What was the best performer (in whatever terms youchoose) of the old
analogue
receivers, and receivers in rigs?

My money is on the Eddystone EA12 for optimum haptic interface, and narrow
on the nose CW filter with its single Xtal, followed in short order by
the receiver in the Trio 830S

(pace that the EA12 preceded WARC 83 by nearly 20 years and lacks the new
bands)