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Best portable cassette player 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]
Last Updated June 1, 2023
My name is Roger Barnett. I spent 33 hours researching and testing 21 different types of portable cassette player and found that material, variety of sizes, and style were most important.
I have been writing about technology and entertainment since the early 90s from my secluded home in West Virginia. In this section we provide our readers with a comparison table of our top picks. Scroll past the table for a closer look at each of the 3 best portable cassette player in our review section.
Best portable cassette player of 2018
Many models on the market may be confusing to a person who is shopping for their first time. We’ve narrowed down our options based on the customer feedback (read positive reviews), functionality, material and size. In other words, we’ve put all fundamentals into consideration to come up with a comprehensive list that suits various needs. Here are the customer reviews of some of the best portable cassette player of 2018. You must have heard that the best portable cassette player should allow you to save money, right? Sure, but that’s not the only reason you should consider getting one.
Test Results and Ratings
| Rank | №1 | №2 | №3 |
| Product |  |
 |
 |
| Total | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Style |
4 points
|
4 points
|
4 points
|
| Materials |
5 points
|
5 points
|
4 points
|
| Durability |
5 points
|
4 points
|
5 points
|
| Quality |
5 points
|
5 points
|
4 points
|
| Awards |  |
||
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the portable cassette player by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
№1 – Reshow Cassette Player Portable Tape Player Captures MP3 Audio Music via USB
| Total: |
4.8
|
Why did this portable cassette player win the first place?
The rear part fits perfectly! It is mounted really tight and reliable. I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product. I am very happy with the purchase. It is definitely worth its money. The product is top-notch! The product is very strong. Its material is stable and doesn’t crack.
4
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
№2 – DigitNow! Mini Audio Retro Cassette Player Wireless AM/FM Radio and Voice Radio Cassette Recorder with Earphones
| Total: |
4.5
|
Why did this portable cassette player come in second place?
The design quality is top notch and the color is nice. The material is pretty strong and easy to wash if needed. Managers explained me all the details about the product range, price, and delivery. I like this product. For such a low price, I didn’t even hope it to be any better. It’s decently made.
4
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
№3 – Jensen SCR-68C Stereo Cassette Player with AM/FM Radio
| Total: |
4.3
|
Why did this portable cassette player take third place?
I liked the design. We’ve been using it for 2 months and it still looks like brand new. I hope that the good reputation of the manufacturer will guarantee a long-term work. It doesn’t squeaks nor bents. Looks great in my apartment. This price is appropriate since the product is very well built.
4
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
portable cassette player Buyer’s Guide
Sony WM EX194S
One of the last Walkmans to be built, the WMEX194S is a fairly basic player but it incorporates technology that provides extremely smooth tape speed and low power consumption. This gives it a claimed 2hour playing time from two AA batteries, which combined with good sound quality makes it a popular choice. Or for a cheaper alternative, check out little sister model WM-EX180 which has a great build quality for price.
Sony WM-D6C Walkman Pro
Sony’s Professional Walkman is one of the most desirable tape recorders ever made. Not only because its build quality is so high or that there are so many features squeezed into its compact form, but ultimately because it sounds so good. There aren’t many cassette decks that inspire enthusiasts to wax lyrical about sound but this is one of them, possibly the only one that isn’t a Nakamichi. Used by professionals to portable replace reel to reel recorder in the Eighties it retains a cult following but, thankfully, has not featured in any sci-fi movies to date.
Job Site Radio
Isn’t retro a great thing? Boomboxes might be considered a thing of the past, but with new upgrades, they are making a comeback, and with vengeance. Bringing the portability of an mpplayer but packing the sound punch of a full-on stereo, best boombox let you bring the party with you.
From dorms, offices, and picnics to beaches and kitchens, you have a choice of multiple places and formats to play your music on. However there so many boomboxes out there on the market today, each model with a different kind of user personality in mind. In this boombox buying guide 2018, we’ll give you every bit of information you need to find the boombox that fits your style, needs, and budget. Let’s start from the beginning.
We all know that music is important for our emotional well-being which is the reason investing in a boombox is something worth considering. To get the maximum benefits out of this investment, however, one has to ensure that you can get the different boombox available on the market. Without an idea of how to select the best unit, the chances are that you will not gain the maximum benefits out of your investments. As such, we are here to help you select the right boombox so that you can take advantage of the best sound quality and value for your money. In this article, are the best boombox reviews 2018, and a guideline to help you select the perfect boombox. Have a look at it and be sure to have an easy time once you set out to make your purchase.
