It takes all kinds. If you’re running your tube amp below breakup, you might as well just use a solid state amp. It’s only under overdrive conditions that you get compression. Outside overdrive conditions, there is not really any clue that you are using a tube amp. Mostly linear is mostly linear.

It could be that you just like the volume. The speakers in the AC15 are fantastic. Or it could be you don’t think of it as gritty, but I do.