Sony is again selling the featherweight headphones that came with its first Walkman in 1979, this time with a USB-C plug in place of the old headphone jack. The new MDR-3R costs $59.99, and a Stranger Things edition sells for $79.99.
The originals were the MDR-3 headphones packaged with the TPS-L2, Sony's first portable cassette player. For the revival, Sony returned to the hand-drawn design drawings from 1979.
The look barely changes. The open-back frame stays, along with the signature blue and orange ear pads, which are now interchangeable. Even the box and user manual are styled to look like they date from the 1970s.
Inside, Sony kept the 23-millimeter driver and tuned the sound to match how the headphones sounded in 1979. The company says improved magnets deliver more bass. The set is also slightly lighter, at 38 grams instead of 40, and the headband adjusts across a wider range.
The cable carries most of the changes. It is now 1.2 meters long instead of 2 meters and ends in USB-C, so it plugs straight into a compatible smartphone or computer. An in-line remote handles playback and volume, and a built-in microphone takes calls.
There is no battery, so nothing needs charging or Bluetooth pairing. One limitation: the headphones will not work with the digital audio players Sony now sells under the Walkman name, because those devices use USB-C only for power and data.
The limited Stranger Things version, inspired by the Netflix series, swaps in red and black ear pads, adds a logo along the headband and ships in packaging inspired by the show's Upside Down. It arrives in time for Nov. 6, Stranger Things Day, a decade after the series debuted.
