Record collecting has spent the past decade as the default hobby for people who want to look like they have taste. It has also become expensive. That is why I started looking at the less glamorous option: CDs, and a wooden cd player caught my eye.
The appeal starts with price. Charity shops are full of discs that cost a few pounds, and flipping through the racks often turns up albums you had forgotten you loved. CDs also take up very little room. A slim wallet holds dozens of them, with no shelving unit required.
Playback matters, but so does the listening ritual, and a Belgrade venue shows how vintage hi-fi culture can feel fresh again. Inside EJE Belgrade’s vintage listening bar is worth a look for sound-focused inspiration.
That leaves the question of playback. A collection is only as good as the machine that plays it, and most budget CD players look like leftovers from 2001. The Thinkya JA-310R is an exception.
The player’s price has dipped under $100, now $99.99 $84.98 at Amazon, which makes it an easy first purchase for anyone starting a disc collection.
What the JA-310R offers
With its wooden build, the unit has a retro-style body. Paired with a clear acrylic lid, it reads as a small piece of furniture rather than an electronics accessory.
According to the product listing, the player includes the following features:
- A retro-style wooden body and a clear acrylic lid
- A high-precision laser pickup, which the listing says supports lossless CD decoding
- An SPDIF optical output, a digital connection that sends sound to an external amplifier or digital-to-analogue converter
- A remote control for playback
The listing describes the sound as clean and detailed. I have not tested the unit, so those claims remain the manufacturer’s. The physical design, however, is visible in the photos and needs no interpretation.
If retro styling is your main draw, Divoom’s Astrotoo retro desktop speaker blends vintage looks with modern functionality at a similar desk-friendly scale.
Why a wooden cd player suits a budget
For a budget player under $100, the case is the main reason to consider it. It gives a shelf of plastic discs a more deliberate look, and it makes a stack of albums feel like a collection worth displaying.
Sources & Links
Source: creativebloq.com
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Thinkya JA-310R wooden CD player cost?
The Thinkya JA-310R has dipped under $100, and the article cites a price of $84.98 at Amazon. The article shows $99.99 alongside that figure, so the current price may vary.
Does the Thinkya JA-310R have a digital output for an external amplifier?
Yes, the JA-310R includes an SPDIF optical output. The article says this digital connection sends sound to an external amplifier or digital-to-analogue converter.
Does the Thinkya JA-310R come with a remote control?
Yes, according to the product listing, the JA-310R includes a remote control for playback. The article does not describe any other remote features.
Has the author tested the Thinkya JA-310R’s sound quality?
No, the author has not tested the unit. The article says the sound claims, such as clean and detailed audio, come from the manufacturer’s product listing.
More in
Technology
All Technology
More like this
Eight Retro-Style Gadgets Melding Nostalgia with Cutting-Edge Tech
Dive Into Retro Nostalgia with These Enduring Desk Accessories That Captivate Function and Style
Erikas Chesonis Reimagines Retro Design with Avian-Inspired Precision and Bold Geometry
Analog Capsule Camera: A Retro-Style Digital Surprise in a Film Roll Disguise
FiiO's Pocket-Sized CP11 Revolutionizes Cassette Playback with Bluetooth Integration
