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Kii three issues

jamington2004

pfm Member
Hi just got my Kii Three speakers set up and noticing a few quirks hopefully someone can help with

Using the Kii Control everything works fine with Chromecast Audio into Optical input

Without the Kii Control connected I had intermittent success with the CCA directly into the speaker input.

First I couldn’t get it to work at all - and i plugged the control back in and noticed the XLR was set to Analogue - even though the speaker manual switch was set to digital and this should take precedent when the Control is not connected? Anyway I reset it the Kii Control and unplugged it - then went back to speaker directly and it worked fine.

But the volume was really restricted - I could play with Google app at 100% and it was a nice volume (speakers should be unbearably loud at max volume - I should know as I accidentally did it switching things around earlier!!! :) )

So this time I reset the speakers themselves with the button on back. And now it’s the opposite - with Google app set at 1% volume it’s a nice quiet listening volume, 2% doubles it, 3% too loud (really hard to adjust it jumps up too many points at the tiniest touch)

Also the volume buttons on my phone aren’t working. They used to with my Devialet Phantom - but not sure if they controlled the CCA app or my speakers directly (I know the latter wouldn’t work for the Kii)

Anyway I want to get rid of the Kii control and just use my phone so any help and advice appreciated :)
 
Why do you want rid of the ‘control’ it is by far the most convenient way of using the Kiis and it offers options which are not accessible from the rear panel alone?
Keith
 
Because I only have 1 optical source and £1500 seems like overkill to control volume :)

I can access what I need at the rear of the speakers (corner setting, and EQ contour setting)

Any suggestions on the issues I am facing with the Kii control settings still being on when disconnected?

Or volume issues through CCA?

thanks :)
 
From memory, when you unplug the Kii Control the speakers remember whatever settings you have in place at the time. You want to make sure that everything is exactly where you want it or set back to neutral before unplugging the Kii Control. What volume level is the Kii Control reporting and what are you using to adapt the optical output from the CCA to the AES input on the Kii Three?
 
Ah ok thanks Lee.

I thought it was the other way round!

So if I do manage to live without it I guess I just need to reset the speakers at the back to be sure any old settings to go back to factory default? At the moment I am not sure if my rear speaker corner setting is working or not :)

Re volume on the Kii three - thanks for the suggestion it does indeed seem like it remembers the last volume setting even when the control is totally unplugged

I am using a studio spares red 507 converter.

If I keep the Kii control plugged in with the converter in the chain, and select XLR everything works as expected.

If I turn the Kii control volume down to zero and before unplugging it - then there is the faintest of signals coming out the speakers. If I plug control back in and put volume to 50 - I un plug again and the volume is much louder.

So this is making sense that the Kii control precious volume setting is stored.

But when I unplug the Kii and reset the speakers on the back panel - it goes back to the issue where I can only select up to 1 or 2% on the Chromecast audio to get what was 50% through the Kii Volume.

So assuming resetting the speakers is the same as buying from the factory - it’s like the volume stepping just doesn’t work on the CCA?

(worked fine with my Devialet phantoms into their optical input. Although I think this then then actually turned the volume up and down in the Devialet app in the background?)

Any ideas? :)
 
Because I only have 1 optical source and £1500 seems like overkill to control volume :)

That's exactly what I thought; my only requirements were to accomodate a streamer (RPi) and TV audio but after spending quite a bit of time looking at alternatives, I went with the Kii Control, grudgingly.
It works fabulously well and the SQ astonishes me everytime I listen, so I'm cool with the cost. I think some of it is that the speakers offers such a lot for the £££ that the Control looks like (relatively) poor VFM.
An integrated streamer would be nice for that price...
 
Ok thanks - would the advanced setting - reset option do this?

Even when I did this before I noticed the master channel had a -6db setting applied so not convinced

and thanks for Toms details I will give it a go just thought it would get the ball rolling on here :)

If it was wireless at least I would be tempted to keep the Control, but I am determined to work around it :)
 
Yeah on that - I bought an Apple remote but it doesn’t recognise it / nothing happens?

Will ask Kii tomorrow if not if I find time
 
@jamington2004 please do share what you think of the Kiis after you've spent some time with them, I have been strongly considering auditioning these and D&D 8c when I have some more time.
 
Hi will do. I was blown away late night at low volume, at very near field sat on the floor before I set them up.

Since putting them up the other night I have been a bit “meh” - but I haven’t really had time to listen much.

I think maybe I need to get used to the neutral / flat response. I seem to remember my Devialet Phantom gold to be a bit more forward in the highs & mids / more attack on kick drums.

I am not a studio engineer - or an analytical hifi buff, so you won’t be getting much from me on stereo imaging and the likes :)

But I know what I like - and I am sure I will like these a lot once I live with them and wind them up a few more rimes!

am in Portslade if you pass this way to listen
 
I would check the response of each speaker with REW and then adjust accordingly , you have the boundary filters and the tone controls to play with.
Adjust while you still have the control , it is much more convenient and precise.
Keith
 
Would rather just set boundary switch on the speakers, and leave everything as flat

Whenever I have had tweakable EQ in the past it drives me mad :)

like last night I added a few DB to the highs a bit from 3000 - quite liked it

this morning I preferred it flat! :)

And this morning they are sounding nice and forward - so really depends on my mood rather than the EQ :)
 
Tried Airport express - works great volume wise :) But there’s an annoying hiss on quiet passages. (Started other thread)

Annoying - need them to get them to have cyber sex and spawn a Chromecast Airport!!!! :)
 
I think you're expecting too much from the likes of the AirPort Express and Chromecast Audio. My guess is that the noise you are hearing with the AirPort Express is because the digital attenuation is only working with 16 bits. If you connect the AirPort Express to the Kii Control, set the Kii Control to full volume and apply the same level of attenuation via the AirPort Express, do you still hear the hiss?
 
I am not an expert but if you are spending the best part of £10k on speakers why compromise their performance for the sake of £1500?
 
Woodface - all I need to do is get a clean signal into the speakers and control the volume.

The Chromecast audio seems to sound great, with absolutely zero noise - so if only the volume wasnt too loud why would I want to spend £1000+ on something else. It’s also annoying that everything else will have bags of unrequired tech / DAC/ input / output etc that I am wasting money on :)

I am not yet convinced the quality of the Chromecast audio would hold back the speakers significantly (bearing in mind I only steam from iphone)

I am also not a big believer in hearing any difference in streaming / bit rates etc above a certain level so don’t care the CCA or AA limit this. Tried a few of those high res / low res tests in the past and couldn’t hear a difference on pretty high end speakers

Thanks Lee - will see if the Airplay noise is there going through the Kii Control later. My guess is yes as the converter used into the speakers xlr seems totally silent when using the CCA
 


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