Your description of sounding like "real music" is kind of comical to me -- isn't that what we're all looking for?
Not exactly. I'd be willing to bet that less than half of audiophiles even know what real music sounds like. There are many who like for their systems to sound like good hi-fi, and not like real music.
B
Hahaha... that's because so-called "real music" sounds like crap most of the time. Clubs where most live music is played so rarely have the technical sound expertise, the proper room without bad resonance, or the desire to have good quality sound. Outside of the orchestral halls, it is almost impossible to find good imaging at live show, unless the music is entirely acoustic and outdoors. So if you want to listen to "real" music, it is most likely going to be found on your hifi system. I have at least one friend who refuses to go to live shows because the sound is always so dreadful.
On the other hand, there are plenty of good reasons to go see live music, regardless of the sound quality. Seeing the musicians performing in person is a rare treat, especially when there is an exchange of energy between the musicians and the crowd. I just saw Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra play last week, and the dynamics between band and crowd was completely over the top. It was a very inspiring show... both mentally and physically. Now THAT is what live music is all about.
Regarding Meadowlark speakers... they are designed using transmission lines, which give very good bass and bass rolloff, have first order XO's that do not cause a phase shift, and are acoustically time aligned. This is why they sound so natural. The ear-brain is extremely sensitive to any phase shifts in music, and even though this sensitivity is hard to quantify, it does exist as a "feeling" when listening to the speakers. The only problem with Meadowlark's low-end speakers is that the drivers used are mediocre at best, so while they sound very natural, they are not incredible. But I'm not damning them for using cheap drivers, because they have to make money too, and they have more expensive speakers in their lineup. But it does show that the drivers themselves are not as important as the XO and other design factors in a speaker.
