It works for certain things. My main instrument is fiddle. So the tape takes some of the edges off.

The tape compression has a way of working on unpredictable things. I sometimes run a stem out to tape as an experiment, not expecting anything and then new track sits in the mix exactly where it should! Hard to explain.

This machine was owned by my old drum teacher Don Wherry (AMAZING MUSICIAN). He passed away many years ago, but I keep saying that when I get an unexpected result from the tape, "That's Don. He played that." hahaha Great fun. If you can pick up a decent machine in a yard sale do it. It does not eat any hay and tape is pretty cheap.
Cheers,
buckydurddle