I haven't yet heard the Osprey, but I have listened to the model below it, the Swift. The location was the 2002 NYC Stereophile HiFi Show. They were a part of the Rogue Audio room.
My impressions are that the speaker is not as full as I would like. Unlike my previous experiences with Meadowlark, the sonics were very lightweight. I am not a fan of speakers that sound lean, and in the room I heard them in, with tube electronics, that was how they sounded to me. I also noted that the speakers did not seem to be seamless between the drivers. I was not trying to audition the speakers, but the preamp/power amp, but felt that the Swift detracted from the combination.
Conversely, it seemed that the speakers were very fast, and agile. And, at $999, many people thought them to be fantastic. Perhaps the cost should be factored into the equation, but I never judge a speaker with a less critical eye because it is not expensive. I have come across too many fine sounding inexpensive speakers. Traditionally, I have always been very impressed by Meadowlark speakers. I would like to listen to the Ospreys, as they are larger, and will hopefully sound fuller.
My impressions are that the speaker is not as full as I would like. Unlike my previous experiences with Meadowlark, the sonics were very lightweight. I am not a fan of speakers that sound lean, and in the room I heard them in, with tube electronics, that was how they sounded to me. I also noted that the speakers did not seem to be seamless between the drivers. I was not trying to audition the speakers, but the preamp/power amp, but felt that the Swift detracted from the combination.
Conversely, it seemed that the speakers were very fast, and agile. And, at $999, many people thought them to be fantastic. Perhaps the cost should be factored into the equation, but I never judge a speaker with a less critical eye because it is not expensive. I have come across too many fine sounding inexpensive speakers. Traditionally, I have always been very impressed by Meadowlark speakers. I would like to listen to the Ospreys, as they are larger, and will hopefully sound fuller.