Avex Music Unveils BRTNAP: The Ultimate Portable CD/DVD Player for Physical Media Fans

Avex Music Unveils BRTNAP: The Ultimate Portable CD/DVD Player for Physical Media Fans

Avex Music, renowned for managing top J-Pop icons like Namie Amuro, Gackt, Globe, and Koda Kumi, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Japan’s Green Funding platform for its innovative **BRTNAP portable CD/DVD player**[1]. This sleek, tablet-style device caters to music and movie lovers who cherish physical media and want to enjoy their collections on the go.

The BRTNAP player features a compact design measuring 145 x 191 x 21-25 mm and weighs just 500 grams, enabling easy one-handed use. It boasts a 5-inch LCD display with 854 x 480 resolution and 450 cd/m² brightness, plus physical buttons for intuitive control. Users can switch off the screen when listening to audio-only content to save power. The built-in battery offers 3.5 hours of playback and recharges via USB-C in 5 hours. 

Connectivity options include built-in stereo speakers for home use, 3.5 mm wired headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless listening, and an HDMI 1.4 output to connect to TVs. For efficiency, the player supports double-speed playback, ideal for faster consumption of educational discs and movies.

Avex’s move reflects a growing niche for physical media amid Japan’s evolving music market, where CDs still hold significant value despite the rise of streaming services. The company, having expanded from music into movies, anime, and technology, aims to serve collectors who appreciate tactile media experiences].

The crowdfunding campaign offers early backers a special price of approximately $208 (29,584 yen), with deliveries expected in September 2025 within Japan. This initiative highlights Avex’s commitment to blending nostalgia with modern tech to keep physical media alive and portable.

For tech enthusiasts and physical media collectors, the BRTNAP player promises a unique blend of convenience, quality, and style—keeping the joy of CDs and DVDs accessible anytime, anywhere.

How could portable players like Brtnap impact streaming service adoption in Japan

Portable players like Brtnap are unlikely to significantly slow the adoption of streaming services in Japan, but they may reinforce the niche appeal of physical media among collectors and enthusiasts.

Japan's streaming market is robust and growing, with over 48 million subscribers to video streaming platforms as of 2022. Major services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video dominate, and local platforms continue to expand, fueled by the ubiquity of smartphones and high-speed internet access. Streaming services are now considered essential by a majority of Japanese households, with 72% of ad-supported viewers calling them a must-have.

However, Japan has a unique cultural attachment to physical media—CDs still accounted for around 70% of recorded music sales as recently as 2020, far higher than in other major markets[6]. Devices like Brtnap cater to this segment, offering portability and convenience for those who value tangible collections and higher-quality audio or video experiences. These users are often motivated by nostalgia, collectibility, and the desire for exclusive content or packaging.

Impact on streaming adoption:

- For the general population, especially younger and mobile-first consumers, streaming's convenience, content variety, and lower cost (especially with ad-supported models) will continue to drive adoption[7][8].

- For collectors and fans of physical media, portable players like Brtnap may slow their personal transition to streaming, but this group represents a shrinking minority as digital content becomes more accessible and affordable[6].

- The existence of portable physical media players is unlikely to reverse or halt the broader shift toward streaming, but it will help sustain a dedicated subculture within Japan's diverse media landscape[5][6].

In summary, Brtnap and similar devices will not meaningfully disrupt the momentum of streaming services in Japan, but they will help preserve the physical media tradition for a passionate subset of users.

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