QFX RETRO-1980 Portable Bluetooth Cassette Tape Player Recorder

Barbieee_leooo_girlll

October 4, 2026

I finally find a product that actually lives up to the hype

Okayyy… I had to share this one! I’m genuinely loving my experience with QFXUSA, and I can’t wait for you to see why!

Try it for yourself

0:18

Brian Rill

September 24, 2026

21st century Walkman!

This Walkman is a great 21st century version of the 1980s. Excellent product. This has a built-in battery rechargeable USB Bluetooth. You can use it as a speaker or broadcast the tapes you're playing onto your Bluetooth speaker. You can record play cassette tapes, got a built-in speaker or you can use headphones.

0:30

RETRO-1980 Portable Cassette Player by QFX!

🎶 A little trip back in time! 📼✨

I’ve been loving this RETRO-1980 Portable Cassette Player by QFX! It gives me that nostalgic vintage feeling while still having modern features. I love that it has two-way Bluetooth, so I can stream music from my phone or listen to my cassette tapes through Bluetooth headphones. 🎧

Good set of features, OK Audio

For the price, it's feature set is not bad all. Especially like the fact that you can easily pair it over Bluetooth to make mix tapes since it records. All of this makes it a good choice for any young person wanted to get into cassettes. It's small, light, and easy to use. As far as audio quality, well don't expect much, but it's good enough. The wow and flutter is like 0.5% and speed was a bit fast. You can adjust the speed by opening the back and tweaking the variable resistor it's the only one. The inside of it is also pretty well laid out. Belts easy to change. Let's just see how long the it last for though.

Was great until…

Was great until it wasn’t!

Bluetooth stream to record is awesome. It turned making mix tapes into a breeze.

The biggest problem is that after a couple weeks it started playing at like 3/4 speed. So Michael Jackson started sounding like Johnny Cash. And yeah, that’s unacceptable.

Will be returning after I submit this review.

Probably look for another one that has better reviews 👍🏼

0:21

Pretty cool cassette player to bring the media into the 2020's

This Bluetooth cassette player/recorder is pretty cool, actually. I still have cassettes from my younger days that I have missed listening to, and this does the trick. It has all of the functions of your old school cassette player, and many more to modernize the device. It is easy to use and easy to pair. The sound quality is "OK" with the included earphones, but my advice is to use Bluetooth earbuds for a much, much better sound.

As for overall price, all of the abilities and functionality this cassette player provide gets me close to saying that it is fairly priced, but it feels a bit on the cheap side as far as overall quality of construction. For that reason alone, I would say that it is a little overpriced... but not too far from the mark, honestly.

Too big of a issue to ignore!

This is one of those products that I really wanted to love because cassette players are something I grew up with, and the retro nostalgia is definitely there. It has some genuinely cool modern features too, like Bluetooth audio in and out, auto reverse, USB-C charging, and the ability to connect to wireless headphones or Bluetooth speakers. Those additions make it feel like a modern take on an old classic.

Unfortunately, I ran into a pretty frustrating issue with tape playback. As you can see in the video, the cassette door did not seem to close tightly enough at first, which caused the audio to sound warped or weak unless I physically pressed on the door while the tape was playing. After doing that a few times it eventually started working normally even without pressure, but it makes me question how reliable it will be long term. That was definitely the biggest downside for me.

A few other things are more observations than complaints. The built-in speaker technically works, but the sound quality is not really worth using unless you just need quick background playback. It sounds much better through wired or Bluetooth headphones. I also kept thinking how nice it would have been if they added features like an SD card slot for MP3 playback or FM/AM radio. My older cassette players from years ago actually had radio functionality, so it feels strange not seeing it included here.

Overall, I like the idea behind this product more than the actual execution. It has a lot of potential and some very cool features, but the playback issue keeps me from fully recommending it without hesitation.

0:22

Real cassette walkman with bidirectional Bluetooth and modern charging, but still like the 80's

Got it for my son, who is into vintage and retro, and he now understands why we got rid of these, but they are still around. The reason to buy a cassette player in 2026 is usually nostalgia, but this one earns the spend on actual function. Bluetooth goes BOTH ways. You can stream from your phone to the player and listen on the built-in speaker, or play a real cassette and send the audio to your good Bluetooth headphones or a real speaker. Most cassette players with BT only do one direction. This one does both.

Auto-reverse handles Side A to Side B without you flipping the tape. USB-C for charging means you don't need to dig out a microUSB cable from the closet. The built-in speaker is the weak link. Tinny and small as you'd expect from a pocket-sized retro. It's fine for "is this tape side B yet" or playing a podcast in the kitchen. Anything you actually want to enjoy, route to BT or use earbuds.

The mic is built in for tape recording, which is the kind of feature you forget exists until you remember the side hustle of dictating notes onto a cassette like it's 1985.

