Sony revives the original Walkman headphones, adds USB-C

Color us nostalgic. Sony has brought back the MDR-3-series headphones that debuted in 1979 alongside the Walkman TPS-L2 cassette player.

让我们怀旧一下。索尼复刻了 1979 年与 Walkman TPS-L2 卡带播放器一同推出的 MDR-3 系列耳机。

Originally called the “MDR-3L2,” the first Walkman headphones were known for their sleek, adjustable gray plastic headband, which extended via metal sliders and ended in signature orange, circular ear cushions. The lightweight, on-ear headphones are a contrast to the bulky headsets that are popular these days, which use wide, cushioned headbands for long-term comfort and large earcups that can support big drivers and are often heavily padded for noise isolation.

最初被称为“MDR-3L2”的第一代 Walkman 耳机以其时尚、可调节的灰色塑料头带而闻名，头带通过金属滑块延伸，末端是标志性的橙色圆形耳垫。这种轻便的压耳式耳机与当今流行的笨重耳机形成鲜明对比，后者通常使用宽大的缓冲头带以实现长期佩戴的舒适感，并配备可容纳大驱动单元的大型耳罩，且往往经过厚重填充以实现隔音效果。

The new MDR-3R (note the slightly different name) headphones look just like the originals and come with orange and blue ear cushions.

新款 MDR-3R（注意名称略有不同）耳机看起来与原版如出一辙，并配有橙色和蓝色耳垫。

New headphones are often wireless these days, but the MDR-3R continues the wired tradition of the MDR-3, with an essential twist: a USB-C connector. “The MDR-3R has been redesigned for modern use while preserving the experience value of freely taking music out into the world, which the original MDR-3 helped popularize,” Sony’s announcement says.

如今的新款耳机大多是无线的，但 MDR-3R 延续了 MDR-3 的有线传统，并加入了一个关键的改变：USB-C 接口。索尼在公告中表示：“MDR-3R 针对现代使用进行了重新设计，同时保留了最初由 MDR-3 推广的、将音乐自由带入世界的体验价值。”

For better or worse, the new headphones also use “the same 23 mm driver units as the MDR-3 to reproduce sound quality close to the original,” per Sony. Audiophiles will prefer something more advanced, perhaps with additional acoustic features.

据索尼称，无论好坏，这款新耳机都使用了“与 MDR-3 相同的 23 毫米驱动单元，以重现接近原版的音质”。发烧友可能会更倾向于更先进的产品，或许需要额外的声学功能。

A review of the new headphones from Gizmodo says that the MDR-3R headphones “hold their own,” have “bright and clear” mids and highs, and good stereo separation. However, we don’t expect strong bass. Unlike their predecessor, the MDR-3R has an in-line remote control and an integrated microphone. Without noise-canceling, though, the microphone isn’t ideal for calls in noisy environments.

Gizmodo 对这款新耳机的评测称，MDR-3R 耳机“表现不俗”，中高音“明亮清晰”，且具有良好的立体声分离度。不过，我们不应期待强劲的低音。与前代产品不同，MDR-3R 配备了线控和集成麦克风。但由于没有降噪功能，该麦克风在嘈杂环境下的通话效果并不理想。

But nostalgic gear isn’t about having top-of-the-line capabilities; it’s about showing off your love of old-school tech while enjoying familiar technologies that have reliably served their functions for years. The MDR-3R may also capitalize on surging renewed interest in wired headphones and even physical media and Walkmans. Today’s Walkmans aren’t cassette players, of course, but are Android-powered, touchscreen media players. The headphones are available for $60.

但怀旧装备并不在于拥有顶级的性能；它在于展示你对老派科技的热爱，同时享受那些多年来可靠地发挥其功能的熟悉技术。MDR-3R 也可能利用了人们对有线耳机、甚至实体媒体和 Walkman 日益增长的重新关注。当然，今天的 Walkman 不再是卡带播放器，而是搭载安卓系统的触摸屏媒体播放器。这款耳机售价为 60 美元。