Cassette players may currently only be of use to hipsters and the nostalgic, but what about if a product combined the sentimental process of tape playing with enjoying digital music?
A stalwart of the late 1970s/early 80s tape player scene, the Nordmende CD 1200 cassette player has undergone something of a transformation recently.
At the hands of Poland-based collected and restorer Artur Mlynarz, the player has been cut and converted into a connected music player like nothing else, as part of the “MP3 Tapeless Deck Project.”
After ripping out the audio cassette playing technology on the old cassette player, Mlynarz installed a smart phone running a music app and then finished off the necessary connections.
Tracks are then played by users via the phone’s touchscreen, and the spinning even spools on an accompanying cassette imagination on the display where the tape deck drawer is lowered to recreate the 1970s listening experience, with a digital twist.
MP3s or FLAC music files are sent over WiFi to the phone’s internal memory, and users can also access internet radio or music streaming services like Spotify.
The phone’s battery charges automatically when the deck is powered on as the power function is connected to the physical control on the tape deck. On some models, volume can be altered using the classic controls, but this dependant on the hardware of each individual model.
Players can be cabled up just as with other hi fi equipment through RCA ports.
If owning a MP3 Tapeless Deck may appeal to that client who has everything, uniquely made players available for sale and listed around the US $250 (€210) mark from the Project – but estimated build time will vary depending on the scale of the rebuild.