Reel to reel

I have been down the R2R route a couple of times during the last 20 years with a pioneer rt901 and the otari 5050BL. The Otari is a much better deck with balanced input/outputs and 15ips. 10” tapes are pricey and at 15ips, it doesn’t take long to use up the tape. 15ips was the only way to go for the best SQ. My goal was to record all my vinyl. After playing around for awhile, I thought it was kind of foolish to do this. I have records from the 70’s and tape doesn’t last this long. I thought about joining a tape club but they didn’t have what I wanted and it was pricey. I did buy some prerecorded tapes at 3.75ips or 7.5ips and they sucked. So I sold them and never looked back

I understand. But for me open reel deck would make perfect sense. I don't play most of my records entirely so I have to jump and move the needle. I would make compilations. Another idea, very difficult to realize, is to find master tape dubs of the performances that were never released. Just take a listen on youtube, there is a lot more than officially released material. Pre-recorded easily available tapes, in addition to being extremely expensive, is not the music that I would listen to, perhaps with a few exceptions. No, tapes won't live as long as records but you can play them hundreds of times without any signal loss. I would sell most of my records after making recordings, except most valuable. German Audiophile Society is said to be the best place to look for rare stuff, I bet you better have connections there, any way. Legally, it is probably very much a grey area, but in any case it is seller's problem.

Agree with many before stated including the new tapes.

I recently took a plunge into R2R.
Ended up with a professionally and fully restored Otari mX5050. These decks are really great as they can run three speeds (3.75, 7.5 and 15 ips - slowest needs to be switched on the back; mine has an added opening so its easy). I also lucked out getting an AKAI 630DB with 20+ vintage reels, mostly TDK, Maxell (some Scotch and Fuji). Some of the tapes are excellent. The Akai was a bargain vs the Otari, but it plays very nicely and sounds great. There is a LOT of information out there and some decks from TEAC, Otari and Technics (1500, 1700 etc) are really great IF fully restored. It will cost you but you will be appreciating the format better and will enjoy your recordings tremendously.

One has to spend extra time on learning how to properly clean (frequently) the tape path, demagnetization, and investing in reels, tape (new tape comes in a pancake without reels). I prefer metal reels, which can be bought old and new but very costly.

Prerecorded tape, esp 15ips is very expensive, usually several times the price of new pressing LP.

Enjoy the ride - i am (and the R2R resurrected my cassette decks too)  

I used to have a Tandberg 6000X and then a Revox 77 and loved them back in the 70s. But I can't imagine anyone going open reel in 2019 unless they like the toy factor. Tape breaks, it is difficult to load, the machine is expensive to fix and has maintenance issues, head cleaning--all a nuisance. Then there is tape hiss. It's the 21st century my friend! 

I don't have "tape hiss"; evidently you were not doing proper maintenance, or bought cheap tape.

I had an AKAI that had all the problems you stated "double", but my Technics RS 1500, has been major trouble free for the last 20 years. It's been calibrated and I do maintenance frequently; clean heads, de-magnetize, and clean rollers with rubber cleaner.

With good tape, no turntable can compare; and the funny thing is, I record from the TT, and LP's sound so much better; I could write an entire page describing the improved playback, but I wont; especially since there are so many who state this is impossible.

As soon as I finish this post, I'm going to indulge in 15 IPS playback.

So long, and may the force be with you.