Believe it or not, CDs are still one of the best ways to consume music if you’re into hi-fi audio quality. Vinyl has the warm crackling and streaming is obviously more space-conscious, but CDs find the happy medium. And in a society increasingly craving touches of analog, it’s no surprise that even those born after the decline of CD sales are now embracing this compact form of physical media.
We’ve seen more new CD players come out in the past couple of years than we ever imagined, with some options focusing on the nostalgic pretenses of such a device. Recently, a Tokyo-based firm has designed one of these music players with transparent housing, allowing you to show off your musical tastes in an interesting way.
Transparent Intentions
Housed in clear polycarbonate, the ClearFrame CD Player exposes its black circuit board underneath, and also whichever compact disc you’re currently spinning. Best of all, you can even display the album cover itself in the back of the transparent shell, which is a feature that even retro clear-shelled CD players didn’t have. Built with 2MB SDRAM Anti-Skip Buffer for shock protection, you can carry this player with you or purchase the add-on wall mount and/or stand for displaying on your countertop.
Old-School Cool Meets Modern Functionality
This is where things get interesting from a design perspective. At 300g (~10.5oz) and measuring just over 6″ square, the ClearFrame manages to pack legitimate functionality into something that looks more like a sculptural piece than traditional audio gear. The 40mm drivers handle everything from standard CDs to CD-R/RW and MP3 discs, while Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity means you can pair it with modern wireless speakers or go old-school with the 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s also a LED Nixie-style screen in the bottom corner to display things such as the current track number.
The 1800mAh battery delivers 7 to 8 hours of playback, and USB-C charging keeps things current. We also appreciate the thoughtful playback modes – full album, repeat all, or single track loop – with intuitive controls that include a lock function for when you’re carrying it around.
Spec Sheet
Materials: Polycarbonate body with exposed circuitry
Dimensions: 6.3″ × 5.5″ × 1.02″
Weight: 10.6 oz
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery Life: 7 to 8 hours playback
Charging: USB Type-C
Display: LED Nixie-style screen
Compatibility: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 (12cm or 8cm discs)
Pricing & Availability
The ClearFrame CD Player is available now from Yanko Design’s online store for a surprisingly reasonable $199, with optional stand and wall-mount accessories sold separately.
Recap
ClearFrame CD Player
The ClearFrame displays your spinning CD through its transparent polycarbonate housing, while also showing off the cover art in back. Designed to be carried around in your pocket, the player can also stand up or be mounted on the wall with add-on accessories.