Use case that fits: dust off old mixtapes and run them through a real speaker via BT, digitize a tape collection, or just have a working walkman around for when somebody asks what those plastic rectangles are.

5 stars. The speaker is what it is, the rest of it is good ole 80s love at a decent price that is still easy to use.

0:18

Tania

April 28, 2026

Good 👍🏻

Works great

A nostalgic revival done right — with the modern upgrades that actually matter

I grew up in the era when a portable cassette player was the pinnacle of personal audio technology. Carrying your music in your pocket, curating your own mix tapes, being intentional about what made the cut — there was a tactile relationship with music that streaming simply doesn't replicate. What's interesting is that younger generations are rediscovering exactly that. The cassette revival isn't just nostalgia — it's a deliberate pushback against the disposability of digital playlists, and it's earning a genuine following.

The RETRO 1980 player fits squarely into that moment.

The device delivers everything you'd expect from the format — play, rewind, fast forward, recording capability — in a compact, clean package that feels appropriately period-correct without feeling cheap. The plastic construction is light and smooth in operation, and the controls are simple and intuitive in the way that only analog devices tend to be.

The upgrades are where this player earns its place in 2024. Bluetooth in and out is a serious addition — it means you can wirelessly connect your modern headphones or speakers, and more importantly, it opens the door to digitizing that box of Mom and Dad's old mix tapes sitting in a closet somewhere. That alone makes this device worth considering for anyone inheriting a cassette collection.

Auto-reverse — the ability to play both sides of a tape without manually flipping it — was considered a major innovation when it arrived in the mid-1980s. Its inclusion here is not a small thing. It's the difference between a novelty device and one that's actually pleasant to use for extended listening.

One practical note worth passing along: if your first experience with this player sounds off, check your tape before assuming it's the machine. I learned this firsthand trying to play a cassette that turned out to be 43 years old — age, dust, and deterioration all affect audio quality in ways that have nothing to do with the player. A well-preserved tape on this machine sounds clean and clear.

For anyone who lived through the cassette era and wants to revisit it properly, or for younger listeners curious about what intentional music ownership actually feels like, the RETRO 1980 is a well-executed entry point. It respects the format while quietly bringing it into the present.

Throwback to my early 90's times, love it

I bought this as a reminder of the times when I had to use cassettes and sit through entire albums, or rewind and fast-forward repeatedly to find the song I was looking for. It was great to revisit those times.

It also includes modern conveniences such as rechargeable batteries, Bluetooth connectivity, and a built-in speaker for when headphones are too much for long sessions.

Sound quality is good, what you would expect from cassette players so don't expect 128bit quality please, lol.

The construction feels solid and durable.

Given the price, it is good value for the money.

Updated retro portable cassette player

This is a retro cassette tape player with a few updated features. The portable player has the standard play, stop, fast forward, rewind, record functions. A nice additional feature is the auto-reverse function. There is no need to remove the tape to flip over and reinsert to play the back side. It even has a setting to play in a continuous loop. What is missing is pause, but you can just press the stop function. Another nice feature is the change direction button. Just press, and the player will place the reverse side of the tape, without having to remove the tape. The updated features include USB type C charging, including a light indicator that turns off when charging is complete. Also, there is bluetooth transmission and reception.

The music quality is as expected for a small speaker. There is no noise reduction, bass boost, or equalizer. Sound quality vastly improves when connecting to external headphones or speakers. I also connected the player to my bluetooth earbuds. The pairing was easy and fast, and the connection stable. Just follow the included instructions and place the setting at TX mode. The volume dial is sensitive, allowing for precise control.

I sampled about a dozen cassette tapes with a mix of commercially released and homemade tapes. Most played flawlessly from side A thru side B. There were a few that sounded badly warped. Yet, when I played those same tapes on my cassette deck, there was no issue. So, I would recommend playing any suspect tapes on a second device before deciding on whether to discard them.

The player is all plastic construction, somewhat bulky and pales in comparison with the quality of the walkman players of yore. Nevertheless, it is compact, portable and convenient to use with bluetooth earbuds. For the many features it offers, the player is reasonably priced.

So rad! 80's style!!!

This tape player is so cool. It has so many different features than just your normal walkman. It has a built-in microphone to record your voice to tape. It has a USB C port to recharge. It has its own speaker. It also has a button that you can push so you do not have to pull out the tape and manually switch sides. It has Bluetooth. It is all around a really amazing upgrade. On the old school tape players. There's also a really cool feature where you can repeat a song or the whole side of the tape with the push of a button. And although it is made of plastic, it is very heavy and feels like it can be beat up a bit without breaking down. Overall, I would say this is an awesome way to get the youth back into listening to cassette tapes which seem to be in style again as well as a great value for your money.

