How much to spend to beat $1200 10yr old speakers?

All things being equal...a ten yr old $1200 speaker should at least equal a newer $600 one...but I wouldnt get too caught up in price ...there are simply not that many good speakers in either price range...and both the $600 Paradigm Studio 20 and the Quad 11L outperform a number of more pricey monitors(both old and new)....a higher pricetag can be just that...I value performance over price

If u like meadowlark kestrals.....try the Vandersteen 1c...virtually identical phase correct sound...for around $800....

I was in a similar situation, thinking of replacing my KEF's with Meadowlark Kestral. The Kestral was definately impressive with jazz. The instruments were very, very well defined. The KEF's threw a bigger soundstage which I like for rock. The Kestral has a rear port which might cause placement problems if too close to the wall.

I decided that I should upgrade my electronics before I went shopping for speakers. Now, a year later, the KEF's sound great (Ref 1's with UNI-Q). The imaging is really good but still lacks the soundstage depth that I remember from the Kestrals. If you want to play with your system I would recommend: vibration components for your cpd (vibrapods and rack), NOS tubes for your amp, possibly try a different cdp. Also, good IC's and speaker wires are always worthwhile.

As to the Kestrals, they may be a nice step up for you since you like mostly jazz and acoustic. Many people prefer the Swifts but they sounded thin to me also. The new Kestral 2's might be worth auditioning.

My recommendation to you, especially since you live far from the dealers, is to buy used on Audiogon. I think that Kestrals are going for about $700. You can have an extensive in-home demo for as long as you like. Then re-sell if you want. I buy only from sellers with good A'gon ratings and I've had very good luck.