Sony launches the MDR-3R, USB-C wired headphones inspired by the MDR-3 of the first Walkman
It’s not the first time we’ve said it, but retro is in fashion. There are many examples of this being so. Without going any further, we have 8BitDo keyboards, Thermaltake cases or ACEMAGIC mini PCs. There are only three samples, to which we now add one more. And it is that, for 59 eurosSony has recovered the headphones that accompanied the first Walkman, although now with a connector that did not exist in 1979.
They are called MDR-3R and they are headphones with a USB-C cable that reproduce the design of the original MDR-3, the model that debuted together with the TPS-L2 Walkman player 47 years ago. Along with them also comes a special edition of Stranger Things for 10 euros more.
Sony’s proposal is based on a series of advantages typical of wired headphones, such as that they do not require charging, pairing or updates. Simply connect them to your mobile phone or any other USB-C compatible device and let the music play.
Specifications and price of the Sony MDR-3R
| Feature | Sony MDR-3R | MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Cable with USB-C | |
| Transducers | 23mm | |
| Design | Open and light | |
| Microphone | Yes, for calls | |
| Control on the cable | Yeah | |
| Pads | Blues and oranges | Red and black |
| Extras | Packaging and manual with the design of the MDR-3 | Stranger Things logo engraved and own packaging |
| Materials | Part recycled plastic, plastic-free packaging | Part of recycled plastic |
| Availability | Now on sale | In reserve |
| Recommended price | 59 euros | 69 euros |
A design that surely sounds familiar to you (if you are already old)
Perhaps what we liked most about these “new” headphones is that the appearance is practically identical to that of the original model, with an open and lightweight design designed to listen for hours without discomfort. Additionally, Sony includes the blue and orange pads that identified the MDR-3, so you can swap them out depending on the style you prefer. Even the packaging and the instruction manual recover the design of the 1979 product.
Inside, the company has resorted to the original design specifications to assemble the same 23mm transducers than the MDR-3. According to Sony, the goal is to reproduce a sound close to that of those headphones, although with small adjustments to adapt it to current trends.
What is new are the functions. The MDR-3R incorporates a microphone for calls and a remote control on the cable itself, which allows you to control playback without taking your phone out of your pocket. On the other hand, part of the product is made with recycled plastic and the packaging does not use plastic.
An edition with nods to Stranger Things
On the other hand, Sony has taken advantage of the fact that the 80s aesthetic unites the Walkman with the Netflix series to simultaneously launch the MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition. It is inspired by the style of headphones that Max wears in the series and in the Upside Down, the parallel world of fiction, and is distinguished by the engraved Stranger Things logo, red and black ear pads and its own packaging.
The standard MDR-3R is now available for 59 euros, while the Stranger Things edition can be pre-ordered from today for 69 euros. In both cases these are recommended prices, so they may vary depending on the store.
