Are audiophile R2R tapes worth the money if you do not have a professional R2R deck?

Buying a single album in any format for $400+ is way, way, way beyond my threshold of pain. Someone wanted to give me a R2R machine they inherited from their late father. I didn't even investigate. I turned it down, not wanting to go down that rabbit hole.

Be forewarned that external tape head preamplifiers can introduce remarkably vexing hum into a 2 channel system. They’re not for the impatient. I had a Bottlehead model professionally installed in my Otari 5050. Wonderful sound befitting a high end system.  I’ve upgraded my RTR to a restored Studer deck. I wanted Studer’s high precision tape drive and path. This Spring, I’ll have a Earhardt all tube preamplifier built and professionally installed. Towards addressing your query, I’d start with the Technics motor and tape path with upgrades. Bottlehead used to carry them. Next I’d attack the playback electronics. Confirm that your playback head is aligned and in good shape. BTW, I’m in the minority who spend >$500 for copies of 15 IPS master tapes. Most the ones available are excellent copes from masters.

There is probably no rabbit-hole deeper and more complex, especially if you add on DSD256 high definition tape transfer (HDTT). An electrical engineering background is recommended. It is not enough to invest twenty grand in a Merrill Audio preamp. The time commitment to keep old mechanicals working right is huge.

Nice new tape copied from masters is available. An expert with multiple Otari machines and multiple head combinations per machine told me: "Tape wear is a thing but not what you’re thinking. Tapes wear out the heads and anything stationary they rub against. They are polyester and iron vs softer steel. But the glue for the iron does breakdown from older tapes and that causes Sticky Shed Syndrome. Modern tapes have better adhesive so new copies will never do that."

If you do want to dive in, there are various forums. A google for "Otari forum" should produce hits. But maybe you are asking here because you are hoping to hear instead: "Don't do it! Run away! Just buy HDTTs from the folks who were so crazy to dive in before!"

I just want to add - R2Rs are not complex, we were little kids and used them without any issues. I think I was 9 or 10 when my dad let me use his, and I never broke anything.

At this point it's just too expensive and too inconvenient in my opinion.

@mgattmch 

I just wrote and asked my friend where he gets his best sounding tapes, will let you know.