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The First Walkman Headphones Are Back as the USB-C Sony MDR-3R
Wireless headphones dominate most modern lineups, but Sony is reaching all the way back to 1979 for its latest pair. The new MDR-3R is a modern recreation of the MDR-3 family that accompanied the original Walkman TPS-L2, retaining its lightweight open-ear design while replacing its decades-old connectivity with USB-C.
It is a very different proposition from Sony’s increasingly elaborate wireless models, including the recently refreshed WH-1000XM4C and WH-CH headphone range. No battery, Bluetooth pairing, or firmware update is required. Compatible devices can connect over USB-C and start playing.
The MDR-3 Design Returns Nearly 50 Years Later
Sony has deliberately kept much of the original MDR-3’s appearance intact, right down to interchangeable blue and orange ear pads and packaging inspired by the 1979 model.The lightweight, open-ear construction also returns, providing a noticeably different approach from the closed-back and noise-cancelling designs that now dominate Sony’s wider headphone catalogue.
That simplicity has become a slightly unusual selling point in 2026. Even Sony has explored increasingly specialised wired designs this year, and we found plenty to like about the INZONE H6 Air‘s lightweight open-back approach, despite the obvious limitation of remaining physically tethered.
The new Sony MDR-3R instead targets everyday music listening, adding a built-in microphone and in-line controls for calls and playback. Sony says it retained the same 23 mm driver size as the original MDR-3, with updated tuning intended to stay close to its original sound while accommodating modern listening preferences. Full specifications and compatible-device information are available through the official Sony MDR-3R product page.
Stranger Things Takes the MDR-3R Back to the 1980s
Sony is also leaning much harder into nostalgia with a MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition, priced at SG$129. Inspired by Max’s headphones and the Upside Down, the collaboration replaces the regular styling with exclusive details, including an engraved Stranger Things logo and custom packaging. The connection feels natural, given the series’ 1980s setting and the Walkman’s association with portable music culture from the period.
It is also not Sony’s first limited entertainment collaboration this year. The company recently paired several Xperia and headphone models with a Singapore-exclusive Hello Kitty collection, while its premium audio range has expanded further through the design-focused 1000X THE COLLEXION. Both Sony MDR-3R models use approximately 25% recycled plastic in the headphone body and come in plastic-free product packaging.
The Sony MDR-3R and MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition launch exclusively through Sony Stores and the Sony Store Online in Singapore this December, priced at SG$89 and SG$129, respectively.
