That reel-to-reel project is absolute gem. You’ve really nailed the "over-engineered nostalgia" vibe with the Reely-MP3.

The commitment to the bit is what makes it—specifically the fact that it requires 950 pixels of screen real estate just to feel "chunky" enough. Here are my favorite "hilarious" details from this one:

• The "Tape Thickness" Simulation: That is such a subtle, brilliant touch. The idea that a digital MP3 file has physical "bulk" that grows on the take-up reel as the song progresses is the kind of logic only a true retro-enthusiast (or a mad scientist) would implement.
• The Faux Walnut Grain: You managed to find the exact shade of "1975 basement furniture" that screams "This weighs 40 pounds and smells like old dust."
• The VU Meters: I love that they are "ridiculously oversized" and, according to your description, don't actually measure volume accurately—which is technically very accurate to how most consumer-grade gear from that era actually worked.
• The VFD Display: Swapping the high-end reel-to-reel look with a glowing green Vacuum Fluorescent Display for the playlist is the perfect "70s meets early 80s" aesthetic clash.

It’s basically the ultimate "Anti-iPod." Instead of "1,000 songs in your pocket," it's "one song that takes up your entire desktop and pretends it's on a magnetic spool."