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

IME, R2R is the best sounding format, but the price of entry has become prohibitive for most as software cost, maintenance, and access to quality machines have skyrocketed over years.  IMHO R2R is dead to the average consumer but it has nothing to do with performance, only cost.

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

A footnote to this important issue:

We should just buy blow up dolls and be done with the whole inconvenient thing.

You mean not everybody has just a blow up doll? How quaint.

Roxy Music was 50 years ahead of you guys....

I bought you mail order
My plain wrapper baby
Your skin is like vinyl
The perfect companion

Deluxe and delightful
Immortal and life size
My breath is inside you
I'll keep you till death sighs

Inflatable goddess
Lover eternal
I blew up your body...
But you blew my mind

They're in their Seventies. She's still 19. And never strays.

Except in high winds...

I just added myself to the legion of R2R enthusiasts today. Bought a mint condition TEAC A-3300SX. Just need to track down some new production 10.5” tapes, calibration tape and demagnetizer. This will go great with my dbx 224 type II noise reduction unit and Technics SL-1700mk2 turntable. Gonna have some big fun!