Modernizing Vintage Cassette Player

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Revamping a vintage cassette player into a modern digital player.

The 1980s were a golden era for music, with hip-hop, new wave, pop, and rock thriving. Back then, cassette players were essential, but in today’s digital world, they’ve become nostalgic relics. My love for cassette players and radios remains strong, and my collection includes the National EKCO-U758, National RX-127OT, AIWA QT-SS-10, and Sony MHC 2500. While all but the EKCO radio are in good condition, finding new cassettes is difficult, leaving them mostly unused. To preserve their charm, I decided to convert these analog treasures by replacing cassette tapes with a flash drive system for digital audio playback.

Cassette

After a few experiments, I settled on a method using spring-loaded connectors instead of conventional tape head (POGO pins). These connectors act as playback and record heads, with corresponding PCB contact plates inside the cassette serving as the interface for data and power.

PCB design for data and power interface

For the data and pawer interface, I designed a customized PCB plate to fit comfortably onto the cassette’s headspace (pressure plate). Designing and assembling this system was somewhat complex, particularly aligning the POGO pins and contact plates correctly.

Data and power interface PCB

To replicate the functionality of an actual cassette, I integrated two flash drives inside, each with four connectors for Side A and four for Side B, enabling both USBs to connect. The contact plate consists totally eight 3mm round pad connectors to power, read, and write to the USB flash drive inside the cassette.

Completed Interface with total eight 3mm round pad connectors

Creating a direct wire connection from the contact plate to the USB flash drive was challenging. To simplify this process, I designed a supporting plate of the same size and linked them using a Berg connector.

Data and power interfaces are installed on the pressure plate provision.

I stripped away unnecessary parts from the cassette case and made slight modifications to the pressure plate area to ensure the perfect fit of the contact plate.

Complete digitalized cassette  with interfaces for data and power.

And here is how it looks after the complete modification with a digital cassette interface for data and power.


Head (USB flash drive reader)

I’ve replaced the existing tape reader head with a new USB reader head built with a set of four POGO pin connectors.

Four pogo contact pins serves as head

I soldered four pogo contact pins onto a small PCB, which was positioned to perfectly slot into the original tape head position. To attach this PCB to the drive mechanism, I made an ‘L’-shape using an aluminum angle frame.

Pogo pin Head and connecting plate

Pogo pin head and connecting plate before soldering.


Cassette player modification

Furthermore, my goal is to update the cassette player’s power supply and circuit board, involving a combination of component replacements and additions. I disconnected the original board from its power and other connections and opted for an MP3 module to play songs from the cassette. The original board of this cassette player operates at 7.5V. I directed power from the supply unit board to the Bluetooth modules.

Power and data distribution board

Hub for power distribution

I designed another PCB that serves as a hub for power distribution to the module, features a 5V regulator circuit, and facilitates data transmission from the cassette to the MP3 module.

MP3 module and power supply board mounted behind the cassette mechanism

Speaker

2W 3inches speaker

The original speaker was damaged, so I installed a new 2W 3inches speaker that can be powered by the module. Additionally, I added a tiny mobile speaker to serve as a tweeter.


Body and Panel for Modernized vintage cassette player

When it comes to modifying the appearance of the exterior of the player, the first task is changing the scratchy tuning window, so I started by replacing the tuning window glass with a new one. I used a 3mm transparent acrylic sheet and drilled a few holes in it to serve as a grill for the tweeter speaker.

Making tuning window glass
Creating a speaker hole
Applying 30% dark plastic sticker on tuning window

For a modern aesthetic, I embraced a sleek black color scheme for the entire outer body, with minimal red flair. I began by thoroughly cleaning and drying body parts and applying a primer as the foundational base coat.

Applying a primer as the foundational base coat
Play button and cassette loading door after a single primer base coat.

Following the application of the initial base coat, I proceeded to paint the body panels with a matte black coat.

Body panel following initial application of matte black coat.

Final touches and finishing of modernized vintage cassette player

Here are the customized label designs intended for the top panel and tuning range, printed on a non-tearable 120 gsm A3 sticker sheet.

Panels and tuning range sticker prints
Applying radio tuning range label
Completed radio tuning range window
Applying top panel label

Cassette Card and label design

I designed and printed new U-cards and cassette labels. Check out this website for label and card design guides: www.duplication.com. After visiting this site, I’m excited to see that cassettes are still alive.

Cassette label and U card design
U-card and cassette  case

Note: the contents and design of the cassette label are solely intended for personal use.


Device used to transfer MP3 files to the cassette.

I created another device to copy the MP3 file onto the cassette.

MP3 file copier
MP3 file copier with cassette

And this is how the modernized vintage cassette player looks finally…

Final pic of cassette player
Final pic of cassette player, top angle
Final pic of cassette player, creative angle
Final pic of cassette player with cassette
Final pic of cassette player with cassette top angle

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