As you may have known, all thoughts and comments on sonic characteristics of loudspeakers are relative. I've listened to the Response 2.5 twice. The first encounter was 9 to 10 years ago at the dealer, the last time was about 3 years ago when the buyer of my Plinius amplifier actually(unbelievably) brought along the speakers in the trunk of his car to audition with the Plinius amp.
The 2.5 is a pretty well balanced speaker. Nothing sticks out like a sore thumb - good detail, refined highs, warm midrange and tight punchy bass. Imaging with most Proacs are above average, though I find the small Proac monitors(Tablette 50 Signature for instance) to possess superior imaging capabilities. Transparency is good though not class leading when compared to ultra-revealing speakers. Not necessarily a bad thing as too much transparency and detail especially at the top end of the frequency spectrum may lead to an analytical (rather than musical) sound. As always, it depends on what the person is seeking as some folks who are into a highly transparent and detailed sound may prefer clinical sounding speakers which to them are musical.
Personally I feel the 2.5s are quite suitable for jazz music. Not too sure about cymbals sounding more "hi-fi" on them though. More revealing speakers are capable of higher levels of resolution, micro-detail and airiness, though they may sound even more "hi-fi" than natural. On the other hand, neutrality may be boring for some. Horses for courses.
