much can be said in advance: The living room friendly Kii Three achieved in the
for audiophiles main subareas by far the best test result of compact speaker in more than 30 years AUDIO history and effortlessly outclassed far more expensive boxes Repeater
Combinations. But before we in superlatives revel, whichever concept and to shed light technology.
Kii Audio is an association of five enthusiasts with years of experience in studio technology and high-end Scene. Mastermind, founded in 2014 company with headquarters in the Westphalian Wermelskirchen is none other than Bruno Putzeys, of the Dutch Amplifier and filter specialist for Hypex numerous fundamental developments responsible features. He wrote finally comes the concept the LS1 of Grimm Audio that the test a grandiose in issue 5/2013. Had left an impression. In the Three stuck amplifier modules the latest generation, for the first time a kind impedance feedback feature the highly energy-efficient and space-sufficient module experienced an adaptation to the specific load the driver and their frequency range. In the Three stuck six chassis and as many amplifier units each 250 watts of power. How any decent Aktivbox the Three equalized electronic bass, i.e. transient response
and lower frequency limit are determined by the programming of the filter determined less by the sparse housing volume and the Thiele Small parameters of the chassis. There are the drivers with declining frequency increasingly fed power and so the physically induced acoustic pressure drop compensated.
Compared to a non-equalized box increases the power requirement in bass slightly by a factor of ten, also because in Three in the interests of maximum sound precision on efficiency-promoting reflex tubes has been omitted. The necessary displacement volume provide four extremely hubstarke bass driver. Two sitting sideways and two behind. The data sheet promises 20 Hertz without losses, but after the measurements (see last page) is the lower limit frequency even at 19 Hertz. Alone with their frequency bandwidth leaves the Kii the vast majority passive speakers look old, also significantly larger floorstanding loudspeaker.
But it gets even better: The DSP control operates the woofers like also the midrange in some areas out of phase, resulting in solid angle-dependent level subsidence leads. While ordinary boxes only the middle and radiate heights directed, bass and fundamental range but mostly spherical, achieved the Three directivity to about 40 Hertz down. In the virtual view from the top is made of the usual pie chart a Kidney with a distinct sound pressure minimum behind the pits.
The directional radiation at large wavelengths is a long-awaited stroke of genius, because the sound is so well at low frequencies primarily by the box determined and barely from Space and its diverse fashions. Overemphasized and spongy bass are so old hat.
A rotary potentiometer allows bass amount and angle behavior vary. The maximum position for free-field similar conditions (large rooms and wall distance pit position) thought and leads to the one shown in the measurement laboratory Box, dead straight frequency response. The minimal position is intended for room corners, where three reverberant interfaces
are in the game. The adjustment shall be made in 16 fine steps, thus also mixed forms are covered.
This technique allows the Three adapt to almost any environment and sounds ideally always alike neutral and accurate. A near-wall installation has no disadvantages and acts on the contrary even dynamic promotional, because drivers and amps less must expend energy. It may even be tight, because the recommended Minimum distance between bass and
wall is only eight centimeters. Ordinary spatial filter in conventional boxes reduce the bass level for all solid angle and fight for room acoustics related thickenings only the symptoms, because the space areas sides and rear of the box, only less are encouraged, but not effective out-hidden. The Three grabs this fidele high standard issue at its roots, because the critical zones only are not stimulated great. The bass sounds through the kidney not thin, but well at worlds precise.
Another part of the Kii philosophy the pursuit of perfect timing. A slight delay in central tweeter leveled the mechanical offset between the drivers and lets despite complex filtering
all frequencies at the same time the listener arrive. An accurate step response succeeds as an indication of the time accuracy only very few three-way speakers, but the Kii also completed this exam with flying colors. Read more in the box on the following page.
Because maximum neutrality is not always like needs, there is next to the space adaptation a sixteen-stage also "Taste button" with various frequency response gimmicks. The six drivers apply the startup from renowned manufacturers. The well 16 centimeter woofer work as well as the slightly smaller midrange, with high-strength aluminum membranes. For the highs is a flush taken Kalottensystem responsible. Smaller series are variations in each box equalized via the DSP.
