Less than top line reel-to-reel worth it?

Unless you run 15ips tapes, it's wont sound asbgood as vinyl. For recording your own, 7.5 isn't bad

Standard consumer grade reel to reel decks popular in the 1970's and 80's at 7.5ips with a good tape stock will make superb copies of any vinyl LP's you feed them and will give a very warm analogue flavour to cd's. These decks at 7.5ips all have high extension of frequency response into the mid to hi 20Khz range. So capturing the details of any source you feed them will be easy.

Now one thing that these decks will add is a layer of remaining tape hiss and on reel to reels the tape hiss is at a different quality or spectrum to a cassette deck without Dolby. These consumer reel to reel decks smooth remaining tape hiss that can mask a lot of grunge and groove noise especially on older used LP's. The tape hiss can make recording and playing back cd's much more enjoyable.

The inconsistency may come down to quality of tape stock you buy and use. Good reels even if they were properly stored used ones can be superb. But a lot of the old stock may be sub par. Tape stock for reel to reel is pricy as compared to blank tape stock for cassettes.

The major concern of reel to reel decks is condition of them as being sold. These are all vintage nowadays and you may get a superb deck or a machine that may be a door stop or need lots of servicing. But given they can be had from oh bottom $300 and up, if you are a reel to reel fan you can get a good deck that will make great tapes and play great music.

Even 3.75 ips on them is very nice for recording FM radio. And not bad for long playing background tape recordings.

Most of the Made in Japan reel to reel machines of the 70's and 80's will give a reel to reel fans great service as long as they operate properly.

Wise comments from those above. Could only add that R2R's are great fun and romance the music like nothing else. It's a hobby and should be enjoyable for the ears and heart.