This modern cassette player with Bluetooth (and matching retro wireless headphones) might’ve been my favorite music experience at CES 2025

In an age where even casual music fans know how measly streaming services can be regarding artist pay, the return of physical media was perhaps inevitable. Just last year, vinyl record sales grew by 10.5% with 6.7 million discs sold thanks to artists including Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac. Though CD sales remained constant, cassette tape sales have also been making a strong comeback as well.

From 81,000 units in 2015 to 436,400 in 2022, the resurgence has been driven by Gen Z’s embrace of nostalgic formats and affordability. Artists are releasing albums on tape for as little as $10, which is a fraction of newly released vinyls, which are significantly more expensive. So it makes sense for French brand We Are Rewind to have a goal of delivering a sleek yet incredibly functional cassette tape player, inspired by the original Sony Walkman. During my time with the device at CES 2025, it delivered on its promise.

Available in four colorways for around $160, there’s so much to appreciate about this audio device. We Are Rewind’s cassette tape player works with all versions of tapes, from I (which have only write-protect notches) to IV (which has a third notch set near the middle of the top of the cassette shell). When it comes to playback, the device supports two-track stereo with a quoted frequency response of 30Hz to 12,500Hz, signal-to-noise ratio of 50dB, and minimal distortion.

The player uses Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity to connect to the best wireless headphones and best Bluetooth speakers. We Are Rewind also has $52 retro-styled EQ-001 over-the-ear headphones that come with three interchangeable ear cushions. Those feature a 12-hour battery life and three equalizer modes for tailored audio experiences. The headphones also work on smartphones, alongside offering voice assistant support.

If you want to keep it old school, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack for the best wired headphones, and an additional 3.5mm jack for recording onto Type I tapes, which I absolutely love. Recording quality is fairly high, featuring a frequency response of 30Hz to 10,000Hz, a signal-to-noise ratio of 45dB, and 1% typical distortion. The We Are Rewind cassette player is powered by a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides an estimated 10 to 12 hours of extended use.

During my time with the device, there were a handful of cassette tapes to use including The Weeknd, Linkin Park and The Saints among others. Thanks to the tech inside of the cassette player, I enjoyed the warm and soft audio quality, but it skips the fuzzy hiss sound. I think the best way to explain it is a cross of the gutsy sonics of vinyl with the clarity of a compact disc.

Add the headphones into the situation and it does become a uniquely retro listening experience and combo, and had a great time. Users are going to have to be intentional with what tapes they have with them, whether it be an album or a mixtape of their own, but that’s all part of the fun.