Everything old is new again – Sony introduces their retro MDR-3R wired headphones

When you’re as old as me you often get to experience cool things more than once. Maybe it’s because you forget because you’re old and only have a limited amount of storage available in your brain and jingles and song lyrics from the 1980’s can’t be purged.

But maybe, as in the case of Sony it is because they acknowledge that they did have some cool devices back then and have decided to revisit that era with retro products. Hence the MDR-3 becomes the MDR-3R

The Sony MDR-3R’s are exactly that. A trip back to when the Walkman was the coolest piece of equipment available.

‘Hello Ladies”. Well not exactly as if headphones excited you in your youth you were probably more into a TRS-80 or a Commodore 64 than you were in real life girls.

These “new” headphones from Sony are wired so no need for charging, no need for Bluetooth pairing, no dropouts, just plug and play in the truest form of the word.

The MDR-3R’s come in traditional blue or orange earpads and connect to your devices via USB-C. They still acknowledge that they have to be functional so include a built-in microphone for taking calls, an ability no spotty kid growing up in the 70’s & 80’s ever envisaged. They also possess in-line remote control for easy operation.

Stranger Things

To keep that retro theme going, Sony have also released a special edition Stranger Things version to really tap into the nostalgia of the era and the success of the Netflix hit series.

Sony say these special edition headphones “bring together the portable music culture of the Walkman era and the world of Netflix’s Stranger Things, the MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition celebrates the spirit of the 1980s. Inspired by Max’s signature headphone style and the mysterious Upside Down, this special edition features exclusive design details, including an engraved Stranger Things logo and custom packaging that extends the experience beyond the headphones themselves.”

Pricing and availability

MDR-3R is available from mid-November 2026 for RRP $89.95

MDR-3R Stranger Things Edition is available from early-December for RRP $99.95

I know I will be standing in line to get a set. Hello Ladies