Meadowlark Kestrel II vs. Soliloquy 6.2


I'd like to duplicate the live music experience with a two-way speaker. My goal is to miraculously have Coltrane, Miles, Jimi, Stevie Ray, etc. perform in my living room. This speaker also must have a high "WAF" (Wife Acceptance Factor).

I'm very interested in the Meadowlark philosophy regarding time and phase coherency and the use of 1st order crossovers, reproducing the original wave form as the music was recorded. How will these two speakers compare? Is the apparent smaller "sweet spot" of time/phase coherent speakers significant?

My system: Ah! Njoe Tjoeb CD Player w/upsampler
Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp
Quicksilver Minimite Monos
Klipsch Heresys

My room: 20'x14'x8'

I listen to a variety of music including Jazz, Classic Rock, and Classical so this speaker needs to be versatile. I don't need to shake the walls with thunderous bass but I like to crank it up once in a while.

Any other suggestions for two-way speakers in the 2k range would be appreciated.

Mike
mootsdude

Showing 7 responses by boa2

Tojman,
You really found a 30Hz speaker to have "no bass at all"? I'm guessing that you had them for more than the 300-500 hour break-in period, yes? Because during that initial period, the treble glares harshly and the bass is anemic. Afterwards, however, they open up and become the speaker that so many people rave about. Or so was our experience.

Congrats on finding a speaker to your liking. Those Tylers sure have a devoted following.
All the best,
Mootsdude,
If you like the sound of the Klipsch, moving to a non-horn speaker will likely have you feeling like the performer is moving out of the room and into the box.

Try an upgrade on the CD player power cord. I'd also try going straight into the wall, instead of through the VH Audio Hot box. My Hot Box veiled the sound dramatically. I also used the Signal cables. Excellent...for the money.

If your wife is OK with the Klipsch look, and you like the sound, you can upgrade to the Cornwall ($700-900), and gain more presence for all of your music. And put your savings elsewhere.

I've owned the Soliloquy 5.3, 6.2, as well as the Silverline Sonata II. Incredible speakers, all of them. But none come close to that "you are the there" transparency that the Klipsch has.

Just my 2 cents.
All the best,
Howard
P.S.--Are you a Moots bicycle rider? Is that the source of your user name?
Mike,

If you like the transparency of the Klipsch, one way to take the brightness out of your system is to add bass, which is exactly what you will be doing by going to a larger, fuller range speaker. If you could try the 'Honey, I blew up the Heresy's' tact, and end up with some Cornwalls, you could be really happy for all of the music you like. You just have to ask your wife if she wants to be remembered as a Louis Kahn/Phillip Johnson type, or just your run of the mill shopping mall designer. Dig deep, and push her to expand the limits of her aesthetic. OK, maybe don't push too hard.

Alternatively, what about adding a powered sub to your current system? We are doing that with our La Scala's, which only reach down to around 50Hz. I can take any brightness out of them by adding the bass that currently is not there.

Definitely go for the dedicated power lines. Can't do it here, unfortunately, as we're renters.

Also, are you using KT88's in your amps? Not quite as open in the midrange, but on those Mini Mites (I've owned a pair myself), they are extremely musical, as well as providing a rounded, full bottom end. Very Oprah-like, we might say.

Love those Moots bikes. I think they are building the Hampsten Ti bikes, no? I think that Andy's brother Steve builds them. I 'ran into' Andy in Italy, as we were both cycling out of San Gimignano in 2001, when my wife and I were living there. What a nice guy!

All the best,
Howard
Central NJ, right? NOT Colorado. Just read your response to the 'Who R U?' thread.
All the best,
Howard
Mike,

It would seem to be your best move at first, installing the dedicated lines. And Samac's suggestion regarding the preamp is also excellent. From there, you certainly have a lot of room to move in the way of a speaker upgrade. I'd just be sure that you are heading in the direction of the sound that you like. Namely, one of transparency and immediacy. What kind of power cord are you using on your CD player right now?

Are you still racing? In Colorado?
Regards,
Howard
Wdi,
I should say that we have a SET amp/horn system, with 104dB speakers. Many of the cables, power boxes, and even power conditioners have had the effect of veiling the sound, making it seem like the highs are simply smoothed over. So I can't imagine that everyone would have the same experience, given the differences in our systems, as well as in our listening preferences. In other words, YMMV.
All the best,
Howard
Well, Tojman, I just knew there was another speaker I needed to hear. Making a mental note...TYLER.
Thank you,

Howard