Want to feel even more nostalgic than CDs? If so, how about a cassette tape player for you? But what if you do not have a collection of audio tapes, or do not want to deal with any potential spaghetti mess? In this case, you need the FiiO Snowsky Echo portable music player. Much like the brand’s Snowsky Disc, the Snowsky Echo is not actually a relic from the past, i.e., not a tape deck. It has a touchscreen instead.
Shaped and sized like the good ol’ portable cassette tape player, the FiiO Snowsky Echo is actually a portable high-resolution lossless music player. While some people swear by the “quality” of audio cassette tapes, I am pretty sure this high-tech iteration will sound even better. That’s not to mention that you will never have to deal with moldy cassette tapes and tape spills.
The device boasts a 6000-series aluminum magnesium alloy body, precision-machined via CNC, with a 2.39-inch IPS bezel-less HD (480 × 240 pixels) color display that can show a variety of interfaces, including custom UV meters, equalizer visuals, and, of course, a spinning cassette tape for that authentic retro look. That’s not all. You can use this screen as, believe it or not, an e-book reader. It is an odd feature to have on a portable music player, but hey, if it can do that, why the hell not, right?
This portable music player benefits from all-new dual Cirrus CS43198 DACs that deliver a balanced output of up to 260 mW. Furthermore, it offers USB DAC functionality and DSD support. And then there’s customizable EQ, featuring rich EQ presets and custom EQ adjustment.
Other spec sheet details include dual 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm outputs that work with almost any headphones, support for microSD cards up to 256 GB, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, Hi-Res certification, and a built-in battery good for up to 14 hours of playback between charges.
The FiiO Snowsky Echo measures a handy 85 mm × 55.5 mm × 14.3 mm and weighs around 85 g. It is offered in a choice of colors, including black, sky blue, orange, and green. You can find it being sold on AliExpress for US$71.52, or thereabouts.
The FiiO Snowsky Echo is not the first cassette tape player-inspired device from FiiO. It previously released a mini version, aptly called Echo Mini.
Images: FiiO.