Listening to the Kii Three BXT System at Gydotron, Antwerp - Oct. '19

bart

bart

New member
Joined
Apr 17, 2013
Messages
744
Location
Belgium
Earlier this month, I took the opportunity to listen to the Kii Three BXT System.
I had already heard the Kii Three without bass module, but read in Jacques' review the full blown system was really something.

https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=44079

I can't equal Jacques' reviewing style, but I'll do my best to give my impressions. :D

The demo took place in the rather small demo room in the Gydotron store.

20191006-IMG_6551_2untitled.jpg



I first thought a speaker system like this, with 7000 Watts on tap, would easily overpower the room.
But I was pleasantly surprised.
Yes, you can enjoy the Kii Three BXT in a small room!

We listened to some tracks that Bruno Putzeys himself chose to demonstrate the qualities of his creation.

First was a track of the excellent bass player Christian McBride. A solo piece.
The instrument sounded very lifelike.
Detail aplenty, the plucking of the strings very present.
The dynamics of this speaker system are enormous.
You never get the impression you will run out of steam.

Next: Fanfare for the Common Man, from Copland.
The full orchestra came through in a stunning way.
Soundstage very much okay, differentiation of instruments splendid.
Those who often attend live classical concerts know what I mean that a symphonic orchestra can have quite an impact.
Well, these speakers get you very close to that experience!

The sound of this set is rather forward, like Jacques wrote in his review, but absolutely not in an unpleasant way.
 
Next was a piece of the Dutch singer Wende, 'La Vie En Rose'.
Hmmm, female voices also do very well on these!

Meanwhile, I was explained about the Kii Three BXT system.
Not a lot of tweaking possibilities of course.

Guido delivers them with a little option, so that you don't have to spike them:

20191006-IMG_6547untitled.jpg



Power cords, cables, everything is delivered standard, but Guido likes to upgrade the power cables to some Furutechs.
Normal big cables aren't even a possibility.
Bruno doesn't like big snakes behind his speakers. :D

20191006-IMG_6548_2untitled.jpg
 
Next track was African music, with a lot of deep bass, and dynamic horns.
Everything delivered in an impeccable way, without distortion.

A drum solo, an organ piece, it all sounded very convincingly.

The bass module does add a lot to the already magnificent top module!

20191006-IMG_6549_2untitled.jpg


20191006-IMG_6550untitled.jpg



You could literally feel the organ, directly, but also indirectly via the floor.
The whole room was energised.
 
On the rack you can see the Mola Mola components, also from the hand of Bruno Putzeys.

20191006-IMG_6554untitled.jpg



But in fact, all you need with this speakers system is a streamer, in this case an Aurender:

20191006-IMG_6552untitled.jpg
 
We then listened to Bach's Cello Suite no. 1, by Pieter Wispelwey.
It sounded like a cello has to sound, the ambience of the recording venue also coming through beautifully.

Rutten's Requiem followed: Pie Jesu, by Turtle Creek Chorale.
If you know this piece, you know this is large scale music.
I can assure you it was convincingly transduced here!


The speakers seen from behind:

20191006-IMG_6556untitled.jpg
 
You can connect a CD player to the Kiis of course, or even a tape recorder.

20191006-IMG_6557untitled.jpg



We only listened to the Aurender, and to an old Marantz providing the bits, using the internal DACs of the speakers.

20191006-IMG_6555untitled.jpg



A Dutch bigband, Christine and the Queens, more jazz, everything we threw at the Kii Three BXTs sounded natural, agreeable: not warm, not cold, not digital, but just... right.
 
Conclusion.

28,000€ gives you almost a complete system.
Just add a decent streamer.
So we talk of 32-33K in total.

Have I heard a system with separates in this price category that can compete?
Nope.
No no no!
I'm sure that if I were to put it in our living room and compare it to our system, it would come very close, and even surpass it in some areas.
Our Vivid Audio G2s alone already cost 50% more!

Everybody with this kind of a budget ought to demo these, and the Grimm Audio LS1be.

I was a big fan of Bruno Putzeys, and admire him even more now.
Bravo!


PS. Room treatment devices: Acustica Applicata.
 
Thanks for sharing your observations, besides, Bruno Putzeys is also Belgian so some flag waving is a given :)

Were you able to compare the sound of the Kiis with the BXT turned off?
 
They're fairly new so no deals on AG to be found yet, but they were impressive at axpona and while the top rubber part of the cabinet radiates with the music it doesn't sound like it has an effect on playback. I preferred the kii3 to both the active Bryston and the ATC in the small hotel rooms.
 
I can't remember if I heard the Kii at Axpona, I suspect not if no memory of it :) The ATC active system knocked my socks off though. They were in a room comparing the active set up to a passive set. The active set delivered a very impressive reproduction of a drum kit. This set I'm speaking of though is about twice the price of the Kii.
 
I heard them at Munich with the bass modules. There were some good active speakers there this year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I was also in the ATC room when they were going from passive to active, it was early on friday and they weren't entirely fluid with their system yet so tbh by the time they got from one to the other I really couldn't remember if one sounded any different. I will say the Bryston setup didn't impress at all for the money. $11k for the active xover seemed a bit more than necessary for residental application
 
puroagave said:
Thanks for sharing your observations, besides, Bruno Putzeys is also Belgian so some flag waving is a given :)

Were you able to compare the sound of the Kiis with the BXT turned off?
Click to expand...




You're welcome, and yes, why not appreciate a local genius! ;)

I was not able to compare with the bass module turned off, but hope to do that this weekend.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top