If you belong to a generation prior to Gen Z, you will surely know what the audiocassettethe cassettes, and they will have marked at least a small part of your life. Slowly they have been replaced by CDs and later by music in digital format, but in recent years cassettes are making a comeback recording, for example, a 74% increase in sales in 2016. Consequently, i cassette players are depopulating, leading many companies to make cassette players that combine modern day design with the functionality of 20 years ago.
Cassettes, a growing trend
For the cassettes we have to thank Lou Ottens, a Dutch engineer who literally changed the music industry and who passed away in March of almost a year. In the 60s he first began working on a portable tape recorder and then on cassettes. His intent was to develop a medium for listening to music in a convenient and accessible way, as opposed to the large reel tapes of the time. First he created a pocket wooden prototype and from there he designed the cassette tapes we all know.
Thanks to him, mixtapes and playlists exist. And, perhaps, we also owe to Lou Ottens the arrival of further multimedia supports, such as the mp3 player and the iPod: he revolutionized music, responding to the need to make music portable, to always have it with you.
Although audio cassettes have been replaced, first by more modern media and then by digital music and streaming, for some years now the passion for analog is back. In 2016, sales increased by 74% and after two years by a further 23%. This is due, in fact, to the nostalgics who are looking for valid alternatives for listening to music and also by some promotional campaigns that have brought the famous cassette player and the consequent cassettes back into fashion.
In fact it is possible to find the Stranger Things soundtrack in the form of an audio cassette, or that of Guardiani della galassia. A few months ago Gue Pequeno has decided to promote his new Fastlife4 mixtape through some cassettes sent to friends and colleagues. But he was not the only artist to throw himself into this format that now seemed out of fashion: the group The 1975 he has also released his last two albums in vinyl and cassette formats. And it looks like this trend is set to last for a long time.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2
- 1: Mr. Blue Sky
- 2: Fox On the Run
- 3: Lake Shore Drive
The boom of cassette players
The numbers speak for themselves: in Great Britain in 2020 they would have been sold approximately 100.000 cassettes, with + 200% sales compared to the previous year. The consequence of this incredible trend is the need to have a cassette player, a cassette player. And since it is now very rare to have an old radio still working at home, or an immaculate cassette player from the 90s, some companies and startups are riding the wave by creating modern media, with a modern day design, but with the features found in old cassette players.
Successfully launched on Kickstarter, raising almost € 19.000 out of a € 10.000 goal, we can find the cassette player “We are rewind”. It is a modern cassette player but it brings with it some elements of the past years, such as the feedback of the keys on the top. It is made of aluminum, is equipped with a rechargeable lithium battery, Bluetooth 5.0, 3,5mm audio jack and is compatible with Type 1 cassettes.
IT’S OK is another cassette player launched on Kickstarter and now available for direct purchase. It is a reinterpretation of the classic cassette players of the 80s, available in three different colors, and is equipped with a 3,5 mm jack and connectivity Bluetooth 5.0 to be able to use headphones or connect it to a Bluetooth speaker. It is also capable of recording voice messages on a blank cassette, sold with the player, for a total duration of 60 minutes. IT'S OK it feeds with two AA batteries.
The cassette players you can find on Amazon
On Amazon you can find various cassette players. This model of DIGITNOW! is a cassette player equipped with Bluetooth and 3,5mm jack to be able to play your audio cassettes and is powered by two AA batteries not included. It can also be powered via the supplied USB cable, perhaps attached to a powerbank.
DIGITNOW! Bluetooth Walkman Cassette Player Cassette ...
- 1.Bluetooth function: you can stream music to other bluetooth receivers. Note: press the "PLAY" key ....
- 2. Cassette Player: Play your collected tapes, this retro style music player lets you go back ...
- 3.Power: powered by 2 AA batteries (not included) or used by DC power supply (not included)
If you are looking for something more elaborate and that reminds you even more of the past years, we recommend the Trevi TT 1072, a stereo equipped with Bluetooth, integrated turntable (three-speed: 33, 45 and 78 rpm), CD player and cassette player. Nothing is missing. It is also equipped with digital radio and USB and SD ports to insert additional digital media, as well as aux-in input. With the Full Encoding function it is possible to record on USB and SD cards, while with the Full Recorder function it is possible to record on cassette tapes.
Discount
Trevi TT 1072 DAB Bluetooth Stereo Turntable System with ...
- DAB / DAB + / PLL FM stereo digital radio tuner
- Three-speed turntable 33/45/78 rpm
- Front loading motorized cd-mp3 player - USB / sd card file player - Cassette player / recorder ...
If you too are an analogue lover, or are nostalgic for good old days like us, you absolutely cannot miss a cassette player and return in a moment to the 80s and 90s, when streaming platforms did not exist. still.
Cassette tape players Cassettes are officially back: readers not to be missed
