We may have come a long way in technology but I would still much rather play, record, et on the old school stuff. It's very hard to beat the awesome sound of live, miked musicians, playing several takes to get it right, all being pumped thru old school analog devices and recorded on good ole tape. I've got a a full blown recording studio via software on computer - it's cool, it's nice, you can get decent sounds, but... I'd still much rather have the fun and joy and sound produced working in an old school studio any day. But, that's me and like I like to say - it's just music man, is there really and right or wrong way ??? If a person is enjoying playing, recording it, or just simply a listener/audience-member who is liking it - SUCCESS !!!
That's certainly understandable...
To me, I see it like this. The 1927 Ford Model T was a great and nostalgic car. In it's day, it was cutting edge. But, I would rather benefit from the 90 years of technology that has passed since then and rive a modern car. I feel the same way about music. The "soul" is in the artist, regardless of the medium it is recorded on.
They used analog because it was the best that they had at the time, not because it was better. Remember, that the earmark of analog tape was scratchiness and loss. We can "downgrade" any audio recording on digital media to sound like an analog production, if the producer wanted too and many "vintage" style recordings are not done on archaic, analog equipment, but on digital media that is given an analog effect.
Once you get into the modern studio environment, you begin to realize the 'holy grail' guitars and amps are mostly just things people talk about. If you are paying for studio time, plus an engineer, you can't afford an equipment failure, and this is why tube amps are becoming a thing of the past in a recording environment.
Some places do still specialize in the old analog tape recording methodology. One of the best that I know of in this field is ES Studios in Glendale. They offer a $358.00/day rate for 8 hours of studio time and this includes use of any of the equipment/instruments that they have on-site. An engineer is an additional $30/hour. Their 'Studio A' features an Audient 32 Track ASP4816 analog recording console, plus 2" 24 track. It's as close to going back in time as you can get.
Some dudes insist on doing it the old way, and that's cool, but I am glad I am not working with 1,400 foot tape rolls and Echoplex machines anymore. I've moved past that.
In the studio world, if it don't make money, it don't make sense.