My son listens to audio books from my childhood and some of them are very bad, others are simply broken.
I still think cassette tapes are fucking awesome if you are a kid. So simple to use and they survive about everything.
We’re going back to 1999
Kanye West is dumping CDs in favor of streaming, but Marshall Mathers, a.k.a. Eminem a.k.a. Slim Shady, is forgoing modern audio technology entirely and going way, way back: the rapper plans to re-release The Slim Shady LP on cassette tape. No, really.
Shady made the announcement on Twitter with a link to a site where you can sign up to receive updates. The album, his second, was a huge success and put the rapper on the map, so a re-issue is something we can live with. Plus, just the look of that plastic case and cover sleeve and the promise of the whirring sound as the film rolls over the tape spools is enough to tempt us.
But those who didn’t have the foresight to keep their Walkman or traded in their car with the tape deck may be ruing the day if they’re big fans of “My Name Is,” “Guilty Conscious” or other expletive-laced tracks.
A cassette-to-digital converter
If you’re willing to commit to the cassette but want to preserve its tracks in a digital format, there are a host of converters you can purchase for the task.
Many you’ll find online are about the size of a portable player and come with a cord to hook up to your computer plus the software needed to get the job done. They’ll also pull double duty as cassette players themselves, giving you a two-in-one option to listen to the tape on the go while preserving it on your computer, phone or tablet for good.
Most I found converted the audio to MP3, so be aware of the kind of file you’ll get on the other side. A few also had complaints of poor audio quality on the converted tracks. The lesson? Do some research before buying a model that may be cheap but leaves you with listening pains.
Conversion software
Here’s another DIY project for your SSLP adventure: Conversion software like Audacity and NCH WavePad will do the trick for you on Windows and Mac (plus Linux for Audacity).
You’ll also need a computer with a line-in or microphone port, a tape deck or portable player, and cables (a male-to-male audio jack or a RCA-to-male audio jack). If you’re catching the drift, it’s a bit of a project, though once you get the hang of the process it’s not an overly complicated one.
Using conversion software may be a good route to go if you have several tapes to convert to digital, but if you just want to listen to one tape and don’t want to tie yourself up in cables, we suggest you skip it.
Screen Size
Most MPplayers come with a small black and white or OLED display where you can see the name of the song and other details. The screen also includes other things like battery indicator, repeat mode, active equalizer, etc.
In case of other media players, you get a beautiful colour screen along with a user-friendly interface. These models are perfect for watching videos, reading eBooks and also browsing the web.
File support
MPplayers, as the name suggests, support playback of MPfiles. However, other file formats such as WMA and AAC are also supported by these players. If you are a music enthusiast who wants to listen to songs in highest quality, you may want to look for a device that supports playback of FLAC files. In case the player doesn’t support playback of these files, there are programs that you can use to convert FLAC / OGG to MPand other formats. If the MPplayer supports video playback, you should also check the video formats that it supports. Playback of MPand 3GP files is supported by most devices. However, you may want formats such as MKV, AVI and DivX to run as well.
FM Radio and Recording
Many MPplayers also come with built-in FM Radio tuners that lets you listen to your favourite radio channel on the go. A FM Radio feature is a good addition as it lets you listen to different music, in case you’re bored with your playlist.
There are also some players that support audio and FM recording feature. So, when looking for the MPplayers, check to see if it includes these features.
Playback Options and Hold Switch
Commonly supported playback options on MPplayers include shuffle, repeat one and repeat all. Like our smartphones come with sleep / wake button, most MPplayers come with a hold switch, which prevents play / pause and skipping of tracks by mistake.
Other factors
Touchscreen functionality and apps compatibility are some extras that you can find when you look for a MPplayer. The design, build, hardware and working of these devices is similar to an Android smartphone. The only differentiating factor is that it lacks a SIM card slot for telecom connectivity. In fact, some of them also come with a front facing and rear facing camera for video calls and taking photos occasionally.
Now that we’re aware about these factors, you can easily purchase a MPplayer that fits your needs. Be sure to encode your music in the best possible quality and access sites like Last.fm where you can find recommendations on new and popular music artists and bands.
Nowadays, a radio not only has to sound good but it can look good too, enhancing your environment with some serious eye-candy. Recently we’ve seen a rise in the availability and popularity of retro radio cd players, combining classic good looks with a high quality sound, providing the ultimate in music enjoyment.
