Are you still holding on to the now-relic audio cassette tapes? If you do, it is time to rid them of the dust and let the tapes roll once more with the new Maxell MXCP-P100 Bluetooth Cassette Player. That’s right. It is a “Walkman,” though it can’t be called so because “Walkman” is Sony’s trademark. In any case, portable cassette players—though rare since the 1990s—are not new in this modern day. Just last year, we saw at least two: there was the Rewind and the FiiO CP13.
Unlike Rewind and FiiO, the MXCP-P100 [JP] has a modern twist. In addition to the good old 3.5 mm audio jack for that true portable cassette player experience, it is armed with Bluetooth 5.4 for users who prefer to cut the cord. Moreover, it has another modern-day amenity: a rechargeable battery. It recharges via USB Type-C, and it is good for up to 9 hours between charges.
Further under the hood, Maxell has adopted a brass flywheel to minimize rotational irregularities and ensure high-quality audio reproduction. Aesthetically, it is unmistakably retro. It has a modern-vintage styling that looks suitably old-school and yet feels fresh and modern. Even the operation aims to tickle the nostalgia in you. There are classic tactile buttons, a volume wheel, and, of course, the aforementioned 3.5 mm headphone jack.
For the uninitiated, Maxell was best known for its cassette tapes back in the day. They have other audio products, but their cassette tapes have reached far and wide. And did we mention it is super lightweight too? Maxell says the MXCP-P100 tips the scales at around 210g. I know what you’re thinking… yes, it can be worn on the belt because it comes with a clip for that. Of course, you can choose to clip it to wherever you fancy.
So, have you got your tapes ready to roll again? But before you go ga-ga over it, we heard it’s a Japan-exclusive gadget, each going for a modest 13,000 yen [JP] (around US$88 today). That’s not the most unfortunate news; even more unfortunate is, it’s sold out. We heard you can score one on eBay (but of course).
Images: Maxell [JP].
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