There is vinyl, yes. But have you ever heard a 15ips master tape? This is not the same thing, but apparently very close. http://www.tapeproject.com/ Check out the "Why Tape?" section.
I can tell you that if you ever hear a 15ips master you will be astonished at the amount and quality of the information available.
At the local audio/vinyl/Obi CD shop, there are always open reel machines for sale. This effort only adds to my "disappointment" (as Michael Corleone would have said) over all the good Studer parts being destroyed by you know who. The image is from the web site, not our local hole in the wall shop. A suite at CES 2008, I wouldn't set foot in a place like this, but the deck is killer. There is also a picture of an Ampex ATR 102 in the TAD room, no less, where I certainly would set both feet in.
The second photo here is, believe it or not, a personal listening room.
Clark