The boombox is back in a cool new Bluetooth version that still plays cassettes, now just need to remember how to breakdance

• We Are Rewind's GB-001 is a real cassette boombox, but it's got Bluetooth too
• More than enough power to rock reasonably sized blocks
• £379 / €449 (about $505 / AU$781)

One of the things I miss about the 1980s, other than my youth, my waistline and my faith in humanity, is the boombox. The boombox is one of the most important bits of audio tech ever made: it took music out of the bedroom or living room and into the streets, soundtracking rap battles and breakdancing and changing pop culture for the better.

And now it's back! Back! BACK!

The new We Are Rewind GB-001 looks like a boombox. It plays tapes like a boombox. And it records onto those tapes like a boombox. But it also comes with some very welcome improvements over the '80s devices it's so clearly inspired by.

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

The big differences this time around are batteries and Bluetooth. The former means your boombox won't have the battery-munching habit I remember from my long-gone Sanyo: the 3,000mAh rechargeable and user-replaceable battery is good for 10 hours on speakers and 15 with headphones.

Secondly, there's Bluetooth 5.4 so you can stream from your smartphone if you'd rather not carry a satchel full of audio tapes around with you. You can also connect an external sound source via the 3.5mm jack or use an external mic for recording.

It's a lot louder than my boombox ever was, too: 104W of power courtesy of Class D amplification.

The spec includes dynamic power control to reduce distortion, Dolby B emulation for those noise-reduced cassettes, and support for both normal (Type I) and chrome (Type II) tapes. And at 6.81kg (just under 15lbs) it's not so heavy you won't want to take it anywhere.

The new boombox is unveiled today, 15 May, at the High End Munich 2025 hi-fi show – we're planning to track it down there ASAP. There's no confirmed release date yet, but the official price is very reasonable at £379 / €449 (about $505 / AU$781).

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