I found tape playback offered higher volume levels than Bluetooth or line-in (even with both of these set to maximum output), but that might be a reflection of the gear I was using. To test for distortion, I recorded Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” to tape, then played it from all three sources. With Bluetooth and line-in, the track’s thumping bass line caused no problems at all, even at 100 percent volume. But when I switched to tape, the GB-001 hit the limit of what it could handle around the 75 percent mark, at which point distortion became very noticeable.
We Are Rewind says it uses a spatialization function for “a wider, more immersive stereo experience,” and yet the GB-001 remains highly directional. Put yourself dead-center, about five to six feet away, and it sounds great. Stereo separation isn’t spectacular, but it’s enough for a soundstage that at times can feel like it’s twice as wide as the boombox. However, if you walk away from that center line, stereo vanishes immediately, and so does much of the mid-to-high frequency definition. The sound becomes muddier the farther you go. This may also explain that sense of smearing I mentioned earlier.
Photograph: Simon Cohen
To a certain extent, this is true of any portable-size speaker, but it’s more noticeable on the GB-001 than on more modern speakers, like the JBL Authentics 300 or Marshall Kilburn III, which can fill a room more evenly.
The bass and treble tone controls provide a wide range of adjustments in both frequency bands, but they don’t affect the headphone output. Speaking of headphones, low-impedance, high-sensitivity models will be a better choice for the GB-001. It wasn’t quite powerful enough to drive my 80-ohm Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro Limited Edition cans as loud as I would have liked.
For a portable speaker of its power, the GB-001 is on the pricey side, especially when you consider it has a significantly lower battery life than similarly powerful models. It also lacks water/dust resistance, and you definitely don’t want to drop it from any height. The lack of an AM/FM radio, Bluetooth playback controls, and a tape counter are unfortunate oversights.
And yet I really like We Are Rewind’s new take on the classic boombox. The simplicity of its design, its versatility as a recording device—those VU meters!—along with its substantial power and karaoke option, give it a value that goes beyond pure nostalgia. It’s an eminently practical way to explore (or reacquaint yourself with) an analog format that’s slowly clawing its way back into the spotlight. At the very least, it’s a guaranteed conversation piece. If that is worth the money for you, and you miss making mixtapes, it might be worth a buy.
