Sony’s headphone division seems to have taken a break from its headline-grabbing X1000 series noise canceling over-ears in favor of a retro-inspired retelling of one of the company’s most iconic models. A social media post has hinted that a modern reimagining of the original cassette Walkman – or at least its headphones – will be revealed in just a few days.
Seen on Instagram by Sony’s Nordics account (to an appropriate 1980s pop beat), a silhouette of what looks almost exactly like the headphones that shipped with the 1979 Walkman TPS-L2 fades into view. The bright blue and orange color scheme is another direct nod to that model.
The original MDR-3 headphones were a strictly wired affair; wireless listening wouldn’t come to a Walkman product for another decade, with the help of the WM-505, long before Bluetooth was a thing. Wired headphones have a resurgence in 2026, with long-time competitor Bose just launching the Noise Canceling Wired Earbuds, but Sony’s contemporary Walkman range of Digital Audio Players (DAPs) is almost exclusively focused on the high end: the latest release is even gold-plated and will set you back over $6000.
Instead, I wonder if Sony could be planning a completely wireless tribute to the classic instead.
Nor would Sony be the first to embrace an 80s sound revival. Both We Are Rewind EQ-002 Freddie Headphones and KM5 Lightwear Headphones Hp1 have similar vibes to the old-school Walkman, but add Bluetooth and batteries to cut the cord.
The solitary teaser animation is all we have to go on now, with nary a whiff of any official specs or features. According to the post, an official release is set for November 5th at 8AM PST / 4PM GMT. The announcement will be streamed live on YouTube, with Sony’s main account sharing a link to the upcoming stream afterwards.
We will find out what exactly is in the pipeline in a few days.
