Sony revives Walkman headphones with the €56 MDR-3R
Sony has brought back the MDR-3R, a USB-C wired reissue inspired by the headphones supplied with its first Walkman in 1979. The company says the lightweight design retains 23 mm drivers and adds a microphone and inline controls; the standard version costs €56 ($59.99), while the Stranger Things edition costs €75 ($79.99).
Bottom line — The MDR-3R trades Bluetooth and noise cancellation for a 38-gram wired design and Walkman-era styling.
Go deeper 6
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Notebookcheck reports that the headphones weigh 38 grams and come with interchangeable orange and blue ear pads.
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Sony says the 23 mm drivers have been reengineered to keep close to the original sound; CNET found clean, balanced audio but limited bass.
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CNET and Gizmodo report that the open, on-ear design lets in surrounding sound and leaks audio.
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Gizmodo found the inline microphone picked up room noise; CNET said callers heard more background noise outdoors.
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Digital Trends notes that the USB-C connector means the headphones cannot plug directly into the original cassette Walkman.
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The Stranger Things edition has red-and-black ear pads and branded packaging, according to Digital Trends and the New York Post.
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