Sony MDR-3R: $59.99 Wired Headphones Modeled on the 1979 Walkman Pair

Sony has brought back the MDR-3, the lightweight headphones it sold with the first Walkman cassette player in 1979. The new version, called the MDR-3R, keeps the old look and switches the plug to USB-C, so it connects directly to modern devices. It costs $59.99 in the US and is on sale now.

Sony is also selling a MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition for $79.99, modeled on the headphones worn by the character Max in the Netflix series.

A close copy of the 1979 design

The original MDR-3 shipped alongside the Walkman TPS-L2, the player that made listening to music on the move a mainstream habit. Sony calls the MDR-3R a faithful recreation. It keeps the open-ear build and the blue and orange foam ear pads that became a visual shorthand for the Walkman era.

Reports differ slightly on the pads. GSMArena says both colors come in the box and can be swapped to suit your mood, while 9to5Google describes the headphones as coming with blue or orange pads. Sony also styled the box and the printed instruction manual after the original product.

Same driver size, small changes to the sound

Inside, the MDR-3R uses 23mm drivers, the same size as the 1979 model. Sony says it re-engineered them and kept the tuning close to the original sound, with what it called “subtle refinements” for current listening habits. Trusted Reviews reports that Sony describes the result as natural and well balanced.

The modern additions are practical ones. A built-in microphone handles calls, and an in-line remote controls playback. Because the headphones are wired, there is no battery to charge, no Bluetooth pairing and no firmware to update. You plug them into a compatible device and start listening.

Sony also changed the materials. According to Trusted Reviews, recycled plastic makes up 25% of the total plastic in the headphones, and the packaging is plastic-free.

The Stranger Things Edition

The original MDR-3 appeared in Stranger Things season 4, and Sony is leaning on that link with a special version. It has red and black ear pads, an engraved Stranger Things logo and its own packaging. Trusted Reviews says it celebrates the “spirit of the 1980s,” in Sony’s words.

What it means for buyers

The MDR-3R is aimed at people who want headphones that never need charging or pairing, with the style of the original Walkman set. The USB-C plug is the change that makes the old design usable today: as 9to5Google put it, the connection works on modern devices.

Sony follows Bose back toward cables. Trusted Reviews pointed out that Bose recently released its wired Noise-Cancelling Earbuds.

Prices and availability

• MDR-3R in the US: $59.99 from Sony, Amazon and other retailers, available now.
• MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition in the US: $79.99.
• MDR-3R in Europe and the UK: €59 / £49, according to Trusted Reviews.
• Stranger Things Edition in Europe and the UK: €69 / £59, according to Trusted Reviews.

Trusted Reviews says both versions are available from November 2026 onwards.

Sources: GSMArena, 9to5Google, Trusted Reviews