Kii Seven System

A complete system, created around a pair of active speakers and endless adjustment possibilities.

This review was originally scheduled for 2025. However, my good friends at Mastering Mansion informed me well in advance that it would have to be postponed due to high demand for the Kii Seven System they had designated for demonstrations, resulting in a short waiting list. No problem, I thanked them for their consideration and we stayed in touch. Even so, time waits for no one, and to kick off 2026, we received the Kii Seven pair of active speakers and the Kii Control.

Having been warned that some configuration was required, Nick's invaluable help was a huge help in removing a small obstacle and getting everything working perfectly. It wasn't that it was complicated; I simply hadn't understood an essential step in the process: the Kii app takes command and priority over Kii Control, so the two don't currently coexist as means of controlling and managing the system. This will surely be modified or updated in the near future. Or maybe not. I don't know.

By the way, Nick, I'm sorry, but I accidentally deleted the previous settings in the Control panel. I hope it wasn't too serious.

Construction.

Let's take it one step at a time, the way we like it, because that way I organize myself better. That's what happens when you're scattered, you know. On one occasion... Wait, I'm getting confused. The "System" consists of a pair of Kii Seven speakers and a Kii Control. The speakers are active, or as some say, self-powered. They have a curious, or rather, unusual design, as they have a pair of drivers on the sides (more on that later). In the demo set, the finish is "Fine Touch Dark Grey".

The speaker and driver system functions as a complete ecosystem where processing, amplification, and control operate seamlessly, requiring only a single source. Its size, that of a standard monitor, contrasts sharply with the sonic scale it projects. The presentation is expansive, well-projected, clear, and stable, with a sense of presence that transcends the room's volume. The experience combines spatial accuracy with a rich and nuanced reproduction. There is a strong presence and authority when reproducing bass frequencies.

The speaker itself consists of one tweeter, one 5" midrange driver, and two 6.5" side drivers for bass. On the back, we find the control panel, where we can select bass, midrange, and treble settings, as well as the source. The LEDs on the back are helpful for selection but become less relevant once the speakers are in place or when using the app or Kii Control to operate them.

At the bottom of each speaker, the connectors for sources, communication and power occupy a small space; it is noteworthy that it is possible to connect analog sources, although only via XLR, which denotes the studio DNA of the equipment.

The Kii Control centralizes volume, source selection, and precise acoustic adjustments. Interaction is immediate, and signal flow remains optimized within the Kii environment. All that's needed are a couple of power cables and the interconnecting cables between the control and speakers. Thanks to this reduction in components, the system is simple to install, and space optimization is remarkable. If we forgo the Kii Control and opt for the app, we again find flexibility, ease of use, and seamless responsiveness.

The remote control consists of a high-quality plastic body, which houses a small, clear, but in my opinion, excessively small color OLED screen, a rotary dial, and a series of physical buttons. The physical buttons serve the same function as the rotary dial, which, when pressed, turns the device on or off, mutes the volume, and accepts commands for menu navigation. The Kii Control supports Coax SPDIF, Optical TOSLINK, and USB connections (up to LPCM 24/384kHz or DSD64/128 via USB). I haven't found any information regarding the DAC used for conversion.

The menu itself is quite comprehensive, the most relevant features being the ability to switch between digital sources and access the configured profiles related to the EQ parameters. The manual is relatively dense, as the functions are numerous and complex, requiring a moderate level of technical understanding. I don't want to delve too deeply into this topic, as it would take up a disproportionate amount of space in this post and we would miss the opportunity to continue discussing the sound and features themselves.

As I mentioned before, and I want to emphasize this: the Kii Control and the app are not compatible; the app takes precedence when both are connected. Therefore, I recommend considering this when setting up and using the equipment. Ultimately, I decided to forgo the app for part of the test and use the control as the primary mechanism. The length of the communication cable, which uses network-type connectors, allows operation from a considerable distance from the rest of the equipment; the real limitation is the maximum distance allowed by the interconnection to the sound source.

How they sound.

The setup is very simple. In fact, I was almost disappointed that I didn't need any of my usual equipment. I placed them on a couple of monitor stands in the living room, plugged them into a power outlet, and connected them to each other via Ethernet cable. For the source, I used a Raspberry Pi 5-based streamer , which we'll discuss in an upcoming review. This streamer was wirelessly connected to my ROON server, streaming from my digital file library and, of course, Qobuz. Although the application allows direct connection via Qobuz Connect and other streaming services, I preferred this setup since I was using the Kii Control. The cables were the ones that came with the device, running via USB from the Raspberry Pi to the Kii Control.

