Fiio CP13 evaluate: Stunning look and sound

When you consider moveable cassette gamers, you most likely would not affiliate phrases like “premium” or “trendy” with them. As a substitute, you’d most likely take into consideration extra retro cassette players, ones that you’d use within the Eighties that now really feel low-tech, perhaps even a bit fragile or rickety. However what if I informed you that cassette gamers are nonetheless made to today, 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 gadget boasts increased 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 stay 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, seems stunning, and has a premium really feel to it.

Execs

• Properly-built and durable
• Nice inner elements
• Aesthetically stunning
• Sounds nice

Cons

• Does not document
• No belt clip

Worth, specs, and availability

This gadget is hefty, easy, and delightful

The Fiio CP13 is accessible on Amazon and AliExpress, in addition to different platforms via third get together sellers. It retails for $100 USD, although costs can fluctuate, and it may be discovered on sale as effectively. It is somewhat hefty, weighing 310 grams, and its dimensions are 1.2 x 8.8 x 3.2 cm. The housing of the gadget is aluminum, and it is available in a wide range 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 may get fairly a little bit of listening trip of it with out having to fret about charging. It prices utilizing USB-C, so it additionally prices up fairly rapidly.

What I preferred in regards to the Fiio CP13

I do not suppose 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 stunning it’s. The cassette participant has an aluminum housing, and the gadget has some weight to it, making it really feel like a premium audio product, versus among the cheaper plastic cassette gamers you will discover on-line. The buttons are pleasantly clean to press down, the quantity knob feels great, and the luster of the housing is nearly mesmerizing. The entire expertise of simply holding and searching on the cassette participant is unimaginable. It appears like holding a chunk 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 attainable, and a high-voltage motor to make sure tapes are performed at a constant, steady velocity.

And positive sufficient, whereas utilizing the cassette participant, I did discover much less frequency wobble, generally referred to as “flutter” and “wow.” I performed a couple 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 significantly 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 a protracted 13-hour battery life, and I believe 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 via 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’s worthwhile to energy it up.

What I did not like in regards to the Fiio CP13

If I may document with it, and if it simply had a belt clip, it could be that significantly 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 document in addition to play cassettes, and it could’ve been good for this one to have the ability to too. After I was youthful and used cassettes extra, I might usually 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, but it surely’s not moveable sufficient to stroll round and take heed to music with it outdoors and even round my home. It appears like extra of a stationary gadget on this means, and if I may connect it to myself not directly, it could be considerably extra helpful.

Understandably, this cassette participant is fairly dear, coming in at $100. The value, for my part, is justified by how well-built it’s, however at that worth, I might’ve preferred to see extra options with this cassette participant. I might nonetheless purchase and revel in this cassette participant for that worth, but it surely actually just isn’t a steal, and extra of a splurge.

Must you purchase a Fiio CP13?

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

Its excessive worth is usually a little bit of a barrier to entry, so this is not for anybody in search of an inexpensive cassette participant that simply will get the job accomplished. There are actually cheaper moveable cassette gamers on the market, and in order for you one thing that can do extra than simply play cassettes, like having the ability to document and having a radio, you will not discover that right here.

FiiO CP13

$82 $100 Save $18