MDR-E SERIES INTRODUCTION
Sony debuted it's first "earbud" type ear receiver the MDR-E252 in June 1982 and thus began the earphone line we now know as the
"MDR-E Series". However, there was an even earlier, and little known, "on-ear" model line that came before the MDR-E252 in June 1981; the Ear Hook Ear Receiver series which was composed of two models, the MDR-E3 Mono Ear Hook and MDR-E33 Stereo Ear Hook. There was also a mono earbud "Side Earplug" model line that debuted later in 1985. So the
MDR-E Series Earphone Product Line is actually composed of three (3) different headphone types: the "Ear Hook" ear receiver, the "Earbud" earphone, and the mono "Side Earplug" (see all the model series and numbers down below in the "
MDR-E SERIES MODEL NUMBERS" section).
MDR-E SERIES NAMING NOMENCLATURE
The
MDR-E Series adhered to the following naming convention system from 1981 until about 2005/6...
MDR-E252B
"
MDR" is the universal prefix designator for all Sony headsets since October 1978 when Sony first introduced the iconic Walkman "H-Air" compact on-ear headphone series (MDR-E3 and MDR-E5). Previously, Sony headset products used the "DR" designation (e.g. Sony's first headphone, the DR-4A, released in July 1968). "
E" means "ear receiver" aka "earphone". "
MDR-E" is typically followed by three (3) digits and then followed by various alphanumerics. The first digit "
2" identifies this as being of the "2 Series" and is an overall indicator of the date of manufacture by series order (2 being the earliest in the series and 9 being the latest); the second digit "
5" is for "status/model type" (a higher number being a more advanced higher-end model and a lower number a more basic low-end type); the third digit "
2" if the same as the first digit (as in this case) means it is of the "mainstream line" (as in being of the same base model line) but if it is a different digit from the first digit it would then indicate that it is part of a "collateral secondary model line" running parallel to the base model line of that particular series. Following the three digits are the alphanumerics of varying combinations representing different versions usually related to shell color, plug type, cable type, etc. In this case, the "
B" is for black shell color.
MDR-E SERIES NAMING KEY
MDR-E | Micro Dynamic Receiver Earphone |
NUDE | Natural Unequalled Dynamic Ear |
B | Black |
C | Bone Conduction (e.g. MDR-E140C Mono Side Earplug) |
D | Gray or Metallic |
DM/DM1 | Sony Digital Media proprietary plug; remote control compatible with Discman D515/311/302 |
EX | Extra Edition (may be an upgraded cable and/or carrying case) |
G | Gold or Golden Limited Edition (e.g. MDR-E888G) |
G | Gray for some series lines like the MDR-E222G |
I | White Green (only used for MDR-E265I) |
L | Blue |
LC | Long Cord/Long Cable |
LP | L-Type Plug |
M | Micro Plug |
MP | Micro Plug aka "Black Pin" (Made in Japan Only) |
MP1 | Micro Plug (Version Made in China) |
N | Green |
P | Pink |
R | Red |
RD | Red |
RV | Remote Volume Controller (In-Line) |
RVF | Remote Volume Function Controller (In-Line; e.g. MDR-E472RVF) |
S | Silver |
SP | Straight Plug aka Standard Plug |
V | Volume Adjuster/Control (In-Line) |
V | Violet |
Y | Yellow (usually waterproof "Sport" models) |
XL | Light or Dark Blue (depending on series) |
XN | Light or Dark Green (depending on series) |
XO | Orange |
XP | Light Pink or Hot Pink (depending on series) |
XR | Dark Red (e.g. MDR-E222XR) |
XY | Yellow |
W | White |
ZL | Dark Blue / Light Blue (depending on series) |
ZN | Dark Green |
MDR-E SERIES MODEL NUMBERS
"Ear Hook" Ear Receiver Series; 1981-2007
E2/3/5/22/33
"Earbud" Earphone Series; 1982-2005/6
Series 2XX; 1982-1991/2
E211/212/213/214/215/222/225/228/232/238/242/245/248/252/255/262/265/268/272/275/278/282
Series 4XX; 1987-1997
E414/424/434/444/454/464/472/484
Series 5XX; 1989-1998
E505/515/525/535/545/551/552/555/557/560/562/565/575
Series 7XX; 1992-2000/1
E717/727/737/741/742/743/747/755/757
Series 8XX; 1995-2001/2
E801/802/803/805/806/807/808/809/811/817/818/819/821/823/827/828/829/832/837/838/847/848/868/888
Series 9XX; 2003-2005/6
E930/931/0931
Mono "Side Earplug" Series; 1985-1997/8
E121/122/123/140C/141/142/143/148/152/165/195