[Review] Meadowlark Kestrel 2

Meadowlark Kestrel 2

Well, they've arrived - all the way from California and in perfect condition despite their long journey. Finished in cherry with a maple stringer - see pic.

Will need a lot of running in so they say as they are brand new but, surprisingly, they sound rather nice already - beautifully open and transparent.

Even with shipping, import tax and VAT they worked out at about half the UK rrp!

Matt.

 

Very nice Matt.
If i found some at the right price i would shop in my Kestrel hotrods.
Hope you have much enjoyment from them.

 

Glad to see you have got them at last Matt, good choice if I may say so

 

Another well done from the Meadowlark mafia! How much did you pay BTW (how much was delivery!)
Cheers, Liam.

 

Very nice... Do they work well that close to the wall? I can't take the Kestrels anything like that close.

 

Ooh that would be telling. I will say that US dealers appear to be knocking them out at about 66% of the US list price. Delivery was $295 (3 working days from the West Coast to my door!). Import tax 4%, then VAT on total cost including delivery and import tax (the b*stards).

Don't forget that cherry is $400 more than the standard ash finish and a maple stringer adds another $100 (would take or leave the stringer but the only cherry pair they had came with it).

I would imagine that for an ash pair you would probably be looking at just under a grand including delivery and all taxes - that's about half the UK list.

Matt.

 

Yep - not bad at all but then they are front ported unlike the originals.

They would probably sound better if given a foot or so behind rather than the 4 or 5 inches they have at the moment - maybe when we move house I'll be able to give them that.

I must say that their laid back profile means they seem a lot less imposing than cuboid speakers of the same footprint.

The only slight weird thing looks wise is that the tweeters have slightly protruding centre poles that press against the grille cloth - bit like erect nipples in a black tee shirt!

Matt.

 

Prehaps we should upgrade Matts status to hoodlum first class, for his sterling sevice in the Mafia