Just 20 cm wide plastic housing consists of two sound from neutral plastic molded half shells, which are often stiffened. Standard color white is combined with dark gray iris. Extra charge is the color selected, as are the fantasy no limits.
It is controlled via XLR and preferably digitally with up to 24 bits and 192 kilohertz. After flipping a small switch to analog signals received. In not distant future will be added two controllers. The small solution that already appear in the coming year, understand with USB or S/PDIF, offers otherwise just a volume control. In the future, angedachte "large" controller to more inputs and provide communicate wirelessly with the Three. But basically extends a notebook with a popular audio player.
We could at the Three with the shortest Klangbeschreibung all time content, for you high-precision nature packs a direct and let go no more. And you can feel inside seconds what the Three of conventional boxes repeater combinations differs.
It sounds a bell, spatially and dynamically exactly to the point and should alone with her grandiose authenticity ensure that many prospective the merchants his vows faster are as selbiger the mandatory counseling coffee can dish up.
Ultimately, it was still a long evening, although the judgment at an early stage it was clear: You can hear this exceptional speaker differences than with any other boxes-amplifier combination and enjoys a sound accuracy, recording weaknesses as mercilessly reveals how they Glücksmomente deepened.
The sound character appeared as varied as full and corporeal, room looked exactly in all three dimensions and was on top of that with a fabulously lifelike bass blessed. Such transparent and assertive to the lowermost layers has the AUDIO listening room no box played. Despite the precision worked the Three quantitatively not shy. Even detached, more away than a meter from all walls, it seemed advisable to Bass on the spatial filter one or two levels back to take.
The acoustic duo Friend 'n Fellow has the Lou Reed classic "Walk On The Wild Side" in 2010 rerecorded. With the Kii Audio Three of the song sounded almost unearthly light and relaxed.
And he gave a timbre variety, where we did not get tired of listening to us want. Triple trouble likely for the competitors of Kii Audio crack, because similarly ingenious concepts
are far and wide in sight.
With the Three more go long cherished wishes come true. The SPL capacity, despite the pleasantly compact form, more sufficient. The ability to space adaptation and the enormous known leave deep bass potential concepts even with massive standing speakers look absolutely old.
For this purpose this perverse transparency and ease, there is no dry eye. The digitally generated bass kidney and on maximum fidelity aligned DSP control no less than a stroke of genius. Why has the previously not been done?
Comments on measurements and caption text
For all types of installation and rooms, maximum dynamics in corners, slightly tilt, listening distance from 1.5m.
Six numbers: Four woofers (two side and rear) are driven, that bass frequencies preferred by radiated forward. For the middle and Heights are installed separate drivers.
Fully active: The symmetrical input accepts analog and digital signals contrary. Requires the wireless option the "big" Kii audio controller available at a later time will be. Are 24-bit and 192 kilohertz Wired accepted, wirelessly 96 kilohertz. The centerpiece is a 40-bit floating-point DSP, the frequency the high-precision timing of the box controls. The final stages of the type Hypex Ncore work with a so-called synthetic impedance (shown as Motion Control), which reduce the THD should. The modules are attached to the respective
adapted frequency range and should sound particularly musical.
Clear: The XLR input on the left takes either digital or analog signals contrary. The boundary rotary potentiometer is used to match the type of speaker positioning. The contour control allows you to collect 16 preset sound settings for taste purposes. The network sockets are used for communication between the boxes.
Waterfall: The precise sound of the Three can be also be explained by the timing. The waterfall chart (left) shows the reaction after switching off. Up behind the frequency response to recognize the timeline covers forward. Above 2 kHz, there after a few milliseconds quiet. Even at lower frequencies carried out the decay unusual quickly. Almost even more perfect shows the step response shown in red. Bass, middle and treble are actually simultaneously radiated.
The Three supplies in the open air setting extremely linear sound pressure curves at larger angles fall textbook-like. The green graph below shows the ratios behind the box. The lower frequency limit is based on -3 dB at sensational 19 Hz. In the open field is the maximum level the bass at 93 dB. In stationary equitable adaptation and higher frequencies are
the headroom is much higher.
Step response: The square-wave signal contains all the pitches. The steep Edge is textbook-like shaped.
