A valve comprising: a valve body defining a first longitudinal cavity therein, wherein the valve body comprises: (i) a supply annular groove configured to be fluidly coupled to a source (128, 136) of pressurized fluid, and (ii) an operating annular groove configured to be fluidly coupled to another valve, wherein the supply annular groove and the operating annular groove are disposed longitudinally on an exterior peripheral surface of the valve body; a cage (210, 216) disposed in the first longitudinal cavity coaxial with the valve body, wherein the cage (210, 216) includes (i) a first opening fluidly coupled to the supply annular groove, and (ii) a second opening fluidly coupled to the operating annular groove, and wherein the cage (210, 216) defines a second longitudinal cavity therein; and a spool mounted within the second longitudinal cavity and configured to move axially therein, wherein when the valve is unactuated, the spool seats on an interior peripheral surface of the cage so as to block flow from the supply annular groove around the spool to the operating annular groove, wherein the spool includes an annular chamfered seating surface on the exterior peripheral surface thereof configured to mate with a corresponding annular chamfered seating surface on the interior peripheral surface of the cage to seat the spool on the interior peripheral surface of the cage, wherein when the valve is actuated, the spool moves within the second longitudinal cavity to form a gap between an exterior peripheral surface of the spool and an interior peripheral surface of the cage, thereby allowing the pressurized fluid to flow from the supply annular groove through the first opening, the gap, and the second opening to the operating annular groove, wherein the annular chamfered seating surface of the spool and the corresponding annular chamfered seating surface of the cage are chamfered at substantially the same angle, such that a flow area through the gap remains substantially the same, and wherein a profile of the exterior peripheral surface of the spool changes along a length of the spool such that a flow area defined around the exterior peripheral surface of the spool changes upstream from the gap toward the first opening at a first rate of change, and the flow area changes downstream from the gap toward the second opening at a second rate of change that is different from the first rate of change. a valve body defining a first longitudinal cavity therein, wherein the valve body comprises: (i) a supply annular groove configured to be fluidly coupled to a source (128, 136) of pressurized fluid, and (ii) an operating annular groove configured to be fluidly coupled to another valve, wherein the supply annular groove and the operating annular groove are disposed longitudinally on an exterior peripheral surface of the valve body; a cage (210, 216) disposed in the first longitudinal cavity coaxial with the valve body, wherein the cage (210, 216) includes (i) a first opening fluidly coupled to the supply annular groove, and (ii) a second opening fluidly coupled to the operating annular groove, and wherein the cage (210, 216) defines a second longitudinal cavity therein; and a spool mounted within the second longitudinal cavity and configured to move axially therein, wherein when the valve is unactuated, the spool seats on an interior peripheral surface of the cage so as to block flow from the supply annular groove around the spool to the operating annular groove, wherein the spool includes an annular chamfered seating surface on the exterior peripheral surface thereof configured to mate with a corresponding annular chamfered seating surface on the interior peripheral surface of the cage to seat the spool on the interior peripheral surface of the cage, wherein when the valve is actuated, the spool moves within the second longitudinal cavity to form a gap between an exterior peripheral surface of the spool and an interior peripheral surface of the cage, thereby allowing the pressurized fluid to flow from the supply annular groove through the first opening, the gap, and the second opening to the operating annular groove, wherein the annular chamfered seating surface of the spool and the corresponding annular chamfered seating surface of the cage are chamfered at substantially the same angle, such that a flow area through the gap remains substantially the same, and wherein a profile of the exterior peripheral surface of the spool changes along a length of the spool such that a flow area defined around the exterior peripheral surface of the spool changes upstream from the gap toward the first opening at a first rate of change, and the flow area changes downstream from the gap toward the second opening at a second rate of change that is different from the first rate of change.