There are nothing but positive reviews for both speakers - to suggest one is better than the other shouldn’t be taken as gospel but merely one person’s opinion. Having heard both, the Kii is head and shoulders my preference. Why? I found them far more engaging and accurate. Perhaps the price difference between the two is a contributing factor for some. Here in Australia the Dutch are about 7K cheaper - that will naturally have an influence on the decision-making process.
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Agreed, it all comes down to personal preference in the end. I’ve heard the Kii speakers in a demo, and liked them, but what I really need to do (if the financial expenditure ever gets agreed) is to compare both the Kii and the D&D here at home against my beloved Quad ESL57s. I have to say, it will take a lot to get me to shift from these.
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In my case, absolutely nothing to do with price - it’s the signature/engagement you’re used to. The D&D matches my musical reproduction aspirational values. Another poster in this thread refers to needing to compare both the Kii and D&D to their beloved Quad ESL’s. I would garner now, if they do indeed manage to compare both speakers and decided to pick one over the other, the Kii I guess, would be their preference, as the Kii matches more closely the Quad electrostatic signature which they are used to. Electrostatics engaging for some, per se leave me cold
Hi,
can you clarify how volume control works on the Dutch&Dutch please. I keep reading about a ‘web based’ app to do this; the implication being that you may need internet access and it cannot be done on your local LAN. This sounds fairly ridiculous, so what exactly is the method for doing this? If the speakers are designed for line level inputs(?) both AES and analogue, then it has to be done internally to the speakers, but how controlled exactly? The web page host could be internal to the speakers of course, which would remove the need for an internet connection.
No, I fully expect that web-based access just means that you are using the web protocol (HTTP) to access the D&D speakers over the LAN. It’s the same with ROCK and Ropieee setups - their web-based access controls are accessible over the local LAN - no access to the internet is required for the controls. Still, I hope that someone with D&D experience will be able to confirm.
Yes your correct, the connection works over your local LAN. You do though need connection to the internet for any firmware updates to the speakers. I use mine connected via AES digital to a Trinnov Amethyst, which controls the volume.
On the pair the dealer brought over for demo, they had the Roon beta installed, and we controlled the volume directly through my Roon control point over ethernet
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Interesting Kii 3 review posted by Keith from Purite Audio, over on Gearslutz:
I hear a pair of the Kii3’s up in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia yesterday…I thought they sounded good, but not so favourable price wise. Maybe not the best position for a demo though.
Another review:
I haven’t been following this thread but I recently was fortunate to be able to buy a pair of nearly new Meridian DSP 5200SEs. Along with the 218 zone controller; my main room listening zone is complete.
Such is the quality that my journey of many years is complete.
The sound in this space is jaw dropping in a way that I believe only DSP can deliver.
On first play I noticed some bass boom, selecting the corner position fixed this immediately. I have to take care with volume as the sound is so effortless and addictive it would be easy to forget that I have neighbours untill the door bell rings…
The details you notice in music is another revelation, especially MQA. (Dont Start on me please) Just come round and listen to Shelby Lynne sing Just A Little Lovn’, and the discussion over quality and Lossy ness is over as far as I am concerned…
I really need more sleep but they keep me up late…
The other point is that so many wires are not required across the floor and those that are are easily hidden. A very high WAF. Speakerlink is sheer genius.
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Regarding the Kii3’s, I need to update my impressions.
I had an extensive demo at a friend’s place recently… with my own music. Yay.
More impressed than my previous hotel room experience.
A gentle touch on the bright side for my personal taste but that could have been the room.
The Kii3’s are the closest I’ve heard active DSP speakers come in transparency, to my Chord Hugo2 driving my headphones… transparency and overall balance of bass, mids and treble… the balance I like anyway. We all have different tastes/preferences of course.
I like.
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I am a fan of the tiny iLoud micro monitors. They punch above their weight big time, and have dsp phase processing for great imaging. They cost around 300chf a pair. They are around 7 inches tall and weight totally around 3.5lbs, or 1.6kgs which is just weird for the sound they give out.
Now I noticed the other day these big brothers came out at more than twice the price but around 4x the power (100w rms p/c) with linear response down to a physics defying 40hz and have microphone calibration included. Again they are diddy little things and relatively light at only 2.5kg per speaker.
They are on my “must buy” shortlist.
Active speakers with DSP is the future.
When integrating them to the room … the results speaks for them self. I use DSP together with acoustical treatment.
Had the DD8C for almost 2 years, amazing speakers.
Now I rock the Genelec 8361A .
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Very cool. Are you using GLM or a different digital room EQ software?
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I am using GLM . Just played around a little with it . Need to burn the speakers in before I can do a proper measurement.
Gonna try do convolution filters in ROON as well.
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I’d do it now, burn them in and do it again once you’ve put enough hours on them.
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My speakers have DSP as well. I have no idea what that means. They just sound great
PS: But yes, when I bought the new setup I considered active and passive speakers. For passives there are just so many more options, plus all the power amp and cable options… I am happy with a simple setup that just works, and just one item on the Sideboard is a plus, too.
One day my plan is to upgrade the speakers to Progressive Audio Extreme active speakers. They are the best speakers I have ever heard. But that is far in the future… 
PS 2: is there a simple answer to the question how much SQ you can buy with the same amount, choosing either active or passive speakers? I heard several times that with active speakers you actually pay less for a similar SQ, or said differently with the same €amount you can attain better sound quality with active speakers. Any thought?
What are they?
FWI, I see no mention of DSP on the Progressive Audio speaker pages.
See ABACUS at the bottom of the speakers in the photo.
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My current speakers are Abacus Cortex 15S. They have DSP.