The FiiO CP13 portable cassette player follows the current retro trend and helps those who still have their compact cassettes bought in the 20th century. However, music fans will no doubt have spotted the format's resurgence, especially on the merch stands of both independent and signed artists.
When we first got hands and ears on with the boxy FiiO CP13, it transported us back to when we'd take a pocket full of music with us until it was time to come home for our evening meal or stashing as many cassettes as our car's glovebox could take ahead of a road trip.
The CP13 doesn't have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or even a DAC. The only real nod to modernity is a USB-C port to charge the lithium-ion battery, which has a claimed play time of 13 hours.
The lack of Bluetooth means you have to use wired headphones. We recommend the Koss Porta Pro for that total retro vibe.
The tape deck's audio circuit is analogue, from the magnetic tape head to signal amplification. This, says FiiO, results in its "classic, unmistakably analogue sound".
Furthermore, the brand promises a more stable signal transmission, higher signal-to-noise ratio (>55dB), and lower distortion than your typical portable cassette player.
The FiiO CP13 is available, including in the cool transparent version above, now for £99.
Visit FiiO for more information
Posted in: Hi-Fi
Join the Discussion
What do you think? Head to the forums and share your thoughts with 100,000+ other community members.
Go to Forums