Fiio CP13 evaluate: Lovely look and sound

When you consider moveable cassette gamers, you in all probability would not affiliate phrases like “premium” or “trendy” with them. As an alternative, you’d in all probability take into consideration extra retro cassette players, ones that you’d use within the Nineteen Eighties that now really feel low-tech, perhaps even a bit fragile or rickety. However what if I advised you that cassette gamers are nonetheless made to at the present time, and are making a comeback? And in a sea of low-cost cassette gamers in the marketplace, the Fiio CP13 seeks to face out with its trendy design utilized to retro sensibilities.

This moveable cassette participant is not like the opposite ones. It has a sturdy, and dare I say, luxurious construct. The system boasts greater high quality inner elements than different mass-produced moveable cassette gamers, and it is garnered the eye of cassette nerds on the web. So does the Fiio CP13 reside as much as the hype? I received my fingers on one, put in my favourite tapes, plugged in my favourite headphones, and started working to seek out out.

Really useful

FiiO CP13

$82 $100 Save $18

The Fiio CP13 is a conveyable cassette participant that blends trendy options like a smooth design, a lithium ion battery, and wonderful internals with the retro enchantment of enjoying cassettes. It sounds great, appears lovely, and has a premium really feel to it.

Execs

• Effectively-built and durable
• Nice inner elements
• Aesthetically lovely
• Sounds nice

Cons

• Would not file
• No belt clip

Worth, specs, and availability

This system is hefty, easy, and delightful

The Fiio CP13 is out there on Amazon and AliExpress, in addition to different platforms by way of third celebration sellers. It retails for $100 USD, although costs can fluctuate, and it may be discovered on sale as properly. It is relatively hefty, weighing 310 grams, and its dimensions are 1.2 x 8.8 x 3.2 cm. The housing of the system is aluminum, and it is available in quite a lot of colours, with the blue and pink gamers having a silver backing, and the white participant having black accents.

This cassette participant has a 3.5mm jack for headphones, and does not have any Bluetooth, so you will want to make use of wired headphones to take heed to cassettes on it. It has a 1800mAh battery with a 13-hour battery life, so you will get fairly a little bit of listening day out of it with out having to fret about charging. It prices utilizing USB-C, so it additionally prices up fairly rapidly.

What I appreciated in regards to the Fiio CP13

I do not assume I’ve ever seen a cassette participant fairly as aesthetically pleasing as this one

The very very first thing I assumed after I unboxed the Fiio CP13 was simply how lovely it’s. The cassette participant has an aluminum housing, and the system has some weight to it, making it really feel like a premium audio product, versus among the cheaper plastic cassette gamers you’ll find on-line. The buttons are pleasantly clean to press down, the quantity knob feels great, and the luster of the housing is sort of mesmerizing. The entire expertise of simply holding and searching on the cassette participant is unbelievable. It looks like holding a bit of artwork in my fingers.

Not solely is it superbly constructed, the internals of the cassette participant are spectacular too. The Fiio CP13 has a pleasant, thick copper flywheel that ensures tapes play easily with as little frequency wobble as doable, and a high-voltage motor to make sure tapes are performed at a constant, steady velocity.

And certain sufficient, whereas utilizing the cassette participant, I did discover much less frequency wobble, generally known as “flutter” and “wow.” I performed a number of of the identical cassettes within the Fiio CP13 together with two different cassette gamers I’ve, the ByronStatics cassette player and the Gracioso cassette player, and each cassette sounded a lot better within the Fiio CP13 than the opposite two. This is sufficient to show to me that the CP13 stands out as a top quality moveable cassette participant with a concentrate on good internals and good design.

Lastly, I actually like that the CP13 has a chargeable battery. It has an extended 13-hour battery life, and I feel this helps bridge the hole between retro and trendy tech. You get the genuine feeling of utilizing a retro product that simply performs cassettes and does not have something frivolous like Bluetooth, however you do not have to rummage by way of your drawers for AA batteries to make use of it, and may simply use the USB-C chargers you have already got in your own home when it is advisable to energy it up.

What I did not like in regards to the Fiio CP13

If I may file with it, and if it simply had a belt clip, it will be that a lot better

One factor I want is that Fiio CP13 had recording capabilities. I’ve used different moveable cassette gamers which are in a position to file in addition to play cassettes, and it will’ve been good for this one to have the ability to too. Once I was youthful and used cassettes extra, I might typically use them for recording, like recording my singing classes, recording voice memos, or recording mixtapes. With the ability to do these issues would make this cassette participant really feel a bit extra authentically retro to me, however once more, this is not a significant qualm.

I additionally want the CP13 had some kind of clip to connect it to myself, so I can clip it to my belt and use it whereas I stroll round. It is moveable in that it is sufficiently small to carry in my hand and transfer round, or that I can put it in my tote bag, however it’s not moveable sufficient to stroll round and take heed to music with it exterior and even round my home. It looks like extra of a stationary system on this means, and if I may connect it to myself not directly, it will be considerably extra helpful.

Understandably, this cassette participant is fairly expensive, coming in at $100. The worth, for my part, is justified by how well-built it’s, however at that value, I might’ve appreciated to see extra options with this cassette participant. I might nonetheless purchase and revel in this cassette participant for that value, however it definitely shouldn’t be a steal, and extra of a splurge.

Do you have to purchase a Fiio CP13?

I might advocate the Fiio CP13 to any cassette fanatics who need a top quality, lovely, and easy cassette participant. Individuals who need a cassette participant with a pleasantly shiny sound profile and prime quality inner elements will get pleasure from utilizing this cassette participant.

Its excessive value generally is a little bit of a barrier to entry, so this is not for anybody searching for an affordable cassette participant that simply will get the job performed. There are definitely cheaper moveable cassette gamers on the market, and in order for you one thing that may do extra than simply play cassettes, like with the ability to file and having a radio, you will not discover that right here.

FiiO CP13

$82 $100 Save $18