Sony revives Walkman-era headphones. Faithful design accompanied by USB-C

The round orange earcups on a thin headband are among the most iconic symbols of portable music. Sony is now bringing them back to sale as the MDR-3R after almost half a century. The look has remained almost the same as in the late seventies, but instead of a jack, the headphones got USB-C, and they also feature a microphone and a controller on the cable. They cost 1,499 CZK.

Same 23mm drivers as in 1979, now with USB-C

According to Sony, this is a modern redesign of the MDR-3L2 model, with which the company launched the TPS-L2 cassette Walkman in 1979. The original was famous for its adjustable gray headband with metal sliders, and the new version faithfully replicates it. The package includes blue and orange earcups, which you can swap according to your mood. The retro style is also reflected in the box and manual.

Inside are the same 23mm drivers as the original model, but Sony has adjusted the tuning to suit today’s listeners’ tastes. The headphones weigh approximately 38 grams without the cable, and the manufacturer describes them as their lightest over-ear headphones in the current lineup. The Y-shaped cable measures 1.2 meters and features a controller with a microphone for calls, playback control, and volume. There’s nothing to charge or pair – in most cases, you just plug them in.

Open-back design lets in ambient sound, and the jack is missing

The MDR-3R have an open-back design, so they don’t seal on your ears, and you can hear what’s happening around you. This allows you to be more aware of your surroundings on the street, but in noisy environments, the music can easily be drowned out. A reviewer from Gizmodo praises the clear mids and highs and good stereo, but the bass is weaker due to the small drivers. The microphone reportedly picked up room noise during calls, so you’ll likely want to make calls with them in a quiet environment.

You can only plug them into USB-C. They receive audio digitally, so you cannot plug them into a player with a 3.5mm jack (not even the original Walkman), and a standard adapter won’t fix it. According to the manufacturer, they require a device that supports the USB audio transfer standard (USB Audio Class 1.0), and for some phones, it’s first necessary to enable USB OTG connection in the settings.

Stranger Things edition costs two hundred more

In addition to the classic silver version, Sony, in collaboration with Netflix, is also preparing a Stranger Things edition. It was inspired by the headphones Max wore in the series and will feature an engraved series logo, black earcups, and special packaging. It will be sold at selected retailers for a recommended price of 1,699 CZK.

The basic silver MDR-3R are already on sale. At the time of writing, you can buy them in stock at Alza for a recommended 1,499 CZK.

Would you wear headphones that look like they’re from 1979?

Sources: Sony/PR, Ars Technica, Gizmodo