Reccs for a cassette/cd player?

Hi everyone! Hope you're doing ok. We are completing our rock and roll basement (complete with Marshall amp beer fridge) and I was thinking of getting a cassette/cd player so we can listen to them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XXDH115/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A4PYJWWUW7MYI&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYWLGSL/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A2PBCS3R35PEVB&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MC2QSMQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A219JEZROCCFAF&psc=1

Does anyone have opinions on these? Or have a different recommendation? We wouldn't use the record player, as we have a nice one upstairs. Just looking for something that's not a billion dollars and sounds semi-decent.

Thanks for the advice!

I'd go full on retro and something you can put on your shoulder as you do the Humpty dance
https://www.amazon.com/Victrola-Bluetooth-Boombox-Cassette-Player/dp/B07JDS2D2R
only $99 and can stream from your phone

K8teebug wrote: Just looking for something that's not a billion dollars and sounds semi-decent.

Umm cassettes in their best shape sound semi-decent and it's all downhill from there

You should has Walky if he's still got his boom box

Do they still make CD players? Mine (One of those Sony 5 disc tray things that were ubiquitous in the 1990s) is about to give out…I bought this one like new at a thrift store about 10 years ago

They do still make them! That retro one was on my list, but seems like it eats tapes.

hutch wrote:
Do they still make CD players? Mine (One of those Sony 5 disc tray things that were ubiquitous in the 1990s) is about to give out…I bought this one like new at a thrift store about 10 years ago

Our sony gave out a few months ago. Only buying vinyl these days, but still want to be able to play from our collection.

I'd LOVE to see the Marshall amp beer fridge.

Wish I could help on the cassettes. I gave up on them after my 3rd-and-last unit died. Subsequently tossed my 1,000+ cassettes.  I think I saved 3 or 4 of them.

Guys, Vansmack is going to be so mad.

I donated 99.9% of my cassettes to a thrift store…



Sometimes I regret it

they just don't last.  At least CDs and Vinyl will play well decades later
if you really liked the tape and listend to it a lot…likelyhood it will be in even worse shape

Julian, wrote:
Guys, Vansmack is going to be so mad.

This is unfucking believable.

People.  Staying inside is clearly making you all go mad.  Get outside.  Stay socially distanced and wear a mask, but for god's sake get some fresh air.  It's not like your living in CA!

If you want cassette quality, slow the playback speed of your digital files to .8 or .9, or if you're feeling really crazy develop a slider so you can alternate the playback speed between .7 and 1.2 at random because that's what listening to a cassette is like…..

Now what was I looking for again before I stumbled on this thread?

Well, the Boytone works…

And we are getting outside every day running 4-5 miles. Just finally fixing up our rock and roll basement.

Will post some pics of the (awesome) marshall fridge later.