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

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

Available in four colors 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 tape, from I (which has only write-protect notches) to IV (which has a third notch set near the center 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 the best Bluetooth speakers. We Are Rewind also has the $52 retro-style EQ-001 over-the-ear headphones that come with three interchangeable ear pads. These have a 12-hour battery life and three equalizer modes for tailored sound experiences. The headphones also work on smartphones, in addition to 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 on Type I tape, which I absolutely love. Recording quality is quite high with 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 unit, there were a handful of cassette tapes to use, including The Weeknd, Linkin Park and The Saints among others. Thanks to the technological inside of the cassette player, I enjoyed the warm and smooth sound quality, but it skips the fuzzy hissing sound. I think the best way to explain it is a cross between the bold sound of vinyl and the clarity of a CD.

Add the headphones to the situation and it becomes a unique retro listening experience and combo and it had a great time. Users will have to be conscious of what tapes they carry, whether it’s an album or their own mixtape, but that’s all part of the fun.