$59.95
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Estimated free shipping transit time
- Greater Toronto Area: 1-2 business days
- Rest of Ontario: 2-3 business days
- Quebec: 2-3 business days
- Maritimes, Manitoba: 3-4 business days
- Alberta & Saskatchewan: 4-5 business days
- British Columbia: 5-6 business days
- Territories: 6-10 business days
Express options available at checkout. Orders dispatch next business day.
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Find our entrance on Bay Street, near Charles Street West. We also have a pickup area in the Manulife Centre parking garage. Click here for directions. Before coming to the store, please wait for a confirmation email indicating your order is ready for pickup.
⚠️ No Returns on Headphones Once Opened
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For hygienic reasons, there are no returns on headphones and earphones once opened.
All in-stock headphones are available for personal demonstration in-store. We encourage you to try before buying to ensure satisfactory sound, fit, and functionality.
Click here for our full return policy.
If an item is defective upon receipt, please notify us within 30 days of purchase so we can arrange an exchange. For issues following 30 days, we will work with you and the manufacturer within the scope of each brand’s warranty and service policies.
Description
CP13
Portable Stereo Cassette Player
The FiiO CP13 brings the portable cassette player back to life.
During the 1980s and 1990s, cassette tapes players were enjoyed across multiple generations. Today, however, the supply chain for cassette parts is nearly non-existent, with many components no longer available, making it impossible to compare with products from over two decades ago.
Creating a new cassette player was such a challenge, FiiO nearly had to cancel the project. Fortunately, after investing much time and effort, the CP13 is here. While parts availability means that its performance may not be as technical as the high-end players made in decades past, FiiO has optimized the currently-available mechanism to outperform other options in the present-day market, while still keeping the price affordable.
The hope is that this is just a first step, and with a successful launch, FiiO will be able to continue to invest in reviving the classics. On one hand, CP13 serves as a means to test market acceptance; on the other hand, it allows FiiO to accumulate experience for producing more feature-rich cassette players in the future.
Purchases from Bay Bloor Radio include a 1-Year Warranty from FiiO Canada, with local repair/replacement without the need for international shipping.
A note from James
I've been in the audio industry for over 30 years, making me somewhat of a veteran in the field. My interest in audio started when I was young, playing with Walkman devices. Earlier this year, I felt nostalgic and wanted to revisit that youthful feeling by finding a cassette player.
To be honest, even after refurbishment, its condition wasn't ideal; it could barely play. This led me to consider making my own cassette player.
And so, that's the story – creating products I enjoy and sharing them with consumers. I never expected such a big response, both domestically and internationally, including from users and the media.
Concerning the cassette player's supply chain, most have essentially ceased production. Some may argue that our design capabilities don't match those of the cassette players from the '80s and '90s, and they would be somewhat correct. However, it's not fair to compare FiiO and the few manufacturers still producing cassette heads with the hundreds of thousands of companies thriving during the cassette's heyday thirty years ago.
So, we're still committed to offering some products that are more affordable for our loyal users, with audio quality far surpassing those currently on the market that prioritize aesthetics over sound quality.
In summary, this series of products falls into the category of those I personally like and need. I'm the primary user, so it has to meet my satisfaction first and foremost. Moreover, based on my satisfaction, I hope to share my joy and achievements with everyone. It's also a fitting time for a retro trend — the world is already so dull, so why not add some colour and choices?
— James Chung, Owner and CEO, FiiO Electronics
Custom parts
After much trial and error, FiiO has carefully selected between the scarce materials in the supply chain, and finally developed a technology that represents what is currently feasible in this field. The recording and auto-reverse functions were deliberately omitted, as the main focus during development was on maximizing sound quality.
Oversized pure copper flywheel
The FiiO CP13 features an oversized flywheel made of pure copper with a diameter of 30.4 mm and a thickness of 4 mm. The size of the flywheel helps to ensure that the reel moves as smoothly as possible during playback, thus minimising jitter. This results in synchronisation at the highest level. This results in a more authentic and better sound of the cassette being played, just as we remember it.
High voltage motor power supply
The CP13's motor is powered by a high voltage 4.2V power supply, more than the 1.8V or 3V typically found in today's cassette players. This power supply works in tandem with a motor speed stabilization circuit, which increases the drag on the motor as necessary to ensure stable movement speeds - which mitigates unwanted pitch changes and also allows the CP13 to be able to handle more cassette tape types.
Custom balanced amplification head
Regardless of how much it would cost, we negotiated with our supplier to only select heads of high enough quality, which ends up being less than 40% of what is produced. Furthermore, we strictly control how the CP13 is made to ensure minimal differences in output between the left and right channels, far less than what is found in typical current cassette players. The magnetic head also uses a thickened head cover, which better shields the head from external interference. This also greatly reduces the wear of the magnetic head during playback, allowing it to last longer.
Unlike the single-ended signal acquisition typically found in current cassette players, the CP13 employs a differential circuit for balanced acquisition of signals from the head, ensuring more stable signal transmission, higher signal-to-noise ratio, and lower distortion.
Fully analog circuit
For truly analog playback, the entirety of the CP13's audio circuit uses analog devices — from the magnetic tape head all the way to the signal amplification. The result is a classic, unmistakably analog sound.
Audiophile op-amp
The CP13 employs the renowned JRC5532, known to some as the classic "King of op-amps." This op-amp is deployed in a fully analog audio circuit that provides a familiar, pleasant sound that will surely leave an impression.
Rechargeable battery
No more swapping out AAs. The CP13 is powered by a lithium battery, which can be recharged through the USB Type-C port when connected to a 5V power adapter, sold separately. And FiiO's vast experience in designing safe charging circuits with protection mechanisms ensures you can use the CP13 while charging worry-free.
Long battery life
The CP13 employs an 1800mAh lithium cobalt oxide battery, chosen for its ability to provide robust power for longer periods of time than ordinary batteries. In fact, the CP13's battery allows it to achieve 13 hours of battery life and 268 days of standby time.
Every last inch
Though ultimately restricted by the size of the cassette mechanism, FiiO engineers paid much attention to making the CP13 as compact as possible. Through the integration of manufacturing and structural design ingenuity, the CP13 ended up only being 31.8mm thick — although this is larger than some players from the 80s and 90s, it is thinner and more compact than currently produced cassette players.
What’s included
- FiiO CP13
- USB-A to USB-C Cable (external power adapter sold separately)
- Protective window film
- Quick Start Guide
- 1-Year Warranty, administered by FiiO Canada and Bay Bloor Radio (no international shipping required)
Specifications
Specs
Dimensions
About FiiO
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