With all technologies putting in their best turn, and all of them with equal quality sources and all of them with equal quality playback gear, then..7-1/2 IPS reel to reel commercially released tape is the best commercial format that existed.
I don't count 15ips 10.5 inch reels as they are not common enough, in this analysis. Not enough titles available, not widely distributed, and so on..
Max grade, was always the master tape. tape. tape. Not digital. long story.