I tested the We Are Rewind boombox – and it rekindled joyful memories of splicing together mixtapes

I tested the We Are Rewind boombox - and it rekindled joyful memories of splicing together mixtapes Features (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) Josh Russell published Perfect for recording mixtapes and blasting bass While testing out the We Are Rewind GB-001, the cassette-tape boombox with modern connectivity, something clicks in my brain. As I’m cueing up tracks and recording them to a ferric oxide cassette tape, it triggers memories I’d almost completely forgotten: of lazy Sunday mornings piecing together tapes to listen to during the week on my Sony Walkman. There’s something deeply joyful about these memories. In an era before playlists were even a thing, recording mixtapes was the way we’d attempt to reduce our entire personality down to a single 60-minute mashup. And there’s a point during my testing of We Are Rewind’s boombox that I’m suddenly back there again, sat in front of hi-fi equipment meticulously taping tracks into place one by one and hoping I hadn’t left the record input volume down again. This is a big part of the device’s magic. While it’s not the cheapest option of the best Bluetooth speakers out there - with a list price of $579 / £389 (around AU$875) - it’s these nostalgic moments that elevate it above and beyond your standard portable speaker. Will it keep me coming back once that retro charm has worn off? It’s hard to pre-empt the answer to that question. But I’d argue it has enough going for it that it’s more than just a novelty. We Are Rewind GB-001 - ace of bass The first thing you’ll notice about the We Are Rewind GB-001 is its bass. This thing is not shy about serving up generous helpings of bass, so you better have a big appetite. Listening to Otomo (feat. O'Flynn) by Bonobo, I was genuinely blown away - that huge drop sounds amazing, with the thwomping bass having so much presence. Even for a speaker of this size, it has a whole lotta sub to give and can make almost any track sound wonderfully warm. I’ve heard so many speakers that have betrayed their brittler edges when I’ve played Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac - but rather than the harsh, glassy edges you’ll hear when a speaker overdrives the treble, here they’re nicely balanced and smooth. Some of the transients like snare and cymbal hits occasionally feel a little more forward than I’d like, but for the most part it doesn’t overplay its hand in the high frequencies. Where it does come slightly unstuck is in the middle. Don’t get me wrong: the lower-mid tones of the guitar in Otherside by Maribou State sound gorgeous, feeling so beautifully polished, while the kick punched through the mix like it was shot from a rivet gun. Unfortunately though, this came at the slight cost of overshadowing upper-mid frequencies like those in Holly Walker’s sublime vocals, making them seem...

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