I heard them at HE2003 in SF, driven by Atmasphere monoblocks. Other associated gear was MSB Super DVD Audio Player with analog volume control and Silver Audio cables. I currently own Meadowlark Heron-i and was attracted to them due to their compact size and specifications (especially the SEAS drivers).
I spent close to two hours in the room playing mostly redbook CDs of every genre (jazz, rock, etc. however mostly concentrating on classical). They produce a most beautiful sound with refined pearly tone, hence non-fatiguing. I could listen to them all day. Nice imaging, depth and height. Good resolution and focus: details are all there but in perspective. Nice PRaT. They gave you the sense of being there (you can feel the room pressurized at orchestral crescendos, uncanny realism). They almost trounced my Heron-i’s (and this is quite impressive), until I started playing renaissance, baroque and medieval music. This repertoire presents a lot of high treble energy from various woodwind instruments. This is where the C-1s reveal their only weakness. The liveliness that I heard before with other music was gone and was replaced by a cool and dull presentation. I spoke with the designer Brian Ganz who is also the designer for Voce Divina speakers. I found out from him that the SEAS Millenium tweeter used in the C-1 was a modified version. This may be the cause for the roll-off I heard. However, Brian insisted that this dullness was due to the impedance matching device that was used between the Atmasphere and the C-1.
In the end, I decided not to by them. There’s a pair currently for sale here at a very good price. If you don’t listen to renaissance baroque repertoire, then you have nothing to worry about. Good luck.
