Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

The CD Walkman is back — on steroids

By
Fiio DM13 portable CD Player.
Fiio

Fiio grabbed plenty of attention with its reboot of the classic portable cassette player earlier in 2024, so it’s no surprise to see that the company’s latest product is another blast from the past: The DM13, a portable CD player that evokes the original Sony Discman. Fiio plans to sell a silver version of the DM13 in September for $179, with red, blue, titanium, and black versions following later in the year.

Though the DM13 is indeed a portable CD player in the spirit of those 1980s/1990s devices, it’s been thoroughly modernized. Instead of replaceable AA batteries, a rechargeable cell provides up to eight hours of playback. There’s also an available desktop mode that bypasses the battery when the unit is plugged into a power outlet.

Recommended Videos

The player is equipped with a remarkable number of outputs. In addition to a USB port (which can send digital audio directly to a computer), there’s an optical port, and a line-level analog output, making the DM13 an easy add-on for home hi-fi setups. Plus, there are two headphone outputs: an unbalanced 3.5mm jack for standard wired earbuds and headphones, and a 4.4mm balanced output for audiophile in-ear monitors and headphones.

You aren’t limited to wired listening, however, as the DM13 also has Bluetooth with support for SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, and aptX LL (low latency) Bluetooth codecs.

You can play standard audio CDs, but the DM13 will also read lossless audio FLAC and WAV, plus WMA, AAC, and MP3 files that have been written to a recordable disc.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Astell&Kern gives its new entry-level digital audio player some premium features
Astell&Kern SR35 digital audio player with earbuds.

Starting in the $700-range, Astell&Kern's (A&K) most affordable portable digital audio players have never been easy on the wallet, but they have always been packed with top-quality components and features. With its latest entry-level model, the $799 A&norma SR35, that tradition continues with impressive upgrades, some of which have been lifted directly from the company's ultra-premium models. You'll be able to buy it at A&K dealers in May.

On the outside, not much has changed from the $749 SR25 II (which is still available while supplies last). A&K has kept the same chunky case, oversized volume knob, distinctive bevel edges, and quirky angled display. The player retains its internal 64GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSD cards) as well as the ability to act as both a Bluetooth receiver and transmitter with LDAC and aptX HD codec support. And you can still use the AK File Drop function to load the player with your favorite songs wirelessly -- no USB cable required. That wireless connectivity has been improved, however, with support for both 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands.

Read more
Devialet managed to pack two subwoofers into a speaker the size of a small purse
Devialet Mania portable speaker.

French audio company, Devialet, has always attempted to create speakers that blend high style with high performance. Its latest creation, the $790 Devialet Mania, adds a new twist to that formula: portability. It comes in black, grey, and an available $990 Paris Opéra edition, which uses 24-carat "moongold" embellishments. All three are available to order from devialet.com.

Standing at under 6.7 inches tall, the spherical Mania is tiny -- just a fraction of an inch larger than a Google Pixel 7 Pro -- but inside, it packs four full-range drivers plus two subwoofers, which helps to explain why, despite being so small, it still weighs about five pounds. Also contributing to its weight is a built-in rechargeable battery that Devialet claims will power the Mania for up to 10 hours. It charges over USB-C, but you can also buy an optional $80 wireless charging base.

Read more
The Sound Burger is back. Audio-Technica revives its vinyl Walkman for a new generation
Audio-Technica AT-SB2022 Sound Burger portable turntable.

Update, November 8: Well that was fast. Quicker than you can say "I'd like fries with that," the newly revived Sound Burger has completely sold out. In less than a week, Audio-Technica received orders for its entire 7,000-unit run of the retro record player. Digital Trends will update this post if the company decides to reward people's enthusiasm with a new release of inventory.

If you're old enough to remember the birth of the first portable cassette players, you might also remember Audio-Technica's AT727/770, a quirky portable record player that was better known by its other name, the Sound Burger. It hasn't been made in decades, but that's about to change: Audio-Technica (A-T) is bringing the Sound Burger back in all of its retro glory as a $199 limited edition model, to celebrate the Japanese audio brand's 60th anniversary.

Read more