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

I've never owned a reel to reel, my friend has 2 refurbished ones and loves them, and can get them easily repaired...on the other hand, why bother worrying what gear other people like...

No.  

I’ve had no problem getting my RT-701 worked on. Likewise, I score reasonably-priced RTR tape all the time—at estate sales, vinyl record shops, on Craigslist, from hi-fi pals... And I live in the sticks. RTR is so much fun, and no cassette player can touch it soundwise (and I love cassettes!) So that makes you what? Wrong. 

@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.