This Bluetooth-Enabled Cassette Player Is My Favorite Nostalgic Gadget of the Moment

It's as easy to roll your eyes at the cassette trend. Just as easy as it was to roll your eyes at vinyl 15 years ago, easier probably, but there's no use fighting it. Nostalgia comes for all of us in some form. For me, it came in two packages.

The first was a box full of old time radio tapes sent by my grandpa—radio programs from the 1940s and '50s released on cassette in the '90s. The second was from We Are Rewind, a French company specializing in bringing the tape player back and, hopefully, making it better than ever.

As I am paid to do, I put the tech to the test to find out if this fancy new Bluetooth-enabled cassette player was worth all the hype. Or are you are better off buying an old Walkman off eBay?

We Are Rewind Portable Cassette Player

Pros

Connects to Bluetooth speakers and headphones
USB rechargeable battery
Sounds good enough
Doesn't eat your tapes
Great for showing off

Cons

Much heavier than an old school cassette player
And larger too
Bluetooth range is very limited

A Modern Gadget for Nostalgic Millennials

For me, this was a chance to revisit the tapes I literally grew up listening to after not having touched them for nearly 20 years. It wasn't all War of the Worlds, though. I did have a couple tapes hanging around that I picked up for cheap at DIY show merch tables, so I got my share of music listening in too. All to learn that the Rewind cassette player does exactly what it advertises.

It looks damn good doing it, especially the clean lines on the new black and yellow variant. The side of the player is lined with two 3.5mm ports (one for recording audio), a USB charging port, and the volume controls. Using it is simple analog joy, once you learn which button is the rewind and which is the fast forward. The package comes with a pencil for fixing stray tape (iykyk), but I haven't had to use it once since this thing hasn't eaten a single tape. So far, playback has been mostly flawless.

For me, the most alluring prospect was listening to my grandpa's old sci-fi tapes on my favorite Bluetooth headphones or with my partner over a bluetooth speaker. While definitely a little finicky (all Bluetooth connections without a screen to interface are), once connected the sound was as clear as if I were using wired headphones.

Neat, But Far From Flawless

It's been a fun nostalgic diversion, but there are flaws holding the Rewind cassette player back. Most of them fall into the portability category. Compared to classic Walkmen (that didn't need to be stuffed full of heavy electronic parts), the Rewind is bulky. It's both a lot heavier than a typical old school tape and a lot bigger as well. It is technically portable, but unless you are carrying it by hand or have a sizable jacket pocket, it's sure to weigh you down.

And while the Bluetooth functions open up way more playback options, the range is pretty limited. Meaning you'll have to have your device pretty close to your speaker at all times. I also ran into issues connecting my Shokz open earbuds on a walk, the audio would cut out whenever the cassette player made even the slightest adjustment. Ultimately, I had to go back home for my over-ear headphones.

Verdict

The cassette player from We Are Rewind is a clever blend of old and new. If you have a tape collection, want to start one, and you're dying to put it on your Sonos system, this is the gadget for you.

But it's also safe to say if you don't see the appeal of listening to old physical media wirelessly on modern hardware, this isn't worth the $160. Bluetooth listening is the feature that sets it apart, but also the one that weighs it down. Literally. It's a fun little gadget and a great gift, and the people who find it interesting are going to love it.

We Are Rewind Portable Cassette Player

Pros