I think you are asking about a few things.
3rd order linear & non-linear distortion: this is very often encountered when a SS amp is pushed beyond its energy providing capabilities (the amp is "clipping"): the resulting sound will be compressed (you tell by the amplitude) and one sonic byproduct is a generation of 3rd order harmonics of the original signal -- which are not part of the signal fed into the amp. These in turn are fed into yr speaker which will reproduce them.
Humans find these sounds strident, unnatural. We are used to accepting 2nd order harmonics: hit a resonant item and you'll hear the basic sound (fundamental) and other sounds, higher in pitch -- these are 2nd order harmonics. Musical intruments naturally produce 2nd order harmonics; some of these are captured in recordings and are reproduced, allowing us to distinguish between different instruments, voices, etc.
Such distortion, at high amplitude, is rare in normal operating conditions.
(BTW, the sine waves used in testing, are "pure" waves in that they don't contain harmonics -- i.e. they are unnatural sounds, but useful for test purposes only.)
Another question I think you;re asking concerns the sound emanating from the speakers: frequency response and "tonal balance". I don;t know, but assume, you use these expressions interchangeably; however, the ultimate sonic result in a room is of course the product of a system as a whole. In this case, there are many factors that determine the "quality" of the sound; one of these is frequency response -- but, within limits (~+/- 5db spl) it;s not the most important one; phase, power response, extension... are just a few.
Cheers
3rd order linear & non-linear distortion: this is very often encountered when a SS amp is pushed beyond its energy providing capabilities (the amp is "clipping"): the resulting sound will be compressed (you tell by the amplitude) and one sonic byproduct is a generation of 3rd order harmonics of the original signal -- which are not part of the signal fed into the amp. These in turn are fed into yr speaker which will reproduce them.
Humans find these sounds strident, unnatural. We are used to accepting 2nd order harmonics: hit a resonant item and you'll hear the basic sound (fundamental) and other sounds, higher in pitch -- these are 2nd order harmonics. Musical intruments naturally produce 2nd order harmonics; some of these are captured in recordings and are reproduced, allowing us to distinguish between different instruments, voices, etc.
Such distortion, at high amplitude, is rare in normal operating conditions.
(BTW, the sine waves used in testing, are "pure" waves in that they don't contain harmonics -- i.e. they are unnatural sounds, but useful for test purposes only.)
Another question I think you;re asking concerns the sound emanating from the speakers: frequency response and "tonal balance". I don;t know, but assume, you use these expressions interchangeably; however, the ultimate sonic result in a room is of course the product of a system as a whole. In this case, there are many factors that determine the "quality" of the sound; one of these is frequency response -- but, within limits (~+/- 5db spl) it;s not the most important one; phase, power response, extension... are just a few.
Cheers