Sony's last cassette-blastin' boom box is precisely how Ruff Ryders roll('d)

Sony may not shed a tear for the 3.5-inch floppy disk when it meets its maker in March, but you'd better believe the company's crafted a retirement plan for the format that propelled it to fame: the compact cassette. To be fair, the CFD-A110 CD / cassette boom box above isn't actually a new product -- it's a relabeled CFD-A100TV from 2003 minus the nigh-obsolete analog TV band -- but if you're rocking magnetic mix tapes we're guessing you'll welcome this blast from the past. For your projected ¥20,000 (about $215) you'll get a pair of full-range speakers, 14 AM/FM presets, an external microphone port for karaoke and a remote when it launches in Japan this June 21st. What that won't buy you, however, is an obnoxiously large gilded chain, a beefed up left shoulder for carrying it around, and a time machine needed to actually fit in while using this. Ya heard?

[mrqs Posted May 19th 2010 8:09AM]

that's rad, i want one

[DarkGrimoire Posted May 20th 2010 4:29AM]

@mrqs
Yup me too.. I still got about 400 heavy metal and hard rock tapes from ages ago.. old school rocks.. :D

[Oflife Posted May 19th 2010 8:13AM]

In my wallet (no kidding), I carry a portrait photo of Akio Morita, my hero and the co-fonder of Sony. Until his death, the company 'got it', producing innovative well engineered products - with a market. However, like Apple without 'a' Steve Jobs, Sony has no future direction or comprehension of it's market, so is dwelling on the past - like an ageing rock star who has failed to pen a good riff in years. Embarrassing.

[lnm4444 Posted May 19th 2010 8:30AM]

@Oflife Amen to that. Akito Morita was the Atlas holding up Sony. I always wondered why on earth Sony didn't think about MP3 players or better phones. The Playstation series is doing well but they make no money. If you want to see real innovation, see the Koreans or the Chinese. I did a dissertation on LG and included Sony and Samsung inside as well. Samsung has been making more money that Sony for years. LG is not very far behind. Sony's best hope is to get Ken Kurtagi (of Playstation fame) the CEO. When that happens, the good days will be back for Sony.

[lnm4444 Posted May 19th 2010 8:33AM]

@Oflife And two last things. My father has a Sony cassette recorder from 1965 that he bought in Japan when he was leaving Vietnam and being shipped off home. It still works like the first day. And why there is no edit function on the Engadget comments?

[Sarcasme Posted May 19th 2010 8:44AM]

Thank you tape, thank you. The best music I enjoyed in my life was on tape when I was young.

[Waltah Posted May 19th 2010 8:52AM]

Dash 2?

[mukatuna Posted May 19th 2010 8:58AM]

It maybe the end of the line for Sony making these things. However there are still many Chinese manufacturers making stereo radio cassette players (boom boxes), as cassettes are still a popular music format here.

[Sean Connery Posted May 19th 2010 9:14AM]

Does anyone else remember listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers on cassettes with two sides on a lazy-lavish day?

[A25i Posted May 19th 2010 9:38AM]

@Sean Connery
Yup.
Blood Sugar Sex Magic.
The real kick ass blasters had logic control. So you could skip tracks, repeat, flip sides by itself.
I kept the original stereo in my 86 Trueno. I still use the tapes when I cruise around in it.

[Sean Connery Posted May 19th 2010 9:47AM]

@A25i
Hah! Atta man!

You know, I've met Flea on one occasion and when you meet somebody like him, he challenges how you perceive humans! Great man; insane, but great nonetheless! Ho, I still get a kick of when we spoke!

[A25i Posted May 19th 2010 9:33AM]

This is the furthest thing from a Gheto blaster.

You guys didnt get out much back then did you? Too scared I bet to have your shoes rolled. Get a clue.

[trainwrecka Posted May 19th 2010 9:59AM]

@A25i

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boombox

[donv69 Posted May 19th 2010 9:47AM]

Does it do high-speed dubbing from CD to tape? Otherwise, I'll wait for the next model that supports its. ;-)

[MleB Posted May 19th 2010 10:24AM]

And 25 years ago, vinyl and turntables were declared 'dead.
I'm just sayin'....

I inherited a Sony TR-72 transistor radio (bought in1956 from Eaton's in Canada), which I had cleaned up some 20 years ago by the folks at Sony in Vancouver (causing quite a stir) and which I sold about a decade ago for $150.

Their early stuff worked and used formats that were hugely popular. Now, not so much. Small wonder then a return to the past.

[GTRJay Posted May 19th 2010 10:31AM]

Ghetto Blaster!

[ep3232 Posted May 19th 2010 10:44AM]

it was 1994, i was 14, i had saved about 60 dlls and i bought myself a sony cd and cassete player, that without a sevice of any sort still works to this day,

[dos Posted May 19th 2010 11:12AM]

Sony this thing is hot as hell, please bring it to the US. Reminds me of Lexus interiors.

[fernando Posted May 19th 2010 11:35AM]

The design is pretty awesome, beats current Sony sound systems with them newfangled mp3s support at least.

[WilliamNighthawk Posted May 19th 2010 11:40AM]

@Vaio I don't understand why that is funny?

[jasonbot Posted May 19th 2010 12:20PM]

This thing looks like an ugly 90's product. I hated the styling of 90's tech. 80's tech was cool and boxy but then they started trying too hard with their wooden trim and ugly contours.

[Khav Posted May 19th 2010 12:50PM]

This is great, but you have to remember that a boombox can change the world; you gotta know your limits with a boombox. A boombox is not a toy.

[Grinch Posted May 19th 2010 1:05PM]

Not one Radio Rahim comment?
You guys be slippin.
Do the Right Thing Y'all.

[AM321CAN Posted May 19th 2010 1:29PM]

that is one badass piece of electronistas

[whiskers Posted May 19th 2010 1:31PM]

$215? Really?

[reticulate Posted May 19th 2010 11:02PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXEOESuiYcA

Awww yeah.