Audio advancement - why?


I was reading a thread in which the OP asked when SS lost to tubes. I completely understand that the OP's question was in good faith and what he/she wanted to know was when SS was a commercial success. I am not at all into tubes. But this does not mean I hate tubes. It is my choice not to go for tubes.Another poster in the same thread pointed out correctly that 99% electronic devices use SS.
What I always failed to understand is - how did humans achieve so many things is other fields except audio? I mean the original "computers" used tubes and were the size of a town house. Over the years science made progress and we now have "notebooks" and "netbooks". And these machines are more reliable and better than their tube counterparts. So what makes tubes better in mid-range and "other areas" that SS cannot achieve, when it comes to audio? Is it because people like the tube distortions over SS? Is it because companies want people to buy gear that have wear/tear and the maintenance keeps these companies going? I am sure there are some answers there. Please DO NOT misunderstand this thread as a SS VS Tubes. Please share your thoughts on this area.
128x128milpai
Milpai, as humans we hear in a very specific way- there are certain types of distortions that our ears don't care a lot about and there are other distortions that our ears care *a lot* about.

For example, we used the presence of odd-ordered harmonics, specifically the 5th, 7th and 9th as a means to determine how loud a sound is. This is arguably one of the most important rules of human hearing as being able to tell how loud a sound is is the sort of thing that can say whether you live or die!

It happens that tubes can make less of these harmonics than transistors usually can. There are exceptions (although they are few). To do this one would have to avoid the use of global negative feedback as a design element regardless of the circuit being tube or transistor. This is a lot harder to do with transistors (since they are not as linear) than it is with tubes (triodes are the most linear form of amplifying device known).

It turns out that global negative feedback, which is normally used to great success in reducing overall distortion (THD) actually enhances, to a very small degree, the odd-ordered harmonics that I mentioned before. Our ears are extrememly sensitive to this enhancement; 100th of a percent is easily audible and audiophiles have terms for this that you have heard before: sheen, hard, harsh, brittle, clinical, etc., all expressions of a very small amount of odd-ordered harmonic enhancement.
You state: "Is it because people like the tube distortions over SS?". Yes, that's probably it. The characteristics of tubes are pleasing to the ear. However, I would suggest that it is only some people who like tubes over solid state, or else everybody would use tubes. Aromatic hydrocarbons are pleasing to the nose, but I don't suggest you sniff gasoline. Fat is pleasing to taste, but I don't suggest you live only on jelly filled donuts. Tubes sound good, but I wouldn't suggest you listen only to tubes. It won't kill you like the gas or the fat, but like the gas or the fat, it has disadvantages as well as advantages. So choose the one you like and enjoy the music.
I just finished a terrific book dealing with the human brain and music called "This is Your Brain on Music" by Dr. Daniel J. Levitin.

A bit technical in spots but highly recommended reading nonetheless.

Available in paperback.
I guess we have developed hearing into a finely refined sense and listening into a finely refined hobby where we are willing to compromise certain performance attributes for the sake of enjoyment. In the other applications you mention, like computing, the attributes we value can be delivered more quickly and cost effectively using ss. I personally love the sound of tubes, the sound is more natural and beautiful to my ears.