I have to disagree respectfully. To me expensive devices as described in this thread fall into the category ‘overpriced and under-engineered’. I know, I don’t make any friends by saying that… because SQ is all that matters. If one is into the gear rather then into the music, one may even welcome such behavior. To me, it’s like sitting in a classical concert and someone nearby in the audience is eating crackers. Knowing the cause of the distraction, doesn’t help me, sorry…
I understand.
Crackers would annoy me as well. But I can live with an occasional ping from a tube.
Of cause different people have different touchinesses (is that an english word?) and I myself am in no way consequent: crackling vinyl for example was torture to me, but a transfer of an old shellack onto digital? No problem, don’t know why. I even have transfers of vinyls (originally to DAT and later from DAT to CD-R via a Tascam CD Recorder I borrowed from a friend) that I can listen to without going berserk. Strange things happen in our brains, I guess 
We often are able to accept what is simply the nature of things, such as my example of an occaional ping from a tube.
The distinctions you draw are not tidily explained by this hypothesis however. 
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Update: Over 1,000 hours on BHK300 amps and clicks are effectively gone, especially during warm up & subsequent playback. Other than the occasional click after the amps are turned off (and who cares about that?), that’s it. BTW, amps sound better every day.