In the vintage audio world, there's a good portion of hobbyists who would consider ANY RtR machine "Audiophile Quality" and anyone who has one an audiophile...
I myself have a 2-track Akai GX-265d (with glass ferrite heads) and a Dokorder 1140 4 - track deck. IMO the issue isn't the decks - it's the tapes.
If you are a fan of any music from the 60s / 70s that isn't Englebert Humperdink or Mitch Miller... you are going to pay through the nose for most commercial pre-recorded tapes. Hard (for me anyway) to justify $350 for a Led Zeppelin II reel that is in so-so shape, when I can pick up an original RL vinyl pressing in at least decent shape for around the same cost..?
For tape media, I have reel, cassette, and 8-track (audiophiles are now gasping at the mere mention of 8Tr). Of the 3, I have the least pre-recorded media for the RtR, just due to a combination of a lack of selection and cost.