Sony’s retro headphones brought me back to my childhood in the best way

Sony has revived the look of its classic MDR-3L2 headphones with the wired MDR-3R, bringing back a design closely associated with the reviewer’s childhood Walkman listening. The new model keeps the lightweight, adjustable on-ear style but updates it for USB-C devices, making it a nostalgic option with some practical changes.

The MDR-3R weighs 38 grams and comes with blue and orange removable foam pads, an inline remote and microphone, and a 1.2-metre cable. Its sound offers clear vocals and open highs, though a prominent upper midrange can make snare drums too sharp and reduced bass leaves bass lines less weighty. The headphones do little to block surrounding noise; the microphone works well indoors but can sound muffled or distorted outdoors. They cost $60 and do not come with a Walkman.