90s Nostalgia Meets Modern Convenience

As someone who loves older audio equipment, I’ve recently been piecing together a home audio setup in my garage. I’ve got the receiver and the CD changer, but I was missing that crucial cassette player to complete the vibe.

This QFX unit actually has more features than I strictly needed, but it has performed flawlessly. I currently have it hooked up to my Onkyo 5.1 receiver via the 3.5mm jack, and it sounds amazing. Of course, it’s only going to sound as good as the medium allows, but for playing my original tapes from the 90s, it’s perfect. I popped in Bush’s Sixteen Stone the moment I unboxed it; it played beautifully right out of the gate and even came with a pre-charged battery.

A few key takeaways:

Built-in Speaker: It’s decent for a unit this compact, but don't expect audiophile-grade levels. It’s meant for convenience.

Bluetooth: I tested this in my car, and it worked great. There is something undeniably cool about rocking out to Whitesnake via Bluetooth in a modern vehicle.

Build Quality: It feels solid and well-made. While a mechanical eject button would have been a nice "old-school" touch, it's a minor trade-off for the reliability you get here.

The Bottom Line:

I would absolutely buy this again. Finding a used component deck for under $50 is nearly impossible these days, and even then, you're usually dealing with rotted belts or internal issues. This unit was the perfect, hassle-free fit for my needs.

0:09

Griffin

April 19, 2026

QFX RETRO-1980 Portable Cassette Player Recorder

What this little portable cassette player lacks in style, it makes up for in feeling pretty flimsy, especially the door. For some reason, it includes wired earbuds, rather than a classic headset, which doesn’t seem very “retro”. I was extremely hesitant about putting one of my prized 80s cassettes into this thing, so I bought one specifically to test this player (sorry Aerosmith!).

In testing, the first thing I noticed is that it’s tricky to get the flimsy door completely closed, as it tends to stick. The next thing I noticed is that the built-in speaker has a tinny sound like a cheap AM radio. (Which is, admittedly, pretty retro all by itself!) Bluetooth transmitting worked well as did the controls. Using Bluetooth to send music to the player, from my phone, also worked and, again, sounded like a cheap old AM radio (which is kind of endearing). Auto-reverse was hesitant and clicked a bunch of times, but did eventually work.

In summary, the quality isn’t awesome - the door is particularly grody. The lame “style” *IS* pretty accurate to early portable cassette players, in all fairness, but a weird choice, IMO. The speaker is terrible and tinny, which is both accurate and rad. For something being marketed as 1980 retro, though, failure to include a belt clip and cheap 1980s foam headset seems pretty bogus.

Shopper

April 18, 2026

A hybrid-retro item. Plays cassettes with modern technology mixed in.

I'll start by saying that my teenager is enjoying this cassette player. Apparently, "old" technology is cool again, so we've been busy trying to find things like VCRs and tube TVs, which has been an interesting turn of events after working so hard to get rid of them.

I was hoping that this would be similar to my portable tape player from the early 90s, but it's rechargeable with Bluetooth, so it's undeniably different. I understand what the seller was trying to do by merging 1980s tech with modern-day upgrades, but I would have preferred a true retro cassette player. Regardless, this has given us a way to listen to old tapes, and that's a win. The included earbuds aren't great, but if you swap them for a higher quality pair, the sound quality is decent. Overall, the cassette player is a decent value for the money and a fun throwback to the "1900s".

Jesse

April 18, 2026

Does the simple things right

For the price, I think this is a good cassette player alone, even if it didn’t have other features, which it does.

Outside of playing cassettes, its other big important feature is the ability to act as a Bluetooth speaker, which it does. It doesn’t have booming bass like most Bluetooth speakers and doesn’t get very loud. There is one single speaker in the back. It sounds very warm and soft, like a radio. I’m fine with it because I think it fits the product.

The ability to write to cassettes is an interesting feature and, admittedly, I cannot test it. I haven’t seen blank cassette tapes in decades. Being said, cassettes are beginning to rise in popularity again, much like vinyl records, as a decent percentage population is beginning to see value once again in an “unconnected” world, so I’m sure blank cassettes aren’t far behind.

It charges with USB C, which is amazing. It could have easily been Micro USB, which by itself would have made the product less appealing to me.

As for the included accessories, they included everything that’s needed. There is an instruction booklet, which is short but in depth, a USB-C charging cable which is cheap but included, and a pair of wired 3.5mm earbuds. The earbuds aren’t anything to write home about, they’re not any better nor worse than the other basic earbuds purchased over the years, but I do appreciate that they’re earbuds that go into my ear instead of the cheaper open ear types they could have easily chosen to include.

All in all, very pleased. Five stars for the complete and thoughtful package.

