Important Info for Meadowlark Owners

I have also found that height makes a big difference.

How far away from the speakers is your listening position?

Kitch, I have owned Meadowlark Kestral Hotrods for about 3 months now. I am still having a hard time getting used to them, the highs on some recordings seem to be muffled, it's as though a blanket were over them. They otherwise sound great. I have thought about changing amps, currently using Linn LK100, only 50 watts per channel. My listening room is my spare brdroom, has a futon which sits fairly low, I will try to adjust the height somehow to try your tip.
Thanks,
Dan

Hey Dan,

Are you sure that the tweeters are working?

Dan. I owned a pair of Kestrel Hotrods. I had a very different experience. Highs were very much there. I have no way of knowing what you are describing, but something doesn't seem right. Could it be that you are looking for too much out of bad recordings?

Kitch. I believe the sloped baffle is what makes them time aligned. I don't know. I am just assuming, but, if you sit above the tweeters, wouldn't that defeat the purpose? I have to ask. Are the speakers level, from front to back. I have Heron I's and my listening position is not that high.

Bl, you make a good point and I had thought about it. No question that the geometry and time alignment changes. However, the sound becomes magical at the higher position. I guess all those non-time-aligned speakers have something going, too. I just wish my feet touched the floor!
Seriously, though, it could be my room. I've used everything but a dowsing rod to try for a good soundstage and stable image. This works for me but maybe won't make sense for others.

I've owned the kestral hotrods since december and believe just like any other speaker out there you have to work to get the best out of them. When standing the kestrals certainly sound different to me, though I don't believe the sound is better. This is in my room of course, not yours.

I've found that getting them a little further away from the listening position was a great help. This snapped the soundstage into focus - and just made everything sound more coherent, for lack of a better word. I haven't mearsured recently but I would guess the change was from 7.5 ft. to listening position to about 8.5 +,-. Kitch, I'll let you know. The trick, of course, is to also keep them far from the front wall(4ft in my case) to tame all the bass these things produce. In my experience that's what opens up their wonderful midrange. Maybe, this is what you're experiencing when you stand?

Dan, something does sound wrong. I originally had a similar complaint about the Kestrals and ultimatley discovered I had a broken connector off one tweeter - problem solved. Now, there is nothing lacking in the detail department. As far as amps go, the kestrals love tubes. Power, unless your bedroom is very,very large, shouldn't be an issue.

Kitch and Dan, good luck.

I've got Kestrel Hot Rods, too, and defintely never had a problem with the highs. It almost sounds like you forgot to hook up the tweeter terminals or lost a connection. If you are not bi-wiring, the best configuration is to run the amp to the woofer posts and jumpers to the tweeter posts. If that checks out, you may have a damaged tweeter or bad internal connection.

It's satisfying to see others obtain the same level of enjoyment that my Kestral H.R.s have given me for nearly 3 years! Muzikat, something is up with your Kestrals! Have 'em checked out. If they do check out, I'd go further upstream than the amp you're using (adequate), and play with your source and/or preamp.

Height made no significant difference for me, other than to give me a different perspective on the sound stage. It may well be room effects in those for whom height does matter. Happy Listening, -John