Blast from my past – Pat McGinty's Meadowlark Kestrel [$995/pr] put the brand on the map and had me work for it after I left Mesa Boogie's tiny HighEnd division. At just 36" tall, 8" wide and 9" deep, this 6½" two-way with 1st-order filters, time-aligned drivers and a transmission line was nearly too good for its own sub-thousand good. This photo of the HotRod version from a classified ad reminds us of my SoCal highlight; and me of living in San Diego county. Many moons have waxed and waned since but like Gallo's Ref 3, my mind bookmarks the Kestrel as a standout of its time. It also helped shape my ideas about what's required for normal listening rooms; and how much one must spend to sit pretty. Whilst my hifi investments have drifted upward since, at heart I still remain more blue-collar than baronial.
