Lots of Bull on both sides of this issue.

I offer that what is important is that the output tracks with the input.
[except for those electric guitar folk who want the original distortion in the music]

to that end, keeping the parts in the linear section of their operating curve is the goal.

transformers with their hysteresis losses and caps with their inherent RC shift are sources of trouble.

it follows that the best results are transformer-less, direct coupled, and "crown like" where the power supply caps are not part of the audio return path.

just harder to do with tubes