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Aldi’s special buys this week includes a retro cassette player for $49.99. And because no one asked for it, here’s your retro tech review.

Now, because I’m an idiot, I picked up two of these. But with a reasonable reason - they come with 3 compilation tapes, one with 60s, 70s and 80s, and the other with 80s, 90s and 80s/90s. The 80s tape is the same across both. I think they might be K-tel-esque covers for some of the tracks. Track listing is below.

It runs from a rechargeable battery, with USB-C cable included (add it to the collection). Also comes with a set of cheap “retro” over ear headphones, along with a speaker. It claims to have 7 hours battery life. It has Bluetooth transmitter and receiving functions, so if you really wanted to play a cassette in your modern car, now you can. It also has a recording function with a microphone if you have spare cassettes laying around, or can find new stock of blank cassettes, go for your life. Finally, if you want to stick it on your belt, you can with the belt clip.

Sounds exactly like a cassette player. The headphones are fairly rubbish, haven’t tried out the Bluetooth feature yet. Haven’t tried running it for the full 7 hours to see if it grinds to a hilarious halt when the battery runs out. It’s missing AM and FM radio, which would’ve been a nice touth.

It’s fun for something to piss about with, but I wouldn’t make it part of your daily life unless you have a tonne of old tapes around. And even then, there probably is better quality options out there.

I give it 3 out of 5 Stranger Things episodes. Availability - yeah, I went to two Aldis to get either one, and they were just about out.

CLASSIC 60’S NO. 1’S

SIDE A

  1. IT’S NOW OR NEVER ELVIS PRESLEY (3:15)
  2. CATHY’S CLOWN THE EVERLY BROTHERS (2:21)
  3. WONDERFUL LAND THE SHADOWS (2:02)
  4. SHAKIN’ ALL OVER JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES (2:20)
  5. BLUE MOON THE MARCELS (2:14)
  6. RUNNING BEAR JOHNNY PRESTON (2:37)
  7. THE YOUNG ONES CLIFF RICHARD (3:11)
  8. MOON RIVER DANNY WILLIAMS (2:35)

SIDE B

  1. ONLY THE LONELY ROY ORBISON (2:26)
  2. RUNAWAY DEL SHANNON (2:17)
  3. I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU RAY CHARLES (2:38)
  4. TELSTAR THE TORNADOS (3:16)
  5. JOHNNY REMEMBER ME JOHNNY LEYTON (2:38)
  6. SAILOR PETULA CLARKE (2:55)
  7. WALKIN’ BACK TO HAPPINESS HELEN SHAPIRO (2:29)
  8. NUT ROCKER B. BUMBLE & THE STINGERS (1:59)

70’S DISCO

SIDE A

  1. I WILL SURVIVE GLORIA GAYNOR (3:34)
  2. YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE CANDI STATON (3:56)
  3. CAR WASH ROSE ROYCE (4:57)
  4. LOVE MACHINE THE MIRACLES (3:05)
  5. HE’S THE GREATEST DANCER SISTER SLEDGE (3:22)
  6. PICK UP THE PIECES AVERAGE WHITE BAND (4:01)

SIDE B

  1. ROCK YOUR BABY GEORGE MCCRAE (3:17)
  2. BOOGIE NIGHTS HEATWAVE (3:43)
  3. HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL TAVARES (3:55)
  4. I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE ANITA WARD (3:10)
  5. NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE GLORIA GAYNOR (4:11)
  6. DISCO INFERNO THE TRAMMPS (3:35)

80’S HITS VOL 1

SIDE A

  1. I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW TIFFANY (3:46)
  2. THE LOOK OF LOVE ABC (3:29)
  3. FLASHDANCE… WHAT A FEELING IRENE CARA (4:04)
  4. TURNING JAPANESE THE VAPORS (3:44)
  5. BREAKOUT SWING OUT SISTER (3:37)
  6. WOULDN’T IT BE GOOD NIK KERSHAW (4:49)

SIDE B

  1. LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY DENIECE WILLIAMS (4:12)
  2. BETTE DAVIS EYES KIM CARNES (3:41)
  3. EVERYTIME YOU GO AWAY PAUL YOUNG (4:34)
  4. WALKING ON SUNSHINE KATRINA (3:38)
  5. CHINA IN YOUR HAND T’PAU (3:43)
  6. ANGEL OF THE MORNING JUICE NEWTON (4:05)

