- Audio company Syitren is launching a transparent CD player on Kickstarter
- It showcases the inner mechanics, displaying your spinning CD like a piece of live art
- The CD player put playback at the forefront of the experience, spotlighting physical music formats
Physical music formats are becoming increasingly popular once again, and audio company Syitren is launching a new CD player to help you escape the algorithms of streaming services — but crosses the threshold from ‘CD player’ into ‘art piece’.
Now available to pre-order on Kickstarter for a reasonable $89, the Syitren RM1 CD player is a transparent device that reveals all of the player’s inner workings. Syitren is already known for its roster of funky CD players and classy turntables, but the mechanical, see-through design of the RM1 gives the device a completely different personality.
While most CD players conceal your discs, the RM1 does the opposite, suggesting that hardware smarts are just as important as the audio. Essentially, it’s one part music player and one part living art, because your favorite albums should be showcased, not shunned.
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Sandwiched between two clear acrylic frames, the RM1 can be mounted to a wall, stand upright, or be simply laid down flat on a surface, promising between 6-8 hours of continuous playback. But the pièce de résistance is the player’s mainboard, which is put on full display and includes a playback progress bar, as well as a warm yellow LED matrix square that exhibits track numbers, volume level, battery, and small animated graphics interchangeably.
To ensure playback remains the focal point, the RM1 isn’t plagued with endless buttons on-device. Instead, it comes with a small remote that allows you to control the standard playback functions, in addition to three playback modes: repeat once, play in order, and shuffle. When it comes to audio output, this is where it requires additional hardware.
There’s one thing to note with Syitren’s CD display and that it’s a player, not a HiFi device. Understandably, the company has left internal speakers out of the equation, meaning it doesn’t compromise audio quality and can be easily integrated into your existing audio setup.
Instead, the RM1 comes fitted with a 3.5mm AUX port if your setup consists of wired speakers or, if you prefer to listen through the best wireless speakers, the player supports Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless wireless connectivity.
A hurrah for physical music collectors
I’m currently going through a bit of a personal renaissance with retro tech. Earlier this summer I swapped Spotify for a cassette player which birthed a new physical media collection, and I revisited intentional photography with a 2000s-inspired digicam — now I have a thirst to revive my love for CDs.
Syitren does two things very well with its new RM1 player. As mentioned, it flips the traditional CD player on its head, thrusting the mechanics of playback into the forefront of the listening experience. It also gives the device a unique look that’s different to a lot of modern CD players.
But at the same time, its focus on displaying physical music formats is an equally important part of the device. Just how vinyl collectors can proudly display their gatefolds on the wall and see their favorite albums spinning, the RM1 adopts a similar display factor reinforcing the timelessness of physical media.
The CD player couldn’t arrive at a better time. Now that users, including myself, are seeking more ways to enjoy music intentionally as opposed to relying on an algorithm to do it for you, there’s never been more of a need for new music players.
Not only do they bring back classic ways to enjoy music, these devices are reimagined to fit perfectly into the modern era of HiFi hardware. It’s the best of both worlds.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
