It's been over 20 years since Sony released a cassette player, and cassette sales are so minuscule they barely show up on market reports. New cassette players suckGenuinely, they can't make good ones anymoreHere's the funny thing: I never actually owned a Walkman cassette player. Credit: Joe Fedewa / How-To GeekCredit: Joe Fedewa / How-To GeekCredit: Joe Fedewa / How-To GeekClose Credit: Joe Fedewa / How-To GeekCredit: Joe Fedewa / How-To GeekCredit: Joe Fedewa / How-To GeekThat's why you'll notice that modern cassette players are much bulkier than their older siblings. Nowadays, there's essentially one mechanism being produced that everyone who wants to make a cassette player has to use. So, if you want a great cassette player in 2025, your best bet is to buy one from the 70s/80s/90s.