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

In an age where even casual music fans know how poor streaming services can be in terms of paying artists, the return of physical media was perhaps inevitable. Last year, vinyl record sales increased 10.5% with 6.7 million records sold thanks to artists like Taylor Swift and Fleetwood Mac. Although CD sales have remained constant, cassette sales have also made a strong comeback.

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

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

The player uses Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity to connect to the best wireless headphones and Bluetooth speakers. We Are Rewind also offers retro-style EQ-001 over-ear headphones for $52, which come with three interchangeable ear cushions. These have a battery life of 12 hours and three equalization modes for tailor-made audio experiences. The headphones also work on smartphones and offer voice assistant support as well.

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 to Type I cassettes, which I love. Recording quality is quite high, with a frequency response of 30 Hz to 10,000 Hz, a signal-to-noise ratio of 45 dB, and a typical distortion of 1%. The We Are Rewind cassette player is powered by a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides approximately 10-12 hours of extended use.

While I was using the device, there were a handful of cassettes to use, including The Weeknd, Linkin Park, and The Saints, among others. Thanks to the technology inside the cassette player, I enjoyed the warm, smooth audio quality, but the fuzzy hiss is ignored. I think the best way to explain it is to combine the bold sounds of vinyl with the clarity of a compact disc.

Add the headphones to the situation and it becomes a uniquely retro listening experience and combo, and you have a good time. Users will have to be intentional with the tapes they have with them, whether it’s an album or mixtape of their choice, but that’s all part of the fun.