If I had to make a suggestion for the product, create a second tier that comes with a significantly more powerful speaker, though I understand it won’t be able to be quite as compact. I would also like to see USB C earbuds, and a second USB C audio out port for modern wired earbuds with USB C. You can always include a little adapter in the box that allows for using 3.5mm earbuds. Finally, the ability to fold out an antenna and tune into the radio would be appreciated on this higher tier product. If you could do this for around $30-$40 max more, I think this product would also be a winner.

Portable cassette player with Bluetooth, auto reverse, and easy USB-C charging

I got this portable cassette player recorder to review a box of old tapes I have had in storage and to try out the recording features, and it has been a fun and useful little device. I like it because it combines classic cassette playback with a few modern features like Bluetooth and USB-C charging. It seems like a good value for anyone who still enjoys tapes, and I would order it again or recommend it to someone who wants a portable cassette player with a little more flexibility.

This player handles cassette playback well for casual listening. I really like the auto reverse feature since it keeps the tape going without needing to stop and flip it over manually. The built-in speaker is convenient when I just want to listen quickly, and the included earbuds are nice to have for more private stereo listening. The Bluetooth in and out feature adds a lot to the usefulness, since it can work with a phone as well as compatible Bluetooth headphones or speakers. I also like that it includes a built-in microphone for simple voice notes or quick recordings to tape. The unit feels lightweight and portable, and the buttons and controls are easy to use. It has a rechargeable design with USB-C charging. I like that it works for listening through the speaker, through the included earbuds, or through Bluetooth depending on what is most convenient. Since it combines playback, recording, Bluetooth audio in and out, auto reverse, a built-in speaker, and rechargeable use, it offers a lot in one compact device.

I took a few pictures when I got it to show you what I received: 1- as it arrived, box front; 2- box back; 3- everything out of the box; 4- everything out of the wraps; 5- ear buds and charger cord w ruler; 6- cassette player front w ruler; 7- cassette player back; 8- cassette player controls closeup; 9- cassette player opened; 10- cassette player inputs and controls; 11- charger attached; 12- instruction manual.

This is a handy cassette player/recorder that blends old-school tape use with modern convenience. The price for this item seems reasonable because it includes Bluetooth in and out, auto reverse playback, USB-C recharging, a built-in speaker, and recording capability in one portable unit. It could make a good gift for a tape collector, music fan, or anyone who enjoys retro audio gear. For the portable size, useful Bluetooth features, easy USB-C charging, auto reverse playback, and recording function, I am giving this cassette player recorder five stars.

I love this thing.

This thing is super cool. You can transmit the cassette player to a Bluetooth speaker or you can receive audio from another device and play it back on the internal speaker. The internal speaker sounds pretty terrible but it’s on par with most portable cassette players from back in the day.

You could in-theory make a mix tape of songs streamed from your device via the built in record function. You could also use it as a simple lo-fi recorder with the built in mic. It’s really a very cool little gadget and I can’t wait to use it in my studio. If you need a simple tape player but don’t have a hifi system I would recommend this all day.

fun portable cassette player with bluetooth!

this portable cassette player with bluetooth is so fun!! it’s super easy to record onto cassette and i’ve been using it for special voice notes and some music ideas and it actually makes it feel more intimate and personal than just using my phone.

the bluetooth feature is honestly what makes it stand out to me because being able to play music from my phone through it or send tape audio to my headphones is so convenient and makes it feel modern without losing the whole retro vibe.

auto reverse is also such a small thing but makes a big difference, i don’t have to keep flipping the tape which gets annoying fast with other older players.

the battery life has been solid and i like that it’s usb c. it’s lightweight enough to carry around and the built in speaker is decent for casual listening, but i usually end up using the earbuds for a bit better sound.

overall it just feels like a really well thought out mix of old and new, especially if you like the cassette aesthetic but still want modern features. 5/5, i’m happy with it and definitely recommend!

Eme

April 12, 2026

The Ultimate Throwback (With Modern Upgrades) 🎶📼

Okay this is one of those products that’s actually fun to use.

If you grew up with cassettes—or just like that vintage vibe—this hits that nostalgic feel, but with modern features that actually make it practical today.

The biggest upgrade is Bluetooth in & out. You’re not stuck in the past—you can:

play cassettes

connect to Bluetooth headphones/speakers

or even use it like a Bluetooth audio device

Also, the fact that it’s USB-C rechargeable is a huge plus. No dealing with AA batteries like the old days—just charge it like your phone.

The auto-reverse feature is another thing I didn’t expect at this price. It plays both sides without you flipping the tape, which makes it way more convenient.

Sound-wise, you still get that classic cassette tone, but the built-in speaker and included earbuds make it usable anywhere.

What stood out:

Bluetooth (modern + retro combo)

USB-C charging (no batteries needed)

Auto-reverse playback

Built-in speaker + mic

Lightweight and portable

Final take:

This is perfect if you want that nostalgic experience without the inconvenience. It’s a cool mix of old-school and modern that actually makes sense.