CD players are back. As Gen Z reconnects with the ’90s they never knew through retro nostalgia like Nirvana, Tamagotchi, and wired headphones, audiophile brand FiiO is here to capitalize on it. The company’s new portable CD player, the DM13, builds on the model of icons like the Discman. But it adds modern touches like high-fidelity wireless and a built-in battery, which saves Gen Z from having to lug around a small arsenal of AA batteries to change every hour.
The FiiO DM13 follows the company’s retro reboots Turntable and (for unfathomable reasons) the cassette playerThe upcoming CD player has a sleek design with a digital display on its front, giving it a much cleaner modern aesthetic than the junk we old Gen Xers used to use when listening to timeless musical legends like Candlebox, Right Said Fred, and the Squirrel Nut Zippers.
The DM13 supports both 3.5mm balanced and 4.4mm unbalanced outputs for analog line-out listening. For those who prefer wireless, it supports high-quality aptX HD and is compatible with many Android phones and portable media players. (Apple uses its lower-bitrate AAC codec, so iPhone owners get less impressive wireless sound without an adapter.)
FiiO claims the DM13 offers eight hours of playback time per charge. It also has a USB output and a dedicated desktop mode that bypasses the battery and uses its main power at home.
The bad news for 90s retrophiles is that the DM13 is not yet available. After its official unveiling at the CanJam Event in LondonThe CD player will go on sale in September for $179 (£179 in the UK). It will only be available in a silver finish, but FiiO says red, blue, titanium and black variants will arrive later in the year.