The Kii control box is probably designed to sit on a mixing desk, given its utilitarion design and the target market for these speakers. Such ‘volume knob in a box’ devices are very common in that environment for monitor playback control at calibrated levels.
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Hi - the Kii Control software can be set in two ways - Select inputs with the IR or select presets with it.
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That is exactly the idea
It must be wired as there are digital inputs in the back that you might use…
Yes, I understand that. I think the Apple remote works fine. I was merely commenting that a wireless volume knob like the Devialet has would be a nicer solution.
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Finally heard the Kii against the 8c. Unfamiliar room etc and not a measured response from either but it gave me an idea of their comparable sound, features, and aesthetics.
I came away unclear whether either are for me but certainly on looks the Kii wins for my room aesthetics. But it has quite a few cons. So I’m sitting in the fence right now having thought from purely internet reading I’d be ordering 8c’s after the demo.
What cons?
To clarify I should say by ‘cons’ I mean compared to the 8c (which is their closest rival - well, that I’ve heard anyway) and what I have now, and things that are important to me… Others may have very different thoughts.
-They’re more expensive (and apparently about to increase).
-They don’t go as deep or as loud as the 8c and are a touch more ‘forward’
-No RoonReady. Not sure it can even be done with their current hardware.
-The remote is wired (and expensive, but does do a lot including add inputs).
-Firnware updates are seemingly requiring Kii to teamviewer in.
-There’s no app or web based control/setup or even volume. I like having iPhones and a remote controlling my Devialet. Options are good.
-There’s no PEQ adjustments so may still need room correction.
-The warranty isn’t transferable.
-They look cool but are on the ‘techy’ side which may date quickly.
But I should finish by saying the clarity, particularly in the bass and mids was fairly incredible. On both speakers actually but the Kii left more of an impression there and on bass ‘impact’. And in terms of something in the living room they’re more my thing than the 8c (which is physically bigger for a start). Some say the Kiis are too analytical but I’d need longer on more music to tell that - coming from Devialet and liking electronic music I’ve got a feeling I’d be ok there.
I want to try them at home but a used pair would suit my budget better - but with non transferable warranty I wouldn’t do it - too complex a device.
But I’m still pondering…
I think both speakers were better than my setup but I’d have to try in my place to know for sure.
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Having the Kii Control deals with most of the issues you mention.
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They Control is now Roon “Tested”, I believe it is called, and shows up by name in Roon with it’s picture. Kii is now a Roon Partner
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You can use an Apple Remote or other remote to control Volume and choice of source with the controller. Once you do the Initial setup, that’s really all you need. The Apple remote works really well with the Kiis
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Kii have said an app to do do updates is in the works
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If you are a Roon User then you can do software volume control in Roon; same with JRiver
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Most users have concluded that DRC doesn’t add much to the Kiis
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The Kii Control offers a high level of ability to alter the sound with EQ to your taste; see the Mitch Barnett review at Audiophilestyle.com for an example. You can also setup EQ profiles there and choose between them. Even without the control you can do some EQ with the dials on the back of the speakers.
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I personally use the PEQ in Roon sometimes with the Kiis. Also works well
Barring that, do you have a really large room? The Kiis play much louder than I’d ever want to listen. They have zero trouble getting to ear splitting volume levels in small and medium size rooms. Maybe if you like your electronic music REALLY loud they would be slightly lacking, but it wouldn’t matter much b/c they can play at levels that will damage your hearing with no problem, and after a while listening like that you won’t be able to hear much anyway. 
Thanks for such a detailed answer Danny. Nice to hear from some happy users.
I believe this is only when usb connected to th controller? Not sure if you can do kii volume control through it or not. I wouldn’t have a usb connection, so I really want a proper roonready for hardware volume control over Ethernet. But perhaps I’ve misunderstood?
I know, I know. It’s just not what I’d want. I’d want the proper dedicated remote to be wireless. If I want to adjust the speaker I want to do it from where I sit in the lounge, and it kind of negates having a nice volume control and display otherwise. I could live with the apple thing I guess, but it would kind of grate.
Good to know. I hadn’t heard that. I see them post fairly rarely I have to say, which is fine, that’s their stance. But coming from Devialet ownership I’d prefer a brand a bit more casual and ‘community friendly’
I know, but I don’t want to 
Like all things there are loads of workarounds and compromises but I want my next setup to suit my needs as perfectly as possible - especially when spending this sort of money.
