Best speaker brands for transient response

Is that transient response?

Haha yes that is a good adjective to use ;)

I’ve always found ATC to be a very unique, zippy kind of sound.  Is that transient response?

@yogiboy thank you for your recommendation. I had not heard of ATC until maybe a week ago and saw their models on Music Direct. It's not a crazy drive there after morning rush hour and will make the trip. Thanks again.

@mtbiker29 thank you for that recommendation -- he's in uptown and I'm west, that's a haul but worth it to hear those brands. I'll try to get up there on a Monday when traffic should be manageable. 

@james633

Everything that comes from the 4367’s horn has snap and more inner texture. The notes are much more separated. The 590s horn is dull and splashy with no life in comparison.

This has been my exact experience listening to my 590s after purchasing and listening to my KLH 3s and 4305Ps over the past year. I thought maybe it was just that I was getting "bored" of the 590s after 4 years of ownership but no, they just don’t deliver that sound as you describe it, and it makes them sound lifeless in comparison (even with those big dynamics and soundstage...)

Thank for your running the test. I’m doing the AB of my KLH 3s and 4305Ps tomorrow. If the 4305Ps get the same result in the same room as the 3s, I’m going with the 4349s. If not, probably leaning Borresen.

small monitor speakers should have superior transient response. Bass drivers usually can not keep up...just a thought...please ignore it if you find it offense. 

Unless you were to match the 590s and 4367s to the same volume, your test is invalid. I doubt that both speakers have the same sensitivity, so one will be at an obvious disadvantage unless you have the means to match their volumes.

lol… must not like people criticizing musical tastes…

not sure any system without subs could do the Tenet sound track justice. 

Vanessa Fernandez “here but I’m gone” is totally fine for dynamic range. Much better than 99% of albums. Check the dynamic range in software, I am sure it is high. The original poster did not mention orchestral music. Which is hard on systems but irrelevant if you don’t listen to it.

I know the tenet sound track and it sounds fine, not my style. I could rattle my house with deadmau5 too but again not my thing. 

Well I did a direct A/B of my JBL 590 and JBL 4367s just now to listen for transient response. I did it in mono just so I could do instant switching through my preamp. I did not use my subs. amp was McIntosh MC462 and the speakers were right beside each other. I did my best to level match by ear and with a dB meter.

Songs were Vannessa Fernandez “here but I’m gone” for an audiophile choice with good dynamics and Stone Temple Pilots “dead and bloated” for a low fi rock sample.

In general the most notable thing is the 4367 is absurdly more detailed in the upper mids and treble. There is also more texture and tone in the bass of the 4367 but that is more subtle.

Now on to the question. Does the better drivers translate to better transients/dynamics? In short, yes for sure without question. Everything that comes from the 4367’s horn has snap and more inner texture. The notes are much more separated. The 590s horn is dull and splashy with no life in comparison.

I found bass dynamics to be about the same and the 590 has less texture. The weight of the bass impact is about the same. Just less detailed on the 590. For the money the 590s have great bass and crappy highs.

The music choice did not change the outcome.
 

On a side note don’t by anything blind you can’t return. While I agree with some of the recommendations here I complete disagree with others and think they might not understand “transients”.

You should take a look at ATC. All of them are a sealed design. This dealer is in your neck of the woods. My friend owned the smaller SCM7 and they were real nice!!

https://www.musicdirect.com/shop/?query=atc

My opinion…. Magnepan, Diptyque, for ribbon driver speakers. Sound Labs, Quads, and Martin Logan electrostatic speakers. All extremely revealing and transients that have that “live”  stage presence. But at the cost of needing powerful amplification, and difficult subwoofer integration. Personally, I have Magnepan’s powered by Krell.

@ozzy62 It's a start. I am always happy to add more data to make it useful.

OP you're going to want to talk to Albert at Precision AV. Pretty sure he's the only Magico dealer in CHI and he has Paradigm also.  Then used he'll have plenty more.  Many on here don't love him because he's quirky to deal with but get in the same room as him and he's great.  Will spend time with you and is worth the visit to the north side.  Good luck.  

