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T3
T3
Technology
Carrie Marshall

The boombox is back and we're off to rock the block

The We Are Rewind GB-001 boom box on a black background. It is black with silver detailing and two VU meters above and between the speaker grilles.
Quick Summary

We Are Rewind has launched a 104-watt boombox that plays and records onto tapes, and supports Bluetooth for wireless streaming.

You can expect to pay £379 / €449 (about $500 / AU$780) for this modern day equivalent of an '80s classic.

Over the last few months We Are Rewind has carved quite a niche in the audio market by mixing old-school looks with modern music technology.

Following on from its Walkman homages, the EDITH WE-001 and a collaboration with electro-funk duo Chromeo, the firm has now turned its attention to the boombox.

The GB-001 looks like a 1980s portable tape deck of the type used to rock many a block more than 40 years ago. However, while the looks are retro and it does indeed play cassettes, it's also got up-to-date internals, including a big battery and the latest Bluetooth.

It's also very, very loud.

(Image credit: We Are Rewind)

We Are Rewind GB-001 boombox: key features and specifications

The GB-001 has four Hi-Fi class speakers – two woofers and a pair of soft dome tweeters – and it puts out a very impressive 104 watts. That's roughly ten times the output of the boombox that was permanently attached to me in the 1980s.

We Are Rewind claims that its sound "rivals home speaker systems".

Inside, there's dynamic power control, which the firm says reduces distortion, spatialisation to create a wider stereo image, and a user-adjustable motor with internal speed regulation.

It also emulates Dolby B noise reduction so you can play Dolby tapes and hear them as they're supposed to sound.

(Image credit: We Are Rewind)

It plays and can record to Type I and Type II (Chrome) cassettes and has an active AC-erasing head to minimise recording noise.

Bluetooth 5.4 os on board, and there's a 3.5mm jack input for wired connections. The mic input has adjustable levels for better recordings.

Where my boomboxes used to munch through AA batteries, the power here comes from a user-replaceable 3,000mAH lithium ion battery pack that's good for 10 hours in tape mode and 15 in aux. That's when you're listening on speakers – you can expect 15 hours in tape mode and up to 28 hours in aux when using headphones.

The GB-001 launches today, 15 May, with a recommended retail price of £379 / €449 (about $500 / AU$780).

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