Review on Jensen Portable Stereo Cassette Player With AM/FM Radio Sport Earbuds (Yellow) by James Lesley

The text/information on the gift box is correct. It clearly says "Stereo Cassette". "AM/FM Radio" is exactly what you need. Radio, but not "FM Stereo". Some descriptions are somewhat misleading. "FM/AM Stereo" is incorrect. "MEGA BASS" is a feature of the original Sony Walkman stereo cassette players in the form of a switch, but there is no "MEGA BASS" switch on this unit (more on sound quality later). It does not come with a carrying case. Am I "lost in (my) cassette collection again"? Yes it was. I once had an original SONY WALKMAN WM1. Small portable stereo cassette players changed the way people listened to music. There used to be portable cassette players but they were usually mono and larger with built in speakers etc (like shoe box players). You can turn on the stereo boombox so everyone on the block can hear you! Stereo cassette players like the Sony Walkman were smaller and required the use of headphones. So I have fond memories of personal stereo cassettes, especially the Sony Walkman. How is Jensen developing? The assembly of these cassette players of the time was generally very good, especially if it was a "high-end" model. The Jensen stereo cassette player is very similar to the cheaper models that were offered at the end of the "cassette player" popularity (early 2000s?). Almost all plastics with basic functions. We're all used to the 'perfect sound' of our compressed audio files and streaming via our mobile phones. The cassette is a very good but imperfect sound medium. In fact, I'm more let down by the imperfection of cassette tapes than vinyl. Thanks to Vinyl Revival, getting vinyl records and a good turntable is now easier than ever. Cassettes are a different story. No new high quality cassette decks or "players" are currently being manufactured. The "cassette renaissance” isn’t (yet?) big enough for big producers or startups to invest in. Vintage stereo equipment can be used, but repairs and maintenance can be costly and painful. Now the most important thing about playing cassettes. If there are no problems with the player, the sound quality is as good as the condition of the cassette and its tape. Tapes released by record companies, especially from the 70's-80's, sometimes don't age very well. The plastic case that contains the tape may deteriorate or deform internally with time, heat, or cold. The tape may be wrinkled or stretched. The tape may also wear out due to use or age. The felt pad between the tape and the playback head may have fallen off. The same goes for blank cassettes, but the build and tape quality of some of these tapes (like the 80's-90's high-bias) is pretty good. It sounds good with a well working Jensen cassette. Yes, you can hear engine noise during quiet transitions. Yes, you'll hear tape hiss, and there's no Dolby switch or EQ to filter it out. As I mentioned, there is no "MEGA BASS" switch, but the bass sounded decent in my Sennheiser HD 25 headphones. Yes, there is some variation in speed, but I can't tell if it's turntable or cassette. Another reviewer mentioned that the line out jack sounds better than the headphone jack. Very right. Probably a very cheap volume damper. And that brings us to the old adage, you get what you pay for. This stereo cassette player from Jensen costs between $20 and $30. The device is very similar to other "players" sold here at Revain. The big difference is that the cassette is played in stereo. I have a feeling other similar players are cutting costs by using a mono playhead instead of a stereo head. This Jensen model cut costs a bit as the FM radio was not in stereo. But mono radio isn't a problem for me as I just wanted to play a few of my stereo cassettes and "get lost in (my) cassette collection again". Oh, and this player has no LED display.