As some of you know I have been switching speakers back and forth for a few years now. This evening I was thinking about notes and music when it hit me. Notes have attack and decay and I realized the difference between both pairs of my speakers are attack and decay.

The Monitor Audio RS6's are very good with the beginning of the note or the attack but very little decay. Some notes end too quickly. I have commented in the past that I thought it was too dynamic but it has more to do with the decay of notes. This makes the sound too punchy and less musical.

The MFSL OML1's are great at decay of the notes but not as fast at the attack. The musical flow is much better when a new note begins as the last is fading. The type of music I enjoy most the decay of the notes is very important. A pianist can shorten or lengthen the decay of notes by the use of pedals. The OML1's display this quite well but could use a faster attack.

Now I know my next speakers will need to have both fast attack and good decay of the notes. I find the OML1's more musical because of the proper length of decay. I guess I find the ending of the notes more important than the beginning.