This is more of a Analog vs Digital debate?

There are people who spend A LOT of money on audio systems keeping them 100% analog (no DACs).

I have been converting old tapes to digital and they do sound both different and better.

I think there's an aspect of this format having been a target for professional mixing. But there's also the background hiss and the warping of rolling tape and the low fidelity of the heads... It all mixes together nicely for a dirtier sound.