Do you need a speaker with a good transient response?
We have all heard the terms and catchphrases in home theater: dynamics, details, imaging, and transient response. But, what are transient responses and should you care? Should a speaker’s transient response factor into your purchasing decision?
Transients are quick changes in amplitude that occur in audio signals – think of them as sudden and short-duration sounds. A good transient response is very important because it allows your home theater to reproduce the dynamics and details of the original source – and with great accuracy! The goal is that these fast (transient) sounds are reproduced with clarity and precision while having minimal distortion. When a speaker doesn’t have a good transient response, we risk a loss of detail and our experience suffers.
Specifically, transient responses are what we might use to describe a subwoofer’s (or speaker’s) ability to deliver crisp and detailed sound without adding distortion. When we hear bloated-sounding content, we know it and don’t like it. That bloated sound or lack of tight sound can be attributed to a bad transient response. When we watch movies with dynamic action scenes, we want an accurate sound that starts and stops on a dime. We don’t want our bass notes to have added overhang or loss of detail.
When narrowing down your choices for your next speaker purchase, make sure to read about their transient response – trust us, people will have posted about it. Our line of speakers excel in this region, but there are many great speakers out there. Make sure to do your research – as you now know, it’s a very important aspect to consider!