Earlier this year, FiiO launched the CP13 cassette player: an analog music product for a digital world launched nearly 45 years after the original Sony Walkman changed portable audio. And our Audio Editor Becky Scarrott absolutely loved it, not least because tape is a much cheaper way of capturing those analog thrills than the ever-increasing cost of vinyl. And now – to channel another ’80s hit, the irreverent music magazine Smash Hits – the CP13 is back! Back! BACK!
The engineers at FiiO clearly felt that the existing CP13 tape player wasn't tape-y enough, so this time they've made it transparent so that you can see the cassette properly. I much prefer the looks of this version, and we all know that the coolest tech is see-through (see: Nothing Ear (a), LG's transparent OLED TV, Lenovo's transparent laptop, these outrageous clear speaker horns) – but while the clear CP13 cute, it's not just a daft gadget for Instagrammers who should know better. There's also substance to match the style.
