Summary: After carefull listening to speakers in the $3,000-5,000 price range, I brought home for trial a pair of Kestrels Hot Rods, wich back in 2003 retailled for $1,600. They never returned to the audio dealer and are sitll there after almost seven years still giving the most sublime listening experience I ever had. These are the most musical, non fatiging speakers I've ever heard. Soundstage is excellent, instruments and vocal are perfectly placed, just like having the band and the vocalists right in front of you. A friend of mine the other day told me while listening, the speakers are physically in front of us, but they actually dissapear leaving just pure music. Craftmanship is superb, mine are finished in redwood, and I mean real wood. Anyone looking for affordable speakers should listen to these babies. Believe me, no one will be dissapointed.
I am a trucker and we use to pick these speakers up and ship them the company is located in watertown new york. The craftmanship is superb and so is the sound excellent vocal speakers i listened to them with a 50 watt tube amp. Before he let me listen to them he told me that i would never listen to my bose again lol and i havent. This was 6 years ago ever since that day i have have upgraded to rotel and recently bought some klipsch rf -63 but these sound definetly better on the vocal end smooth. You have some great speakers but i guess i am just a klipsch junky some times i wonder if i made the right decision lol.
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Summary: I had owned a pair of Meadowlark Swifts and was quite impressed with their performance. When I upgraded my two channel system, I purchased a pair of Kestrel 2's to compliment my new Parasound amp and pre-amp. These speakers have exceeded all my expectations. Like a fine wine, they improved with age. It takes quite a while for them to break in but after about two hundred hours they really come alive. The imaging is superb and they have a wide soundstage. With jazz and vocals, it's as if the musicians are actually in the room with you. Initially, I was a bit skeptical about the bass but after the break in, it improves dramatically and becomes quite tight and full. I couldn't be happier with the sound. As an extra added attraction, the speakers are beautifully crafted. Mine are in dark ash and are finished like fine furniture. They are not mass produced and can be customized in very exotic finishes. Photographs really do not do justice to how nice these speakers look. If your tastes lean towards deep pounding bass you may want to look elsewhere but if you enjoy pure, uncolored sound that is expressive and detailed then audition these speakers.
Strengths: Very musical and uncolored. All Meadowlarks are time coherent and use first order crossovers for a very unfatiguing and natural reproduction of the music. High quality drivers are used and the build quality of the enclosures is first rate.
Weaknesses: These speakers reproduce the signal coming from your electronic components quite faithfully. Mediocre equipment will produce mediocre sound.
Similar Products Used: Totem, M&K, Klipsch.
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Summary: This Review is for the Kestrel 2. After checking out all the big names in audio speakers many times a friend lead me to the Meadowlark line of speakers. I auditioned many speakers in higher price ranges and these are just plain better. Imaging is outstanding, the best I have heard. The Bass is tight and very good for the speakers size. Treble is to die for. I compared these to the best B&W had to offer and I was shocked that these sounded cleaner and more solid. The have a very "naked" unconfused sound to them. They make you smile.
Now the build quality is the best I have ever seen. Real wood baffels.. Sleek design. AN THEY ARE SOLID!! I MEAN ROCK SOLID. The crossovers have thier own sound proof internal inclosure. Truely Amazing. Meadowlark is relatively small company located in Watertown NY. They hand build and test every speaker. You could not ask for better customer service. If you ask me there is no other choice anywhere near this price range. In fact for under 10 Grand there is no other speaker that compares.
They use super high Danish drivers. YOU MUST ALLOW THEM TO BREAK IN FOR AT LEAST 100 hours.
Strengths: Everything I listed and then some.
Weaknesses: Not really a weakness, but you must allow for at least 100 hours break-in on the drivers.
Similar Products Used: Mcintosh, B&W, Martin Logan, Thiel, Ariel Acoustics, Snell, Joseph Audio,
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Summary: this review is for the Meadowlark Kestral II , Before the Kestrals, I was a sceptic on speaker break-in. However after more than 200 hrs the Kestral 2's begain to evolve into a smooth controled speaker. Made me a believer.
The Kestrals are simply amaizing with detail, imaging, and have an almost three dimensional soundstage. Bass response is puncy, never boomy.
Very beautiful, solid ,well designed and top notch build.
The Kestral II is a very musical speaker that gets you involved with the music.
I liked the Meadowlark sound so much I upgraded to the Ospreys which are fantastic.
Strengths: Music
Similar Products Used: B&W, Von Schweikert, Vandersteen,
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Summary: This guy John from MD calling the Kestrel for a boat anchor, s... and advicing people to "stay away from the speaker" etc., comes up with such a judgement without any kind of explanations. If one want to judge a product so badly as done here, one must at least expect some kind of explanation.
But no - John just simply attacks like a beast or maybe simply does not have any kind of knowledge when talking highend.
I think reviews like Johns should be kept out simply because it´s not serious enough. People can love or hate a loudspeaker and of course write about it, but it should be followed by an explanation. It´s too easy just throwing mud like that.
OK - I think this speaker is great value for money. Sweet non fatiquing treble, crisp and clear mids with a lot af details. The bass is of course not the deepest one have heard, but then again for a cabinet this size, the price etc. it´s great- The "anchor style" is beautiful I think, and a great deal of explanation to why such a small speaker can sound so great - did you get the point John!! Of course your listening room should always suit your speaker or is opposite, especially when talking bass.
Strengths: value for money
Weaknesses: none
Similar Products Used: B&W 804, Heco Anniversary(Biig german tank)Maarten Miles, Avalon Avatar, and many many more
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