"I don't participate in the current resurgence of vinyl enthusiasm, but I understand it. Whether you believe it sounds better than digital, there's no denying the visceral joy of record shopping, carefully placing that black 12-inch disc onto a turntable, and then dropping the needle. Not to mention the impact that album art and liner notes can have on the listening experience."
"No one claims that cassette tapes sound better than, well, anything other than AM radio. Most of the plastic cartridges have about as much physical charm as a disposable lighter-they're kitschy collectibles more than archival artifacts. I didn't anticipate that the classic boombox, with its central tape deck, would make a comeback, but here we are."
"At the forefront of this nostalgic new wave is We Are Rewind (or Rewind), a French startup that first came to our attention in 2023 with its stylish reboot of the Walkman: The $160 WE-001. The company's second cassette-based product is the $579 GB-001. You'll also see it referred to as a "Blaster." (The French company decided to let the audience guess what the G in the GB-001 model name means). It is confusingly also listed as its specific black color, which Rewind calls "Curtis." Is a $579 fake boombox worth the money to you? Depends on how much of an aesthete you are, and how big your tape collection."
A modern boombox-style Bluetooth speaker that plays and records cassettes retakes classic 1970s/1980s design cues with contemporary materials and styling. The GB-001 costs $579 and emphasizes aesthetic details such as amber backlit VU meters, a sleek finish called "Curtis," and robust low-end performance. The unit omits a radio and tape counter, and battery life is lower than expected for its size and price. Sound provides powerful bass and full-range output but can lack fine detail. The product targets nostalgia-minded listeners and collectors who value tactile format and visual presentation as much as sonic fidelity.
Read at WIRED
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