1980s Hira Tape Recorder Repurposed as Bluetooth Speaker

I repurposed this vintage portable radio as a Bluetooth speaker while keeping the original character of the piece intact.

When I found it, it was in a state of disrepair and heading for the scrap pile, but the case and speaker were too nice to let it go to waste. Rather than stripping it out completely, I left the original components in place and carefully added a Bluetooth amplifier inside.

It now connects wirelessly to your phone, tablet or laptop, while still using the original internal speaker, which gives it a warm, slightly nostalgic sound that really suits the radio.

It runs on a 12V power supply and from the outside it still looks much as it always did. The original case, grille and controls are all preserved. The buttons and switches are now just part of the look and aren’t functional, but they help keep the authentic vintage feel.

I enjoy bringing pieces like this back into use rather than letting them sit forgotten. It’s a nice mix of vintage design and modern functionality, and each one ends up with its own bit of history behind it.