Can we finally put Reel to Reel out of its misery? Put it to rest people.

@florida71.
I too have an rt701 amongst others, excellent deck at 7.5ips, built like a proverbial tank. Just a one year model although just about everything is common with the rt707 fortunately.


I assume from handle you are in Florida.

Likewise but sure as heck cannot find any affordable media around my area.
Seems everyone around here is well aware of the r2r resurgence and is priced accordingly.

Average consumers will consume anything that is average thinking that it is good. Audiophiles are not that.

Average is for Normal.

As for R-2-r vs digital, digital has a severe and so far unfixable analog to digital conversion issue, a fundamental issue -that is seldom realized or known at all - by the adherents of digital vs the adherents of analog.

Analog to digital converters are fundamentally screwt, and cannot record a signal correctly. The end.

R2R, on the other hand, is virtually perfect, re this fundamental problem that ALL A/D has.

R2R, is big, clunky, almost messy..but it works. It really really works. Digital is cleaner, nicer, more neat freak simpleton-ish friendly. But it fails in the fundamentals. 

So..work vs no work, and analog wins here, if fundamental operational correctness is the desire. Digital is a car that won't start but fakes the dance, like the bear....very nicely, for those who don't pay too close an attention to what is actually going on. As in a average, or normal.

This is not about normal or average and never was and never will be. This is about perfection in all critical areas, and in areas little noted and little understood by Mr and ms average.

@uberwaltz. I’m actually on the Central Coast Of CA but have deep ties to the Gulf Coast. And yeah, we’re kind of behind the times here (my dentist doesn’t have a computer 😳), which might explain my luck finding media. Lots of retired folks around. Pioneer made zillions of RT-701/7s, so parts haven’t been a problem either. Hell, my tech has three of them laying around just in case!

Let's see.  Can we finally put vinyl out of its misery?  Put to rest, people!  The format is dying and too expensive to repair properly. Styli wear out so easy and many out there are all worn.
High quality turntable  technicians are either retired or long gone. Its such an inconvenient format that can be equalled by nakamichi easily in tape decks. (Q: when was the last year that Nakamichi manufactured a pro cassette deck?  Note: I owned a Nak 1000 for many years...)
Retire it please put them in museums.

I guess vinny's not a fan; I had a RtoR for years, and would again if I could afford it!

Yes, R2R is inconvenient, expensive to maintain and repair, expensive to get high quality pre-recorded tape, expensive to buy blank tapes, etc., but, there is a reason for it sticking around--it offers superb sound.  The OP seems to favor cassette and elcaset as better options.  Really?  The only benefit to either is convenience and portability, and on those fronts, digital machines are vastly superior and sound better too.  If any medium should be "put out of its misery" it would be the cassette (elcaset was stillborn so it needs no euthanasia).