After giving Nick a bit of a headache, I managed to get everything working without further problems. Now, one of the main advantages of these speakers is that they allow for very fine-tuning of the tone control, as well as their cardioid sound dispersion setting, which eliminates response modes in rooms that aren't acoustically treated. Of course, at first, I used a completely "flat" setting, and I have to say, the result was quite good. I don't usually use tone controls or EQ. In the small room, I have things pretty well under control with acoustic treatment; in the large room, I've made some adjustments with the furniture, curtains, carpet, and so on, and even without treatment, I usually get a good response. But I'll come back to this in a moment.

On Nick's recommendation, I didn't worry about placing them too far from the back wall, as he assured me they wouldn't be negatively affected like "traditional" speakers, and that they also allow for detailed adjustment of sound parameters and EQ. With everything set "flat," the tonal profile was neutral and extended. The bass achieved good depth with authority and defined edges, maintaining dynamic control even at slightly elevated listening levels. The articulation was precise, and the texture was clearly perceptible. This was especially evident listening to "Hard" by Hayley Williams . The bass had authority and presence without overpowering the vocal line.

The midrange stands out for its transparency and naturalness. Transitions between registers flow seamlessly, allowing vocals and acoustic instruments to express themselves with believable timbre and perceptible micro-detail. Laura Nyro's "Captain For Dark Mornings (Album Version)" exemplified this with good extension and ample detail on stage. The counterpoint of acoustic details in the higher registers gave us the opportunity to verify Kii Seven's excellent projection and their unwavering commitment to precision.

The treble offered clean extension and high resolution. Ambient information and upper harmonics contributed to an open and airy soundstage, reinforcing the sense of real space. As a "torture" test for this detail, I usually use something that strongly contributes to the presence of cymbals or details in the higher range, but on this occasion, I decided to pivot to something more complex, as it seemed the Kii Seven speakers could handle it. I chose Glassworks I. Opening (Instrumental) - Philip Glass Ensemble . The detail of the piano keys in the upper registers should be well-defined, not blurred, and with good laterality in terms of space and placement. In analysis, the Kii Seven speakers did an exceptional job in this regard and accurately captured the soundstage of the recording.

The soundstage combines width, height, and depth in a well-proportioned way. The system projects a wide and stable soundstage, with excellent separation between elements and a precise image across the entire stereo field. Thanks to this attention to detail, vocals are presented with focus and fullness. Instruments occupy clear positions within the soundscape, with well-defined layers and a sense of realism. Overall, I consider this a playback system with very high capabilities and an excellent presentation.

Conclusion

The Kii Seven System with Kii Control is a highly engineered active solution in a compact format. Its combination of EQ control, advanced digital processing, and dedicated amplification allows for a wide, detailed, and balanced sound reproduction.

The cardioid sound dispersion prevents resonance at the rear of the speaker, making it easier to place it near the back wall in rooms with limited placement options. In practice, I noticed that the proximity to the back wall did indeed have little effect, allowing the stands to be positioned further back than usual and taking up less room space.

The system offers a precise, immersive, three-dimensional sound experience, tailored to contemporary spaces and geared towards listeners who value technical accuracy and realistic presence in musical reproduction. The EQ adjustment system works exceptionally well; it's intuitive and easy to configure. However, I recommend using a measurement tool to fine-tune it as much as possible, as doing it by ear can be tedious and ultimately won't yield the best results.

While they seemed exceptional in the large room, when I moved them to the small room, I understood what they were made for. The Kii Control became an invaluable tool for adjusting parameters, volume, source, everything at my fingertips. In the small room, the volume could be increased, and the overall sound quality improved exponentially. Using the computer as the source, I was able to enjoy exceptional near-field sound quality. Excellent bass presence and extension in the higher registers. For studio monitoring, listening in small rooms, and other similar applications, I find it hard to imagine a better option for this level of sound quality at this price.

The price, by the way, is around €7,900. This includes the two speakers and the Kii Control, as well as the necessary cables for interconnection. All that remains is to add a source of your choice and, as a recommendation, a pair of speaker stands. These are available through Mastering Mansion.

Gallery.