Cassette tapes have enjoyed a second coming in recent years, but finding a newly made portable player that feels anything like the slim machines of the format’s heyday remains difficult. FiiO entered the market with its deliberately simple CP13 in 2024 and is now taking a more modern approach with the upcoming CP11.

The new player was not originally part of the plan. FiiO spent two years developing the more ambitious CP15, but its all-new ultra-thin transport proved more complicated than expected. Rather than wait, the company shifted focus at the beginning of 2026 and introduced the more accessible CP11, while work on the CP15 continues.

That new mechanism remains at the heart of the CP11. It is paired with an upgraded magnetic head, brushless motor, new servo drive, and revised circuitry, all packaged inside a noticeably slimmer body than the CP13. The clean, rectangular design is closer in spirit to the pocket cassette players of the 1980s and ’90s, with physical controls along the top and a large window displaying the tape inside.

Unlike the purely analogue CP13, the CP11 adds Bluetooth transmission, letting you play cassettes through wireless headphones or speakers. A 3.5mm connection remains for wired listening, while USB-C handles charging. A dedicated record button also appears on the front, adding another useful feature missing from its predecessor.

FiiO has shown the CP11 in various colours in its renders, but the final specification has yet to be confirmed. Pricing and battery life also remain unannounced, with launch currently expected towards the end of 2026.