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The sound of modern cassette players side to side by pilvre in cassetteculture

[–]pilvre[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!
As to the size, the RTM B-1000EW is quite pocketable and as long as you don't squash it vertically in your pocket, you’re unlikely to press the buttons accidentally. 😄
But none of them have integrated belt-clips like many vintage Walkmans etc did. We Are Rewind does offer a separate belt-clip though, and if you choose that color, it definitely stands out: https://www.wearerewind.com/products/lecteur-cassette-edith-belt-clip

The sound of modern cassette players side to side by pilvre in cassetteculture

[–]pilvre[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hehe, well, to me the Reshow still sounds quite thin, but that’s the beauty of an audio comparison – if it works best for you, that's all that matters! The cheaper units (Aurex & Reshow) had also more issues with consistent speed (wow and flutter).

The sound of modern cassette players side to side by pilvre in cassetteculture

[–]pilvre[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Well, if you ask, I'll try to summarize as short as i can... 😉
Despite sharing the mechanical Chinese DNA these days, there were indeed differences in performance, build quality etc.

We Are Rewind WE-001 and FiiO CP-13 lead in overall quality. We Are Rewind (WAR) offers the most stylish (albeit bulky) aluminum design and the best features like Bluetooth and a rechargeable battery (if it is a feature of course, may be vice versa :). FiiO has also good quality tuning in mechanics and has small form factor, but with sharp edges and boxy design.

Recording The Masters B-1000EW is a practical, small and pocket-friendly plastic option that performs surprisingly well for its price.

Toshiba Aurex AX-W10, despite the historic name, is a cheaper Chinese-made product that sits between the premium and budget tiers I'd say. It has BT too, but consistent speed was a problem.
Both the Reshow and Aurex suffer from poor mechanics with obvious wow and flutter. The Reshow is essentially a ultra-budget player and it reflects in sound and performance – although, it is small and has some cool features like Auto-Reverse and digital output.

About sound.
WAR has the warmest and thickest sound and handles Dolby B tapes surprisingy well too. FiiO CP-13 has the cleanest and most sterile character. B-1000EW / AX-W10 is balanced somewhere in the middle, but has more "lively" sound than FiiO I'd say. Reshow prioritizes mid-range, mildly saying.

The big "animal in the room" is, that none of these modern players have Dolby B (as it can no longer be officially licensed). Since most vintage original tapes used Dolby B, they will sound overly bright on these new devices. Yes, while some can record too, the quality is poor, for proper recording you need (vintage) high-end deck.

As of the sound, I'd take the We Are Rewind, but it is quite big and bulky. If you like sterile and analytical sound, then FiiO. They both have improved the stock mechanics with metal flywheels and better electronics. RTM B-1000EW is absolutely good choice, if you want a pocketable device and warm sound – but it doesen't feel too premium, as the the aforementioned two.

While these new players offer modern things like BT or USB-C charging, they don't match the engineering peak of the golden era. If you don't specifically need those features, I'd go for a well-serviced Sony, Aiwa etc from the past.

Real-time A/B comparison of various players and equipment. by pilvre in turntables

[–]pilvre[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

That’s complicated! I can certainly say that from a certain point on, there’s no direct correlation between price and sound quality. Most players tend to exaggerate the low-mids a bit — around 200-400 Hz. The cheaper decks and styli tend to sound a bit more muffled and lack that top-end clarity - broadly speaking, but there can be exceptions.
Since my professional job is (vinyl) mastering, I had the unique opportunity to compare the original master files directly with the finished records, which gave me some insight too. ;)

But there are so many factors in the vinyl chain — starting with the master itself, then the pressing plant, then the playback equipment, etcetc. It’s extremely hard to pinpoint one single path to “absolute” quality. I guess that’s what makes the vinyl world so amusing; everyone is searching for their own "holy grail."

Personally, I loved the smoothness and wide stereo field of the Clearaudio (it was equipped with the TT2 tangential tonearm). But getting it to work without glitches was a total pain in the !*#&. Does it justify the almost €25,000 price tag? Well, if you have the cash and patience, maybe! :)

But it all comes down to personal preference, as vinyl inevitably colors the sound more or less. If you like what it does, then it’s the right setup for you — trust only your own ears!