Many believe the dedicated audio player is dead. That it will never leave its current role as an app on mobile devices. However, there are times when that "solution" is completely inadequate. That's what happened to Max Kern, and he decided to create an audio player inspired by the classic tape recorders of the '80s combining physical buttons, 3D printing, AA batteries, and microcontrollers.
Sometimes "retro" is not more than a style, an idea Some modern products try to imitate its aesthetic using fake textures or metallic plastic buttons, and the result leaves much to be desired. But when we move to the DIY space, retro manages to escape the limits of ultra-cheap mass production, stay truer to its essence, and even become an effective solution.
Max Kern's latest project is a good example. One of his relatives never got used to touchscreens or apps, so he needed a device that could play audiobooks easily. Although he had never worked with audio or speakers before (most of his projects are robotics), he decided to build it himself.
A retro audio player with ESP32 and LCD screen
Its overall appearance quickly reminds us of the old journalist or "interrogation" tape recorders we saw in many movies. The LCD screen only presents information and simulates the movement of a magnetic tape. The physical buttons are three (Rewind, Play/Pause, and Fast Forward), and a real potentiometer controls the volume. Max even made sure the batteries are easy to change: Instead of using lithium cells, he chose four AA rechargeable batteries.
The most complicated part of the project is without a doubt the custom PCB (there are many surface-mount components), but at the same time it has advantages that cannot be taken lightly. An ESP32 module serves as the "heart" of the player, and we also find a microSD slot, accompanied by a USB-C port (probably to recharge the batteries). The switches are Cherry MX Blue, but I imagine any other compatible switch will work well. The software responds perfectly, and it also saves the last playback position, something fundamental when listening to audiobooks.
The code, the files for PCB manufacturing, and the STL files for the casing are available on GitHub and Thingiverse. The keys were purchased from an online store, but there are dozens of models with the MX connector on the Internet, ready to print.
Official site: Click here
