I've owned the original Kestrel, the Kestrel 2 as well as the Shearwater Hot Rod. My favorite is the original Kestrel. It has a very natural sound, easy to listen to for long periods.
Not sure it's going to sound as big as some of the other speakers you mention, but in a small to mid-sized room it's hard to beat at $300.
Not sure it's going to sound as big as some of the other speakers you mention, but in a small to mid-sized room it's hard to beat at $300.