Sony's MDR-3R Adds USB-C To The Walkman-Era Headphone Design
Sony will release the MDR-3R USB-C stereo headphones on November 20, 2026 at an open price. The headphones carry over the concept of the MDR-3 bundled with the first-generation Walkman TPS-L2 and adapt it for current use.
2 sources 1h ago
Reporting from 2 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), ASCII.jp.
Why it matters
Sony is treating the original Walkman headphone as a design it can reissue for wired USB-C listening rather than a piece of nostalgia kept in a museum, and it is pairing that pitch with a Netflix tie-in aimed at the same 1980s association.
Key Facts
- Sony will release the MDR-3R USB-C stereo headphones on November 20, 2026 at an open price.
- The MDR-3R carries over the concept of the MDR-3 bundled with the first-generation Walkman TPS-L2.
- The MDR-3R adds USB-C connectivity, a built-in call microphone and a remote control.
- A Stranger Things collaboration model in black and red releases the same day in limited quantities, sold only at the Sony Store.
Sony adds USB-C connectivity, a built-in call microphone and remote control. A Stranger Things collaboration model, black and red, releases the same day in limited quantities at the Sony Store.
The MDR-3R keeps the on-ear, open-air shape that came with the TPS-L2 and adds what the original lacked. Sony lists a 23mm driver, a built-in remote and microphone, and a weight of about 38 grams. Replaceable earpads are included. The price is open, a detail that leaves the retail figure to individual sellers rather than a Sony-set number.
The same November 20, 2026 date brings a limited Stranger Things collaboration model, sold only through the Sony Store in limited quantities. The earpads come in black and red.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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Sources
- GAME Watch (Impress) ソニー、初代ウォークマン付属のヘッドフォンを現代向けに再設計!USB-Cステレオヘッドホン「MDR-3R」発売
- ASCII.jp 1980年代が帰ってきた! ソニーが自らの手で、元祖ポータブルヘッドホンを復刻「MDR-3R」