@vthokie83 thank you for your recommendation. They have a very JBL 4349/S3900 look/design to them which is very appealing because those were the models I felt were likely the best option for me at bigger price points.

@whoopycat thanks for the recommendation I have looked hard at the Unions and Union Supremes.

They would fit the room very well and I love the look of them. The reviews are great.

Steve59 and Ozzy62 (Sabbath fan?)

I agree too and have researched and demo'd McIntosh and Parasound. I have a dealer nearby for both so will be able to try both with my speaker purchase. I'm leaning strong toward Parasound but that could change by the time the checkbook creaks open ;)

My KLH 3s are driven by a Cambridge CXA 61, purchased on sale after reading several positive reviews of the CXA 81. It is a great match (I got lucky) and would recommend anyone match a KLH 3/5 with a Cambridge CXA. My CXA is a little underpowered for the 3s -- they need a lot of power to dance.

@calvinandhobbes thank you for your recommendation.

The KLH 3 and 5 have often been described the same way in that they sound like horn speakers. And I thought that may be why I like them so much because my experience was only with JBL horns before I bought them.

Will look into Monitor -- that's a brand I've heard of and seen reviewed widely.

I agree with @steve59

The right amp is crucial to define the speed and performance of a loudspeaker, especially true for less sensitive speakers. 

Sometimes the perceived speed of speakers can be 'sped up' by component matching. My salon 1's sounded like a live event yet the same amp driving the salon 2's sounded flat and lifeless! same with my Blades until I got the amps right. 

I'm in the far west suburbs and have done my part helping a couple shops keep the lights on. Reach out if you want.

Tommyuchicago

I would look at Volti speakers, the Razz is certainly in your budget at $5,500 a pair unfinished, or $7,500 in nice veneers.

I have a friend that owns several horn speakers (Forte IVs, La Scala, Volti Razz, and the new Volti Lucera). I find them superior to Klipsch Forte IVs in most every way, and maybe even better than the La Scala.

They are hybrid speakers with a traditional 12" cone bass driver, and horn loaded midrange and tweeter.

My next set of speakers will likely be a pair of Voltis, but the next up in the line which are the Lucera.....though that is possibly out of your price range at $11,500 per pair. The only downside is that Volti do not have a return policy, so you buy them....you own them

@grislybutter

You have composed quite the list of available speakers. But none of that information is helpful to what the OP seeks.

If you are after transients first and foremost I would take a long look at Zu Union 6.  I audtioned some and the transient response was off the charts, but they can also be a bit picky with upstream gear. Luckily Zu gives you 60 days to audition.

For a "normal" speaker, Monitor Audio speakers are quite fast. Not electrostatic level of speed, but they sound noticeably fast to me.  A quote from a Stereophile review of the Silver 300s rings true to me: "What these speakers said was spoken with a clarity and expressive ease. . . . Dynamic and transient-fast, it sounded almost hornlike." though the Gold series might sound even faster with greater precision to its sound.

@helomech thanks I am getting a lot of Borresen recommendations and the X2 is in my price range. Only found a dealer in Jacksonville so far, long drive for a demo ;) I definitely need to research more.

Also have gotten strong endorsements for Spendor K series and Maggies.

This sounds about right:

Yes that’s it. Thank you for posting that.

Interesting that most the OP's description of transients relate more to midrange and high frequencies, not bass.

Correct -- this is something I look for in mids and highs, also it also applies to what may be described as "fast bass" at the cost of bass extension.

What is a transient response?  I have not heard of that term before.

This link gives a good overview to augment @helomech's explanation.

https://www.hifireport.com/understanding-transient-response-in-audio-a-beginners-guide/?utm_content=cmp-true

Transients are impulse responses in relation to steady state and it can be measured. Impulse response is to a specific input from base level. It is used to check time alinement. It is not related to distortion but most systems with good transient response are also low distortion. It comes down to good power to weight ratio of the drivers with pistonic motion.

