Cassettes continue to fascinate, both in terms of old-school music discovery and in the leftfield world of contemporary cassette releases. The latest addition to the ranks of modern cassette players is FiiO’s new transparent-bodied CP13.
FiiO CP13
This solid-looking update of the classic Walkman form factor doesn’t quite match up to the technical wonders of the earlier era, when players could be literally the same size as a cassette case. The CP13 is a tiny bit chunkier, with solid mechanical transport buttons, but at 31.8mm thick it’s hardly oversized.
An onboard rechargeable battery lasts for up to 13 hours and is charged over USB-C, and drives a 4.2V power supply, way more than was used back in the day to make playback more consistent and reliable. The transparent front gives you that classic, much-imitated view of spinning reels, as well as a chance to enjoy the artwork on the cassette itself.
We Are Rewind WE-001 Amy
It’s also worth giving another shout out to We Are Rewind, the French audio company that impressed with its debut player, the WE-001. On a model substantially larger than the CP13 – along the lines of Sony’s iconic Walkman Professional Model – We Are Rewind also goes for mechanical buttons, albeit at a slightly daintier scale.
The case features more metal, in three rockishly-named hues (Serge, Kurt and Keith), as well as a new colourway, the black and yellow ‘Amy’. The company also sells blank tapes, as well as wireless headphones to make the most of the player’s Bluetooth capability, although there’s a socket for a conventional pair of headphones.
Finally, We Are Rewind get points for adding a recording functionality, although it’s limited to a line-in socket without an onboard microphone. Battery life is ten hours, again chargeable over USB-C.
The more dubious online warehouses are awash with cheap and cheerful modern iterations of the Walkman and its ilk, the vast majority of them far less accomplished than their decades-old predecessors. Kudos to FiiO and We Are Rewind for bringing these machines back with style and substance.
FiiO CP13, £99.99, available from Advanced Mp3 Players, Advancedmp3Players.co.uk, @Amp3uk
We Are Rewind WE-001 cassette player, £136, WeAreRewind.com, @We_Are_Rewind