It’s the ability to deal with room nodes etc in the speaker hardware so that all inputs can be treated the same. Dutch have shown how it can be done. Let’s hope the competition means kii can implement a few PEQs (maybe even more nicely than the user experience of the Dutch). With all the DSP they have it should be eeeeaaaasssyyyy. Again, it can be done externally, but why if the speaker can do it - it’s most likely just code.
Yes I’ve read it and many more. I agree the controls are nice and presets great. But PEQs would be nicer. I don’t think I’d be keen on doing back of speaker adjustments.
Agreed, as above I sometimes use PEQ and convolution in Roon too. But I don’t really want them there as that only serves one input. If I had kii now that’s def what I’d do.
It’s not huge (I’m in London and not an oligarch) but it’s open plan lounge into dining into kitchen and those spaces are also open doors to the rest of house. So it takes a bit of filling. I go loud sometimes but not often these days, with a little one, but the demo room was smaller and it had to be wound up a fair bit for the bass impact.
Like I say I’m looking for my ideal next setup to last me a while, and so am probably hyper critical.
I also need a much longer eval at home, I only had an hour or so in an unfamiliar space.
But since I’m a potential customer I can bide my time and think it all through.
Kii and Dutch are also quite new, small, companies, so that’s something to bear in mind too when spending £10k+
I’ve been using the Kiis with Kii control for arouned 8 months now. I’m quite happy with them, not only are they quite asthetically pleasing, but they’ve removed a lot of the inbetween interfaces I would typically need.
They are certainly not built for people that want fine control over every stage of equipment that goes into the sound, or people that chase maximum bitrates. But for convenience, simplicity and quality, they are in a field of their own.
I’m happy enough with them to perhaps one day consider upgrading them with the BXTs, but I’m waiting for enough reviews to come out about that product before I commit, because the initial Kii messaging vs the existence of BXT is at odds.
I run both direct balanced XLR inputs through them via my receiver, and USB via my music streamer. The Kii control responds happily to my Logitech Harmony for volume and input switching using the Goldstar TV profile, but I had to figure how to make the input switching out myself because Logitech does not have a dedicated Kii Control profile
Using a Nucleus plugged into the control via USB, I don not get volume control to work inside Roon. Please elaborate how this works for you?
They ‘downgraded’ the specs of the three at some point after release and before the BXT was announced if I understood correctly? Have read a few ‘sore’ feelings about it.
I didn’t hear the BXT but they’re out of my price range anyway. I have read they’re very good. But expensive. If I’m honest the combined setup looks pretty ugly, with an over-complicated design aesthetic relative to the standmounts alone.
Hi Steve,
do you mind me asking where you did this comparison (dealer)? Reply via PM if necessary.
Your listening notes do sound consistent with the many reviews I have read of both speakers. The Kiis are undoubtedly sexier to look at and smaller but in my case either would be domestically acceptable, especially as the D&Ds need to be nearly up against the wall to work (so will take up less room space than my current floostanders).
If your Roon is up to date it should see the Control as an Xmos device and when you enable The device it should see it as the Kii Control (if this doesn’t work possibly you need to update the control). Roon also has a setting where you tell it in “device setup” what Roon partner device it is hooked up to. Pick Kii.
The volume control is just a matter of allowing DSP volume control in Roon. Then your volume control icon gives you a slider and up and down buttons for volume control.
Which country are you in? If uk I’ll PM you details. Very few people have both as d&d is a bit behind with orders. I was quoted up to a 12 week wait. And I believe things have been slipping.
But in terms of value I’d say the Dutch would be very good and hard to beat if you want that type of setup and don’t mind the looks and very new company too. But of course you need to listen at home, and I haven’t dont that yet with either.
Have done all that previously but despite choosing Device Volume, the changes dont take effect. Both Roon and Kii confirmed that volume control is currently not an option, so am curious how you have been able to get this working while others haven’t.
Don’t know what to tell other than that it works. We’re you told it wouldn’t work, or that it isn’t supported?
From what I understand here, seems like Danny isn’t conttolling the Kii volume, but just using Roons DSP volume in software. That can be used with any device but isn’t the same thing you’re talking about as the Kii will apply its hardware (‘device’) volume on top. No idea what the Kii being a partner means, probably just that the usb input has been tested and works.
Not if you set the Kii’s volume to 100 and use Roon’s DSP to do the rest 
(granted, one would expect there’d be device volume by now)