I've noticed that the prices of reel tapes have been going up even in local record shops locally.
I'm rather young when it comes to collecting this vintage audio stuff (I'll be 20 next week), so I wasn't fortunate enough to have been around when these things were being manufactured.
I can't tell you how many times I've wished that I was!
I've managed to pick up a rather nice quad reel to reel player (an AKIA 1730-SS), although it needs some work. Nothing I can't handle.
The problem is trying to find quad reels to play. The few I've located have been way out of my price range.
I've got plenty of Stereo tapes, and for the most part, they sound great! I still have yet to hear that first quad tape though, because I can't afford them!
I suppose I could convert some of my SQ albums on my PC and then record the conversions onto reels (I've got a lot of brand new reels of blank tape). I could then sell those on Ebay! (Wait, I think we've been through this before... heh heh heh...)
No point to this post other then to say I share the frustration of not being able to afford any quad reels.