When it comes to transducers, “transient response” is how close a driver can mimic the original signal. If given a theoretically perfect amplifier and speaker enclosure, any deviation from perfect transient response is indeed driver distortion. The more imperfect the response, the higher the distortion.

You are correct that lower mass diaphragms tend to have lower distortion, especially if they can resist bending modes within their implemented bandwidth.

Sometimes a driver can have good piston behavior but still cause a comb-filtering effect, which is another, typically less subjectively offensive distortion. Regardless, any deviation from perfection is a distortion.

The reason higher quality drivers sound quicker, subjectively, is because they are lower in distortion.

Ported, sealed, OB, panel…all such designs can sound slow/fast or dynamic/anemic depending on how well they are designed and the quality of their transducers. Unfortunately, most dealer-sold tower speakers under ≈$7K/pair (and stand-mounts under ≈$4K/pair) employ very mediocre transducers.

Interesting that most the OP's description of transients relate more to midrange and high frequencies, not bass.

"The target effects I use to test transiency are the crash-to-ring transient of a cymbal, fingers going across guitar strings, snare drum tightness.."

Based on this, I suggest it is not a question of bass alignment  (sealed vs ported) but rather the mid and high frequency performance that will provide the desired effect. Certainly the room and speaker placement can introduce reflections that can cause smearing in this frequency range. 

An interesting characteristic of dipole speakers (Magnepan, some electrostatic, open baffle) is that they interact with the room differently. Yes you may need to absorb the rear radiationwith suitable room treatment, however they do not radiate to the sides or the ceiling. I find this can give a clarity to the mids and highs that is very appealing...and the lack of a box can provide a very natural and uncoloured bass. Worth exploring.

I have the Magnepan 1.7i and enjoy them...I think you would find they have a good transient response.

This sounds about right:

 In the context of high-end audio, the term transient response refers to the ability of an audio system to accurately reproduce quick, abrupt changes in sound, such as the attack and decay of musical notes or the leading edge of a percussive sound. A transient is a short-lived signal that contains a high amount of energy, and a good transient response is important for accurately reproducing the natural, lifelike quality of music.

A high-end audio system with a good transient response should be able to start and stop quickly, with minimal overshoot or ringing, and should be able to reproduce the subtle details and nuances of musical performances. This is in contrast to a system with a slow or sluggish transient response, which can make music sound dull, lifeless, and lacking in detail.

A variety of factors can affect the transient response of an audio system, including the design of the amplifiers, speakers, and other components, as well as the quality of the cables and interconnects. In general, a high-end audio system that is well-designed and well-implemented should have a good transient response, allowing it to accurately reproduce the dynamic and nuanced characteristics of music.

Transients are impulse responses in relation to steady state and it can be measured. Impulse response is to a specific input from base level. It is used to check time alinement. It is not related to distortion but most systems with good transient response are also low distortion. It comes down to good power to weight ratio of the drivers with pistonic motion.  
 

A system that can make a square wave at the desired SLP in theory has perfect impulse/transient response. Most amps have no problem with this and most all speakers fail this test. I have seen headphones (single driver, no crossover, low output) pass. 
 

What is a transient response? I have not heard of that term before.

It’s really just a synonym for low distortion. The reason people conflate these notions is that many speakers are equipped with low distortion midrange or treble drivers, but nearly all <$10K dealer-sold speakers produce high distortion in the bass freqs. At best this can cause a speaker to sound somewhat “muddy” or “slow.” At worst, it has “slow” sounding bass coupled with a “fast” sounding tweeter, which then results in a perceived lack of coherency.

I’ve heard or owned many of the aforementioned speakers and most of them don’t remotely match the Borresen X series for what you seek, be it treble, midrange, or bass. They are the closest to “perfection” I’ve encountered from any somewhat affordable speaker line. 

