Short answer: the Kii THREE has been measured and ranked; the Genelec 8381A has not been measured in a way we can rank yet, so until it is, this comes down to features and price.
What the Genelec 8381A offers: Genelec’s flagship main monitor: each speaker combines three 15” woofers, four 5” midrange drivers and a coaxial 5” midrange with 1” tweeter, specified at ±1.5dB from 20Hz to 35kHz, so it reaches the bottom of the audible range with no subwoofer.
On the Kii THREE side: Exceptionally even measured balance: the 300Hz-5kHz response spans only 1.2dB, with preference scores of 7.70 standalone and 8.35 with an ideal subwoofer.
Price: the Genelec 8381A lists at $64,000 and the Kii THREE at $16,970.
Buy the Kii THREE if you want a speaker whose sound quality has been measured and ranked.
Buy the Genelec 8381A if you prefer its design or features, and you can wait for measurements to confirm how it sounds.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Genelec 8381A | Kii THREE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $64,000 per pair | $16,970 per pair |
| Ranked | - | #3 of 68 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 57.4”H x 19.7”W x 27.3”D (1458 x 500 x 694 mm) | 15.7”H x 7.9”W x 15.7”D |
| Weight | 357.1 lbs (162 kg) each | 42.1 lbs (19.1 kg) each |
| Drivers | 3x 15” (380mm) woofers, 4x 5” (125mm) midrange, 5” (125mm) coaxial midrange with 1” (25mm) coaxial tweeter | Four 6.5” woofers; 5” midrange; 1” waveguided tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 5426W Class D (external 3U rack amplifiers) | 1,500W total per speaker; Six Ncore channels |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 35kHz (±1.5dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (-6dB at 20Hz; ±0.5dB 100Hz-10kHz; ±1dB 10kHz-20kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 126dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | - |
| DSP | Yes | Yes; boundary, contour, phase-exact and low-latency modes |
| EQ | Yes (via GLM software) | - |
| App | Yes (GLM) | - |
| Inputs | XLR, AES/EBU | XLR (analog), XLR AES/EBU (digital), proprietary KiiLink digital multi-pin |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| XLR Input | Yes | Yes |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| AES Input | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 28Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 20.5Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Coverage | - | DSP-controlled cardioid above approximately 70-90Hz |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 7.70 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 8.35 |
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Genelec 8381A: $64,000 per pair B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Genelec’s flagship main monitor: each speaker combines three 15” woofers, four 5” midrange drivers and a coaxial 5” midrange with 1” tweeter, specified at ±1.5dB from 20Hz to 35kHz, so it reaches the bottom of the audible range with no subwoofer. It is specified at 126dB short-term output from 5,426W of Class D amplification. GLM room calibration, analog XLR and AES/EBU digital inputs are included.
Cons: Only listening reviews have been published, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers. Each speaker is 1.46m tall and weighs 162kg, and the amplifiers live in a separate 3U rack, so it only suits a large dedicated room.
Full Genelec 8381A review and specifications →
| AES Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 5426W Class D (external 3U rack amplifiers) |
| App | Yes (GLM) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | 57.4”H x 19.7”W x 27.3”D (1458 x 500 x 694 mm) |
| Drivers | 3x 15” (380mm) woofers, 4x 5” (125mm) midrange, 5” (125mm) coaxial midrange with 1” (25mm) coaxial tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (via GLM software) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 35kHz (±1.5dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | XLR, AES/EBU |
| Maximum SPL | 126dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 357.1 lbs (162 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Kii THREE: $16,970 per pair Vintage King eBay
Pros: Exceptionally even measured balance: the 300Hz-5kHz response spans only 1.2dB, with preference scores of 7.70 standalone and 8.35 with an ideal subwoofer. Cardioid control reduces rearward low-midrange energy, while measured -3dB extension of 29.3Hz provides convincing full-range bass in a compact system. Measured bass extension of 28Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Deep-bass output has limits: demanding low-frequency material at high levels can trigger compression or audible distress. The reviewer preferred a small treble reduction, so the high score is not a promise of ideal tonal balance for every listener. Linear-phase operation adds latency, and the system is expensive.
Full Kii THREE review and specifications →
| AES Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 1,500W total per speaker; Six Ncore channels |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 20.5Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 28Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Coverage | DSP-controlled cardioid above approximately 70-90Hz |
| DSP | Yes; boundary, contour, phase-exact and low-latency modes |
| Dimensions | 15.7”H x 7.9”W x 15.7”D |
| Drivers | Four 6.5” woofers; 5” midrange; 1” waveguided tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (-6dB at 20Hz; ±0.5dB 100Hz-10kHz; ±1dB 10kHz-20kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | XLR (analog), XLR AES/EBU (digital), proprietary KiiLink digital multi-pin |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.70 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.35 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 42.1 lbs (19.1 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons