Tape players are staging a comeback. The original portable audio format is capturing the imagination of music fans once again, as sales creep back from the boot sale of oblivion - so if you're looking to kickstart a new hobby of collecting tapes or rekindle golden memories from the 80s, you're going to need one of the best cassette players around.
The compact cassette was a Hi-Fi fixture for decades, both as a pre-recorded alternative to vinyl and later CD, and as a home recording format, where it was used for everything from mixtapes, to bootlegging live shows. It also famously ushered in a revolution in personal listening when Sony introduced the Walkman in the 1980s.
Eventually though, technology made the format redundant. Digital audio took over, first with alternatives like Mini Disc and Digital Audio Tape (DAT), and then MP3 and streaming.
Yet against all odds, it’s now back and selling again. According to the BPI (British Phonographic Institute), pre-recorded cassette sales surpassed six figures annually for the fourth consecutive year in 2023, topping around 136,000 units. Last year’s best selling cassette was Guts by Olivia Rodrigo, which shifted nearly 8500 copies during its first week of release.
Many artists on Bandcamp also offer limited-edition cassette runs, making them extremely collectable too.
The quick list
The FiiO CP13 takes me back to the good old days of the Sony Walkman thanks to its distinctive design. It's well put together and features a rechargeable battery that'll give you around 13 hours of playback. It also has a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack for wired listening.
Harkening back to the glory days of the 80s when double tape decks were all the rage, the Teac W-1200 is more than just a curio. The bar has been raised considerably here with a hi-fi focused piece of kit that has enough bells and whistles to keep everyone happy. One-touch dubbing, variable pitch control and more - and it also has a mic input and mixer.
If you're looking for a unit that'll play cassettes, vinyl and also deliver audio from your favourite streaming service, then this all in one package has you covered. And as if all that wasn't enough, you can also use this player to convert your vinyl to MP3. There's also a remote control for ultimate kick-back comfort.
Another all in one unit, but this time with a retro design. The Denver MCR-50 has built-in speakers and will play all your old (and new) cassettes, vinyl and CDs without any messing around. It also has the ability to convert both your cassettes and vinyl collection to MP3 through a USB flash drive - an excellent option if you have tracks that aren't available through even the best music streaming services.
Not content with allowing you just to play your tape collection on the go as if it was 1986, this neat little portable player from Digitnow! also lets you convert those precious tracks into MP3 files - without the need of a PC or Mac. Sure, you won't be rewarded with the highest level of audio clarity but it's a great option to archive some of your best-loved songs.
If you're rediscovering your old tape collection or are curious about the wonders of tapes and want to take a proper dive in, them this is a great jumping off point thanks to the price of this player from Reshow. It's a decent player - and it can also convert songs to MP3 through Audacity software. It's battery powered and has a wired 3.5, AUX jack and that's about it. It's a no-frills option but it's an excellent choice for the price.
Best portable
An homage of sorts to the original Sony Walkman, this high performance portable from Hi-Fi disruptor FiiO is a real head turner. A sensation at this year’s CES tech show, it apes its predecessor in style, but improves with a solid aluminium chassis which feels great in the hand, and a USB-C rechargeable battery.
Offering a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, it’s well worth pairing this player with a decent pair of headphones. Our only criticism is that the tape compartment is a bit of a faff to open - but once you master the knack, the playback experience is satisfyingly tangible.
Best hi-fi option
Double the decks, double the fun! The Teac W-1200-B represents the high-end of the audio cassette market. A classic double deck design, it combines copious recording options and serious sonic sensibilities.
There’s one-touch dubbing, with variable pitch control, plus A-B repeat for when you need to loop that mind-bending guitar solo. Simultaneous recording on two tapes? It can do that too.
And if you want to relive rather than rewind, it’s ready for some classic rock karaoke, courtesy of built-in microphone input and mixer.
For those with a collection of old, valued cassettes, the Teac W-1200-B is probably the best quality option to bring them into the digital age. It has a USB output for recording in CD quality (48kHz/16-bit PCM) to USB stick or SD card, with Dolby B noise reduction to reduce tape hiss.
Best all in one
“Cassettes, CDs, records. A Jedi craves all these things,” Yoda was never heard to say, but he would doubtless have been excited by this all-in-one music system. The Force is strong in this one, with a side-mounted cassette player, turntable and slot-loading CD player built-in. The system also comes with a pair of stereo speakers, and has Bluetooth connectivity, plus Vinyl to MP3 recording - you can back up albums directly to SD card. With AM/FM radio, an AUX in, plus LCD screen backlight, and full-function remote control, we reckon that’s all your boxes ticked.
Best retro system
The Denver MCR-50 is a time-travelling, 8-in-1 music centre. It plays cassettes CDs, and vinyl records, all from a vintage-style enclosure. Good to go straight out of the box, stereo speakers are built in, while an equaliser helps fine-tune the audio to match your metal preferences. The MCR-50 isn't just about playback; you can also convert cassettes or vinyl to MP3 - just plug in a USB flash drive.
The look is retro, but a blue backlit LCD screen adds a modern touch, as does the full-sized remote control.
The MCR-50 isn’t only about legacy formats, you can also connect your smartphone over Bluetooth, or an Echo Dot via AUX IN, and there’s a headphone socket for when you want to listen to old Steve Hillage albums on the sly.
Best file converter
Budget-priced, the DIGITNOW! BR607 cassette player will resurrect your tape collection as MP3 files, no PC required. The player sits neatly in the hand, and is equipped with a standard 3.5mm jack for headphone listening. The BR607 can convert an entire C90 to MP3, or save each song as an individual MP3 file in Auto mode. Just don't expect audiophile-grade sound though.
Whether you're playing back your favourite tapes or archiving old recordings, this player operates more in the realm of nostalgia than hi-fi, but given it costs less than a round in the pub, let’s not be too picky.
Best budget option
This portable tape player may be as cheap as chips, especially considering it also doubles as an MP3 converter. With a USB connection to your PC or Mac, it provides a low cost way of digitising your tape collection, but there are caveats. You’ll need to download Audacity, the free recording software, to handle the conversion. For those who shy away from delving into unfamiliar PC programs, this could make tape back-up with the Reshow a bit of a challenge.
AAA battery powered, you can also use it on the move. Plug any headphones into the 3.5mm AUX jack. For this price though, it’s difficult to resist.
FAQ
Cassette sales may be slightly on the up, but the choice in what you can play them on remains limited. This isn't really a surprise given tapes' small market share when it comes to how we digest music. The good news, though, is there’s still a solid choice available, whether you want to relive the days of portable playback, or make your own recordings at home.
If you’re buying a cassette player to listen to pre-recorded cassettes, look to see if it offers Dolby B noise reduction (or an equivalent). Dolby B goes a long way to minimising tape hiss on cassettes, resulting in cleaner, better quality sound.
If you’re buying on the second-hand market, condition is everything. Ensure that any cassette player has been well maintained, and avoid anything that looks like it’s been mouldering in a shed for decades.
It's also worth noting before you buy how many cassettes are available to purchase. More and more mainstream artists are releasing tapes along with vinyl editions of their latest albums, but the choice, at the moment, is limited.
However, a quick glance on Bandcamp will show you that more artists using that particular platform sell cassettes through their merch tab. It's a fun way to collect albums - and although they are manufactured in limited quantities, buying them will give more money directly to the artist.
How we test
When I was a teenager back in the 1980s, the vast majority of my music collection was in the form of cassette tapes - so it's pleasing for me to see the humble tape make something of a comeback.
That said, they're not as convenient to use as vinyl or streaming, but they're a nice option to have and collecting them won't take up too much space. So when testing some of the best cassette players currently on the market, we used several new releases along with some older tapes - which surprisingly performed well given the passage of time.
We took a look at the players' mechanisms, design and ease of use - along with how they performed and took into account their aesthetic appeal. Price was also a factor, with several on our list coming in at the cheaper end of the market. That's no bad thing if you're just discovering music cassettes for the first time and don't want to go all-in on an expensive piece of hi-fi equipment.
In addition, many modern cassette players can also convert tracks into MP3, so where applicable, we looked at how easy this was, if a flash drive was needed or if an additional software download was required.
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You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
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