And don’t be put off by the “4.5 inch” woofers. Any other manufacturer would refer to them as a 6” woofer. At the very least they are as large as any other manufacturer’s “5.5 inch” woofers.

What is a transient response?  I have not heard of that term before.

Well I played that on my setup that is BelCanto c5i to Sonus Faber Concerto Domus.  Veeeery nice!   So there’s one option. 

That chiming strat guitar line is exactly what I'm talking about. Great song, great suggestion.

Life is a compromise. Don’t make the mistake of giving up one desireable parameter for another.

My goal here is to nail transients first, then on to some mix of soundstage, dynamics, and imaging. I don't want to spend serious $ on speakers and find that it can't do what the KLH 3s do in transients, even if it outperforms in other areas (which the 590s do in dynamics, for example). That will just bug me.

@boomerbillone thanks for the maggie recommendation, I need to go here them. They have an enthusiastic following which to me is no better endorsement of a product.

Life is a compromise. Don’t make the mistake of giving up one desireable parameter for another.

For example, while electrostatic panels may provide the the desired transient response, you could easily give up soundstage and imaging because sound coming from their rears is bouncing all around the room creating all manner of reflection and phasing.

I made my own speakers using JBL 2241H (18"), JBL 2251J (9.75"), and modified ESS Great Heils and the transient response, as well as the soundstage and imaging, are among the best I've heard.  Of couse it's taken years of experimentation and tweaking to get to where I'm satisfied.

Here's something... This cut should have quick transients that, at volume, slap you in the chest.

https://youtu.be/aLEhh_XpJ-0

Hello tommyuchicago!  For Maximum detail at lowest price: Magnepan LRS+, ADD THE CROSSOVER MOD from GRS, use the TV stands from Amazon to raise them off the ground, add a subwoofer (or two), use an electronc crossover and a four channel power amp (Starke Sound often on sale under $1200). An Upgrade?  Magnepan 1.7i or higher. Even with the LRS+, stunning detail! The crossover mod is important. I replaced the Linkwitz LX520-4, a superb speaker package, with the LRS+ sitting on dual subwoofers, much nore "naturalness" and detail in my room.  Happy Listening!

@james633 thank you for the heads up, I'll see if I can get a sale price out of them. I've heard from other chatter on forums that they can be purchased for around $7,500/pr if you shop around.

@mbmi that's the second recommendation for Borresen and the 2s are within budget. Gorgeous design, too. Thank you for the recommendation.

Borresen X-3's   or X-2's ....Very quick.

Sweetwater has the 4349 on sale if you call. Might be worth checking the sale price. I also think they have a trial period and liberal return policy but I would check. 
 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/4349Wal--jbl-lifestyle-4349-12-inch-2-way-passive-loudspeaker-walnut-wood-veneer-with-black-grille

@jheppe815 thank you, I will do that. I definitely did not want to make the mistake of telling myself only sealed speakers would achieve my goals. That was the biggest driver of starting this thread, as there are few sealed options out there and I don't have nearly enough experience with more expensive speakers to just rule out ported designs. My 4305Ps are ported and have a ton of snap and speed to them.

The 4349s are what I "want" to buy, and I'm just making sure I look at every feasible option before dropping that kind of money.

I am very grateful to everyone taking the time to provide feedback. Greatly appreciated.

@mgattmch I heard the La Scala at a dealer that no longer has any heritage line products in their showroom. I plan on demo'ing the Forte IVs at a dealer in the city. The La Scalas sounded surreal but I didn't get enough time with them to get a more critical listen (some guy kept fiddling with the McIntosh integrated they were connected to).

@jji666 thank you, yes I've got a pretty good room that I've further treated at its weak spot (an exposed beam basement ceiling).

No one mentions acoustic room treatments?  Slushy or boomy bass is often the result of a need for some level of room treatment.  That's also likely a lot cheaper than replacing any high end speaker.  

Also, strongly disagree with audiotroy regarding Magnepans.  They're very fast but do require a lot of power.