If you want to do it right spend right as well. Forget that Pioneer with those boxes of tapes. The price is too low.
How good is your vinyl front end, including phono ? I am not even close to knowing this stuff but I researched the subject, started a few threads here and talked to people outside this forum. Otari two track with four track playback capability appears to be the best value. There are a few models. All XLR balanced in/out. Couple of Technics too. I would choose Otari, it should be more durable. If you are lucky you could find it for about $1500 in good or better condition, so you wouldn't have to have it professionally looked over and calibrated right away unless you wanted to. Yeah, tape cost ranges from about $50 to $100 for Maxell NOS back coated. I cannot advise but I myself would start with vintage Maxell not modern incarnation of BASF and AGFA. Yes, I know, there is a risk, the tape is old, might not have been stored properly etc. I would start with Maxell because I know for a fact that in cassettes Maxell Vertex back coated is the very best tape and a great tape at that. Same or very similar tape as in reels. If you take type II cassette tape Maxell tape is also the best, better than TDK, BASF etc. and AGFA is junk. Reputable company never makes junk even at their lowest level. BASF and Quantegy vintage should be alright. You would have to compare, but there is also a question of longevity and reliability. Point is you would want best tape even if you have a modest deck.
Anyway, it would all cost you, and as Bill said, if you want to buy pre-recorded from a reputable source, it might be a fortune. How does $200-$500 for one reel sound to you?
15 ips speed is not necessary if the recording is not good - 7 1/2 ips would be enough, but again you would have to compare.
Playing tapes is a serious thing that requires attention, including deck maintenance from time to time. This is not this funky records spinning - just set up the table once, clean the records and go.
Personally, I have decided most likely not to get Otari and save up for Studer A810 or A807. They say there are also some excellent Sony pro machines, I'll consider them too. Studer transport is incomparable, it seems, and that's the most important thing to begin with. Just like in vinyl set-up the most important part is table itself.
ReVox as poor man's Studer - two track high speed - might be all you need, I don't know.
Tape is great, tape sounds best, tape is fun. But it is not consumer medium like vinyl, discs and computers, it requires effort.
