I often notice that people who have open reel decks and/or tube equipment are nicest

Most audiophiles, if they met such a fate, would not be missed.  It is mostly a solitary pursuit.

I fit only one half of the description--I am very much a tube person, particularly low-powered tube amps, but, I don't have the patience for reel to reel, nor the money for it.   I have enough exposure to good reel to reel playback that I do appreciate how good it can sound.  

Yes, reel to reel endeavour is something that one should have passion for, especially these days when cost is high and finding people to service your high end deck may not be easy. But they are great timeless machines. I don't have one yet, thinking...

I do have Nakamichi 682ZX cassette deck and Panasonic AG-7350 SVHS deck to play music. Both sound very good but they cannot be like true reel to reel deck. I love tape.

Perhaps I have been around a long time.  I built TRF leaky grid triode AM receivers when I was 9 or 10, with help from my dad.  That was 1953 or 4.

In the early 70's I had a Garrard 301, SME 3009, Shure V15, and a Quad 33 / 303 with a pair of the original Quad ESLs.

I had Quad's again in the late 90's (with tube amps) but gave up because they were arcing on me every two or three years.  I still have the packing case that I built to ship them to a guy in Virginia.  He commissioned me to build him 4 of the cases for his use.

Now I am a hybrid! SS pre + home built tube amp.

The nicest people are those that give there advice freely without criticism of others and are prepared to listen to those whose opinions who you may not agree with, without fear or favour.

“I often notice that people who have open reel decks and/or tube equipment are nicest”

Indeed

vs the angry streamer crowd…..