Yeah i wonder how much of it has to do with instant feedback. Turning that knob or throwing that switch tells you without seeing what you have done. With touch, or key combos, you often have to glance at a screen to tell if it actually went through or not.

I think a similar thing is at play with people's love for the modem handshake squeal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV8DEJ8ydJQ

You could tell, once you heard it enough times, how well the connection was.