Sony brings back its 1979 Walkman headphones, now with blue and orange pads

Sony has remade the headphones that first came with its Walkman cassette player in 1979. The new model, the MDR-3R, comes with interchangeable foam ear pads in blue and orange, Dezeen reported on 9 November 2026.

The design keeps the look of the original. The MDR-3R has a slim headband and sliding metal arms that echo the 1979 pair. Sony has also copied the packaging from that year.

Under the hood, the headphones use an open-ear design, meaning the ear pads sit on the ear rather than sealing around it. That keeps the wearer aware of what is happening around them. Sony says the 23-millimetre driver units, the parts that turn electrical signals into sound, were chosen to stay true to the original sound. Some of the parts are made from recycled plastic.

The modern touches are easy to spot. A built-in microphone and an inline remote let the wearer control music and take calls. The cable ends in a USB-C connector, the small oval plug now used by most phones, tablets and laptops.

There is a catch for classic Walkman owners. Sony's product page for the MDR-3R says the headphones are not recommended for use with a Walkman. Sony's support pages also advise against plugging headphones into Walkman players through USB-C, and warn that some functions may not work as expected.

Sony has also released a limited edition with a Stranger Things theme. It has red foam pads and a black headband, and it was made in collaboration with Netflix's sci-fi series. Sony describes it as a way to bring together Walkman portable music culture and the world of Stranger Things, and to celebrate the spirit of the 1980s.

For many readers, the Walkman is a memory of mixtapes and long bus rides. The new headphones are a way to bring that look back, with a plug that fits today's gadgets. Sony has not, in the material published so far, said how much the MDR-3R costs or when it will go on sale in every market.