Meadowlar Osprey...How does it sound???

Gotoma8:

I have gone thru chronolically:

Whatfedale Modus 8, bleh!

Platinum Audio 808's...great bass and surprisingly good sound.

Mission 773e's...I enjoyed them quite a bit,,,very lively with that nice aerogel driver.

Mission 774's same just more of it.

Pinnacle Classic Gold Aerogel,,,Best I heard up to date,,,midrange to die for, as well as low and solid base.

and now I have some vintage JBL L-96's...

Gee, I didn't know I would have to defend myself.
To Zaikesman: I wasn't recommending first-order crossovers, which isn't to say you wouldn't find them to your liking. I'm simply saying that I've heard two speaker co's with first-order crossovers (Meadowlark and Thiel) and I PERSONALLY didn't care for the sound of either one of them.
However, I have read glowing reviews about various Meadowlark, Thiel, and Green Mountain speakers, they are just not my personal preference. I guess that's why we are so fortunate to have so many speaker manufacturers to choose from.
I've owned two speakers that I've enjoyed: Innersound Eros and Von Schweikert VR4 Gen III - one an electrostat and the other a 'box' speaker.
I'm glad we are all talking about American made speakers.
Happy Listening - no matter what speakers you own!!!

Well said Sedona....
Well, I've heard plenty of speakers, from Exemplars to Thiels, to Von Schweikert VR4s, to Dun Leavy, to Innersound, Proacs, to Silverline Audios, to Vandersteens, to B&Ws, to Alons and many more...
Each time I hear them they all have their own distinct characteristics and its all up to you tastes, first in music and what works for your space. I just happened to like Meadowlark and wanted to know if the upgrade to the new ospreys would be feasible in $$$.
Thanks again for all the comments...

I purchased a pair of Ospreys from another audiogon member who had them for a couple of months. I was not overly impressed at first and after spending so much money I thought perhaps that I had made a mistake.
After a few weeks we started noticing big differences in the smoothness and with extended bass response. Now after 2 months they have kept improving and sound smoother.. Reciently I have added a new/better cd player that has really opened up the soundstage and imaging capabilities of the Ospreys. Clarity and imaging is outstanding.
I am very pleased with them, they have slowed my three year "speaker mania hunt obsession" to almost a stand still.

In a nutshell, very detailed, excellent imaging, dynamic, acurate bass with no boom. A very musical speaker.

I have to agree with Sedona ( thanks again! ) on one point, there are better speakers to invest in if you listen to mainly rock, lets face it when you really want to rock you need Loud! At higher levels ( higher than I would care to listen to) the Ospreys can sound what I would call "strained".
Thanks
Shoe

Zaikesman, I think on some level you might be right about the dynamic limitations of 1st order crossovers, especially compared to something like the Wilsons. On the other hand the 2.2's are hardly in the same price range of the Wilsons. Comparing apple dollars to apple dollars and here's the caveat, with appropriate power, some 1st orders speakers like 5, 6 and 7 series Thiels as well as 4A, 5 and 6 series Dunlavy's can do a very credible job.