This is what I could never understand about buying a vintage open-reel deck in 2012 (and it's not to poo poo on what I agree would likely be the SUPERIOR analog format, but hear me out).
If I go through the costs of buying and maintaining an open-reel deck, then bake sticky tapes, and finally have a deck that can make pristine recordings, aren't any dubs of Cd's or LPs that I make on it still going to run short of listening to the CD Player or turntable itself? I would rather buy another CD or LP copy for dollars less at a thrift shop, and just keep wearing out the original source.
So to actually benefit from the open-reel deck's superiority, I would need to subscribe to the Tape Project, and their fine selection of Oh, let's see twenty or thirty tapes (never mind that they are $300.00 a piece, but price isn't the sticky point here). Or I would need to have a friend in the record biz would could bring me home stereo master tapes or sub-masters even. So now my choices are down to semi-pro half track machines equipped with 15 ips speeds. Fat chance that could ever happen.
Now last time I posted this, someone came back with a clever reason to buy open-reel decks, stating "Duh, to play RTR tapes". So OK besides equipping yourself with the ability to play them, and even stripping away sentimentality here, what do you get with an open-reel deck that you can't get from just playing the original CDs or LPs in the first place (with better sound), and saving a boat load of money?
I agree. The reason I purchased a RtoR in the 70's was to record live performances, and edit things easily, plus the ability to record on multiple tracks, sound on sound-all that good stuff (splice block anyone?-actually rarely used one except for repair).
Also with the larger tape, faster speed you get better S/N performance, and are less likely to overload/saturate, and a overall better frequency response then most cassette decks. But of course the tape was much more expensive. I use to buy it mail order to save money.
I have a huge pile of tapes (300+) and at some point want to archive digitally.
Cassettes where for listening, or recording lp's to play in your car, or a friends house-small and easy to deal with.
I mainly listen to CD's and occasional LP. Except for listening to tapes I haven't archived, the R to R stands silent.
IMHO people like to watch the spinning reels-and look "retro", but if you buy a reel deck, with out any tapes, or don't' want to record live etc,-kind of a waste, if you are really looking a sound quality.
I see lot's of thread on people trying to figure out how to record on their "new" used reel decks. Recording a CD, or LP just to play back on a reel deck, and watch the reels spinning-again seems a waste, as you are gaining little if anything.
I get the appeal-retro/etc-but many of us did buy a reel deck for a purpose, not just for looks. IMHO the main purpose was recording live/editing etc, or perhaps longs lengths of time/program at slow speeds if sound quality isn't a issue.
Again, what ever works for you, but buying a reel deck, just to have one IMHO is kind of a waste.
LP's I can understand to a point-not getting in that analog/digital debate ( but personally I think there is, IMHO, more than just the quality/difference of sound to this debate) but IMHO it's nice to not have to deal with endless cleaning/fiddling. And poor cd mastering is more of a exception these days. I went through many years of this, as a lot of us did here-and the recording of our precious lp's to cassettes/etc, etc. Boy, what a lot of time. IMHO the end result, quality sound/music, is much more enjoyable then the process.
Unless of course you are preforming, and/or recording.
I still have 600+ or so lp's, I will play one on occasion. Much prefer cuing up a god cd, and using the time for listening vs fiddling.
With twin 4 year old girls-listening time is short.