The distortion the valves offer, are the perfect form of chaos when they are done right.
There is a reason for this. Tubes, and analog devices in general, tend to the same even order harmonics that are so prevalent in nature. Everything from violins and drums to tambourines and human voices is chock full of even order harmonics. So when a tube amp adds even a few percent of even order harmonics our brains easily blend it into one seamless whole.
Solid state and digital however are not at all like this. The distortions they produce are far lower in magnitude, that is true. But we are so much more sensitive to unnatural odd-order harmonics that this seems not to matter. We hear it as more, even while we measure it as less.
There is a reason for this. Tubes, and analog devices in general, tend to the same even order harmonics that are so prevalent in nature. Everything from violins and drums to tambourines and human voices is chock full of even order harmonics. So when a tube amp adds even a few percent of even order harmonics our brains easily blend it into one seamless whole.
Solid state and digital however are not at all like this. The distortions they produce are far lower in magnitude, that is true. But we are so much more sensitive to unnatural odd-order harmonics that this seems not to matter. We hear it as more, even while we measure it as less.