Comment by squidsoup

Yes, there is some great tape emulation out there (uHe's Satin is killer https://u-he.com/products/satin/), but tape machines aren't desirable for the sound alone - they can be instruments in their own right. Allesandro Cortini from NiN is an artist that uses tape very effectively in his live performances for example (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdbgEHsPkes).