Do your speakers bite??

So many variables to consider here; not sure I interpret "bite" correctly but if the question is realistic vs. engaging then you could find an endless list of speakers claiming to be one or the other.

First look at your room (Getbettersound.com) then evaluate your equipment and speakers.

What I found in my 2 channel music system was my B&W 603-S2s were less bright (more neutral sounding) when not toed in and without bottom stand supports. But, then I replaced them with Dynaudio Contour 20s (much higher price than entry level B&Ws) and magic! Realistic natural sound with superb vocals and more detail.

I moved the B&Ws to a video surround sound set up in another room and they are perfect for movie and sports formats. Trial and error; demo in your room, whatever you choose your results will vary, but first consider the room dynamics.

I had a recording studio in my house for 10 years and I recorded a fair bit of acoustic music including guitar, accordion, violin, brass, drums, taiko drums, and various percussion instruments. I can tell you from personal experience that acoustic instruments, especially when close-mic'd, have far more aggressive transients, or "bite" in person than they have on recordings. Virtually every recording engineer uses compression to tame these transients because they would be unpleasant if if not compressed.

If you are in a live music venue then, indeed, the transients are tame because you are so far away from the instruments. It's similar with recording - as you move the mic away from the instruments the transients decline.

I have never called it "bite" but my speakers and amp (Thiel CS6, Krell KSA 300S) produce transients very well and when I play a recording that has hot transients I sometimes jump in my seat. I wouldn't have it any other way. Apparently I've gotten used to it because this summer at the Pacific Audio Fest I heard several megabuck systems that didn't sound as dynamic as mine. I came home, fired up my system and went, "Yeaaah.."

      One primary reason I left Maggies behind, for Clayton Shaw's wares: they never reproduced the, "bite" (and attendant goosebumps), I knew existed and missed in many electric guitar solos.

I love the jump factor !

Bass plucking on higher pitch notes is when I get it.

I know it's the current pushed by my krell ksa amp.

So what i'm hearing for the "pro-biting" camp is you like the zing, even though it doesn't occur in real music listening?

For instance, close mic recording is bringing information about instruments we'd never hear in listening to un-amplified music.