Reel to reel , is it real the hype!

Yup have a plan, because it's not a poor mans toy. Doing your own stuff is just about the only good option, prices are just NUTS and what's available really sucks for the most part.  35 years ago it was bad, it's a whole lot worse now.. There were a lot of good DIY 1/4 7.5" and 15" back then.

Unless your going to record your own.. and 1/2" tape..

Otari, some are surely better than others.. I've used them close to 40 years off more than on... Still a lot of good parts and a few techs to keep them going.. They have good maintenance manual too, if you want to learn.. All of the wear parts are still around and quite a few upgrades, just depends on what you're doing. 

1/2" tape? You better check and see if there is a source first..

Regards

@billwojo275@millercarbon@fuzztone
yes I did look at the source material.
source material is limited.
I see there are very few reliable sources for original master tape copies.
My friend says he can help me get authentic copies for a price of course.
price seems to be around 200-500$ per copy.

@oldhvymec    Thank you. I am looking for specific information on this deck the otari mtr10. Typical price etc.
1/2 “ I hear is of better quality than 1/4 “.
I have been told making a copy from 1/4 to 1/2 inch may improve the quality of sound. Something similar to upsampling.
He says he can change the head block to a 1/4 “ extended range but recommends against it .
Blank tape for 1/2” is going to be more expensive. 1/4” blank I see is around 110-150$ on a metal spool. Do you know how expensive 1/2” tape is .

There are very few if any "old copies." Back in the early 60's pre recorded tapes were the way to go if you wanted the best sound. My father had an Ampex tape machine for playing them back. Classical and jazz were well represented. All the tapes were at 71/2 ips and made on the cheapest stock. Hiss was always an issue. The vast majority have disintegrated by now. All my inherited ones have been gone since 1976. My Revox A 77 was becoming mechanically inept and I decided not to have it rebuilt as by then the market for pre recorded tapes had dried up. 
$100 for a tape? Try $400 to $500. That is 16 to 20 records or files. I would rather have the records or files than demonstrate to others what a sophisticated audiophile I am. If you are rich enough to do both than who am I to argue but, in my mind it is, in the end, all about the music. I would not mind having an old Scully as a museum piece like an old Victrola.

1/2" tape is for professional use. I wouldn't expect to find many prerecorded tapes. Maybe a master recording.

I used 1/2" in studio and it  sounds wonderful.