The subband encoders MP1, MP2 and MusePack/MPEGplus have the best time resolution.
MP3 has the worst time resolution.
(MPEG-2) AAC something between.

The time resolution of MP3 and AAC can be switched (you see the 2 graphs for both, one solid, one dotted). You have one for tonal signals, one for transient signals.

But note that for MP3 and AAC the time resolution is not constant and jitters depending on the position of the sample in the transformed block. The diagram shows the average. If the coder is not well tuned this non constant time resolution generates quick changing artefacts.
A critical testcase is Short_Block_Test_2.wav.bz2.

MPEG-4 AAC Main Profile provides an additional feature called TNS: Temporal Noise Shaping. This provides additional time resolution.

A logarithmic plot over 110 dB of dynamics:

More interesting is the area from -25 . . . 0 dB:

• You can see that MP1, MP2 and MPEGplus have less problems with pre-echos.
• MP3 has much problems with pre-echos
• MPEG-2 AAC something between
• MPEG-4 AAC uses TNS and can be better than MP1, MP2 and MPEGplus

• They have a higher frequency resolution and a higher frequency resolution means a lower time resolution because these two properties are coupled.
• This higher frequency resolution has advantages if you encode highly tonal signals, but makes lots of trouble on transient signals
• Therefore MP3 and AAC uses blocks switching between two different time resolutions.
• To select the right blocks size is difficult to calculate, and for MP3 even the short block is too long for percussive signals.
• To my mind only MPEG-4 AAC is capable to eliminates all disadvantages of the additional frequency resolution. The result is transparent coding at data rates around 120...130 kbps (instead of 170...180 kbps as MPEGplus). But a
  • high quality MPEG-4 AAC Encoder is much much more difficult to program and to tune than a MPEGplus encoder
  • Is by a factor of 10...30 slower
  • also the decoder needs much more powerful hardware (most hardware can only play MPEG-2 AAC Low Complexity Profile)