Warm Sounding Speakers

I can't believe you'd recommend the original Kestrel over the Kestrel II. The reason there's a Kestrel II is because the original had a power response issue at the crossover point and went into "cupped hands" mode if you weren't directly in the sweet spot. Everything else you say about the speaker (esp, imaging) is true, but I consider that power response flaw a deal-killer. Besides, a lot of good speaker design has come down the pike in the 16 years since the Kestrel came out--better enclosures, better drivers, better crossover designs, better backwave management (e.g., dual ports at different tunings, transmission lines, hybrids, etc.).

Warm, engaging, and in the price range of a Mag 3.6? Maybe a Sonus Faber Liuto floorstander. Or PSB Synchrony Tower, 1 or 2 depending on budget.

05-27-12: Timrhu
Actually, they were Kestrel Hot Rods but the difference is minimal as far as I can tell. Yes, I have owned both. Johnnyb53, do you have experience with the Meadowlarks?

Yes. I'm not just aping the reviews of the time. I helped an older married couple couple put together their first new stereo in 20 years and saved them from taking their son's advice to get a Bose Acoustimass system. We got a good CD player for the time (I forget which), a Creek 4240 integrated with MM phono plug-in, and a pair of Meadowlark Kestrels, version 1, not hotrodded. They were about as good as you could get at the time for $1K, the tonal balance (in the sweet spot) was very good, but in the 16 years since, where I've gravitated to speakers that address in-room power response, I sort of wish we'd looked a little longer or found a way to address that cupped hands midrange when listening off-axis.

I also had some extended phone conversations with Pat McGinty back then--about his design philosophy, values, business model, etc. I probably gave the wrong impression with my post. I was sorry to see Meadowlark hang it up. I thought they overall had a good line,They were ahead of the curve with their 1" MDF cabinet construction and resonance control. It's just that the first Kestrel probably crossed over too high, leaving the midrange to beam for a half octave or so.

Timrhu: I'm pretty sure the Kestrels I heard were some of the first run and that over time Pat improved the crossover and with it, power response and in-room uniformity. They sure imaged like a mofo regardless.

Dorgay's review is here.

The current Bose Series VI has been around for 25 years. I wonder how good the design could be today with the better full range 4" drivers available today, say with neodymium magnets, composite cones, cast frames, phase plugs, and high excursion surrounds, plus an active crossover with higher quality parts.

Then put them at the proper height on solid, rigid stands such as Dorgay used.

It *does* have some things going for it, such as crossoverless design and uniform power response.

05-27-12: Audiofreak32
Warm sound will almost always require tubes...

"Almost always"? I don't think so. Warmth is a tonal balance thing and any number of speakers are voiced this way and speaker placement has a lot to do with it too. If you're talking about smoother highs, there are plenty of SS amps that do that too. Also, some speakers have etched or edgy highs, others have smooth and well dispersed highs.

I have a pair of Mirage M5si's and with their mid-20's bass extension, bipolar radiation pattern, and well-damped titanium dome tweeters they are definitely warm no matter what powers them. I have powered them with Forte, VSP Labs, Carver, and Adcom. The speakers sound warm with all of them.

06-06-12: Loftarasa
I should think the "snap" of a snaredrum is above sub frequencies, around 1.5-2khz, so I don't see how that would be addressed by having warm speakers on the end of a "sterile" amp that you "probably will never like"!

I've been playing drums for 49 years and have realized for some time that the fundamental on a snare drum is deceptively low in frequency. This chart seems to confirm that. Of course the strength of the fundamental varies with shell size and frequency wlth tuning. Nevertheless the chart show the snare drum reaching down to 100 Hz, just above the low E on a guitar and well into woofer terrritory. A warmer speaker will give more whump or fundamental to a snare drum.

This is even true in rock; many metal and other hard rock drummers use fairly large snare drums with 7" and 8" deep shells. Blues, much jazz, and New Orleans music often have a loosely tuned snare drum and won't sound right without a little warmth.