If that appeals to you, you will be pleased to find that there is a stunning range of classic designs available on the market today. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that a old-fashioned design means lack of quality or choice, these modern-day classics feature everything from radio CD players, to MPcompatibility, USB ports and even bluetooth options.
You have more choice than ever before, so whether you are looking for an ultra modern slimline design or a classic 1950’s rock ’n roll radio, the world is your oyster.
Radio Options
Far from a thing of the past, radio is more popular than ever. Gone are the days where you had to listen to your favourite shows through a mess of static interference, today’s tuners are easy to operate and feature multiple auto-tuner options.
Of course we are no longer limited to local radio stations either, so take some time to think about the music that you want to listen to, maybe it’s an internet only channel? Maybe the station you love to wake up to is available on DAB radio? Or maybe you are just happy with basic AM/FM channels.
Presets
With a wide range of different radio stations, one-click station presets are incredibly useful as it allows you to quickly tune to your favourite stations without searching for them.
Essentially, the more presets a radio CD player has, the more stations you can save for later access. You can spend your precious time listening to music, not trying to find it.
Some CD players have DAB radio, which offers more radio programmes and better quality audio and signal strength.
DAB Radio
DAB radios pick up a digital radio signal, offering you a much higher quality that your usual FM channels, to put it in context, it’s rather like moving from an analogue to a digital tv signal.
Not all radio stations are available on DAB, although there are also some that are DAB only too but this does vary from area to area, so take a few minutes to see if your personal preferences are available.
There’s nothing worse than bringing your shiny new DAB radio home and realising that you can’t connect to your favourite station.
Internet radio offers a fantastically clear sound and connects via your home wifi connection, so while it may trump the rest with quality and a massive choice of radio stations from all over the world, you are limited to where you can use it and it certainly adds quite a lot to the price of the unit.
USB Port
MP3’s are the most widely used digital forms of music available today and many of us love nothing more than the ability to listen our own tunes. Some of the best radio CD players will likely have a USB port. If so, you can pop your songs directly onto a USB stick, plug it in and listen to them.
If you enjoy burning your own music cd’s you should also check the supported formats of any CD player you might be considering, as not all of them, even in today’s market will be compatible with the MPformat.
Wireless Bluetooth
Bluetooth is another little ray-of-sunshine in ever increasing ways to enjoy music. Chances are, if you enjoy your music and you have a smartphone, you’ve played around and connected it to a portable bluetooth device at some time.
Bluetooth connectivity is wireless, it provides the means for your smartphone or tablet to connect and pair with your radio, allowing you to stream your favourite songs, by directing the audio directly to your new bluetooth unit.
Wireless NFC
NFC (near field communication) is another name you may see mentioned. This is quite similar to bluetooth and can offer a much faster connection from one NFC chip-enabled device to another but if you like to wander round the house while belting out your favourite tunes, it’s not for you.
NFC has a very short distance imitation and is often used more for data transfer than playing music.
The best radio cd player on the market will be no good to you at all if you like to lock yourself away from the world and unwind at the end of the day, but find your beloved pair of headphones have nowhere to connect.
Whether you want a closer listening experience or you simply don’t want to disturb anyone else at night, you’d need a 3.5mm headphone jack to plug in your earphones or headphones.
An Auxiliary (AUX) or Line-In port also allows you to connect other audio devices including speakers and amplifiers. Some radio CD players even have two seperate ports for headphones and another audio device.
Clock Radios
This isn’t a term you hear as much of nowadays but there is still no shortage of people that like to wake up to the sounds of their tried and tested breakfast radio presenter and of course, a bedside radio is of little use without a reliable and clear clock face.
Again some units have these and some don’t; whether you want one is down to you but there are many options available, from a traditional ticking time face to a glowing digital display that lights up the entire room.
If you struggle to drag yourself out of bed in the mornings, you might also need one that features a full-blown alarm, loud enough to wake the dead, so have a look around and find one that works for you.
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the portable cassette player by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
Final Word
First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.
Most important, have fun and choose your portable cassette player wisely! Good luck!
So, TOP3 of portable cassette player
- №1 — Reshow Cassette Player Portable Tape Player Captures MP3 Audio Music via USB
- №2 — DigitNow! Mini Audio Retro Cassette Player Wireless AM/FM Radio and Voice Radio Cassette Recorder with Earphones
- №3 — Jensen SCR-68C Stereo Cassette Player with AM/FM Radio
Questions? Leave a comment below!
Chatting about portable cassette player is my passion! Leave me a question in the comments, I answer each and every one and would love to get to know you better!