BACK TO THE 90’S

SIDE A

  1. I WANNA SEX YOU UP COLOR ME BADD (3:58)
  2. ONE LAST CRY BRIAN MCKNIGHT (4:37)
  3. SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS PM DAWN (4:12)
  4. BUTTA LOVE NEXT (4:55)
  5. MISSING YOU CASE (4:41)

SIDE B

  1. GANGSTA’S PARADISE COOLIO (3:58)
  2. TOO CLOSE NEXT (4:19)
  3. HIP HOP HOORAY NAUGHTY BY NATURE (4:11)
  4. HOLD ON WILSON PHILLIPS (4:05)
  5. CHINA IN YOUR HAND K-CI & JOJO (3:44)
  6. CANTALOOP (FLIP FANTASIA) US (4:33)

80’S & 90’S HITS

SIDE A (80’S)

  1. POISON ARROW ABC (3:25)
  2. BRIDGE TO YOUR HEART WAX (4:29)
  3. THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT (I GOTTA WEAR SHADES) TIMBUCK 3 (3:23)
  4. YOU SPIN ME ROUND (LIKE A RECORD) DEAD OR ALIVE (3:26)
  5. WE BUILT THIS CITY STARSHIP (6:01)

SIDE B (90’S)

  1. GYPSY WOMAN (LONG VERSION) CRYSTAL WATERS (2:52)
  2. WHATTA MAN SALT N PEPA (4:53)
  3. SHOW ME LOVE ROBIN S (3:58)
  4. FINALLY CECE PENISTON (10:16)
2 Likes
2471

Noice!

It would have been too much to ask for Dolby Noise Reduction and Auto Reverse I suppose?

Might do OK with TDK tapes, they do amazing things to your system (allegedly).

2472

These are cheap models. So nothing fancy like Dolby Noise Reduction, but they do have auto reverse. They’re from a brand called Retro Musique - not an Aldi brand. Therefore, they’re not Aldi exclusive, but it seems they got them cheaper.

Can confirm all the songs are covers.

2473

US robot vacuum manufacturer iRobot has entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

2474

I don’t think Dolby actually licences their noise reduction technology for tape decks anymore.

2475

JB-Hifi Cranbourne Park was selling a modern new Cassette player made in France but it got sold in early November. Are Cassette Players becoming Mainstream again sorta like Vinyl Records will JB start selling more Cassette players and Cassette Tapes and other music shops, maybe someone should re-open Brashs and Chandler’s, Billy Guyatts?

2476

People are going back to vintage tech in a few different areas so I would say that’s what this is about. It’s been happening with gaming for a while now.

2477

That’s good to see.. sometimes the older simpler games are better (though I’m not much of a gamer myself).

1 Like
2478

If they do, they need to find a better product than the one I’ve reviewed. Speaking of…

I tried out the Bluetooth function. As a transmitter, doesn’t work with my car’s Bluetooth, but it does work with the JBL Tour Pro 3, and through an Aux cable in said car. Sounds like a cheap cassette player.

Final thought - it’s OK for a cheap play about, but to be honest, if you have a decent retro Walkman, stick with that.

2479

ABC News live blog

The Optus board has released the report from Kerry Schott’s independent review into the September 18 outage, which includes 21 recommendations.

The review, led by the experienced executive and director Dr Kerry Schott AO, examined the causes of the incident that led to a failure of Triple-Zero services in South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and part of New South Wales.

The outage was linked to two deaths.

Optus Board releases Dr Kerry Schott’s Independent Review

2480

the blackberry has been reincarnated, and this phone actually looks great!

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2481

No, it doesn’t. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Why have all those push buttons when you could have that function on a screen like a normal smartphone?

2482

Because nostalgia.

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2483

Never understood this, just because something was good in the past doesn’t mean it needs to be reincarnated ? Look at the shit load of records and record players coming back into fashion. Money to get you to spend because we now need. If as records and record players jogging closet space .

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2484

I agree, if they still sold AM stereo receivers, I’d still buy one even though hardly any stations broadcast with it anymore.

2485

I think the attraction of the AM stereo receivers was that most were wide band for a better frequency response. Hard to find these days.

2486

But this phone is different from a am stereo receiver because the phone has android so you can use it for modern things, whereas no stations really broadcast in am stereo anymore like you said.

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2487

Yes, but I was referring more to the nostalgia aspect of such purchases.

2488

it’s not just nostalgia though

this phone is perfect for people looking to go on a digital detox - ways to still have a phone, but to have ways to be less motivated to doomscroll on social media/TikTok

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