This $25 Pair of See-Through Headphones Is God-Tier ’90s Nostalgia

As a 30-something millennial, I was barely alive for the ’90s, but that doesn’t stop my mouth from watering every time I see a new, transparent gadget I can throw money at. I can’t help it, okay? It’s in my programming. And clearly Moondrop, a China-based audio hardware company, knows that since its new headphones are hitting all the pitch-perfect ’90s-coded notes.

📌 We are thrilled to introduce another exciting product, the Old Fashioned on-ear headphones. This model is a modern reimagining of classic compact headphones, designed to deliver timeless sound quality. Priced at US$24.99.

It features:
– 40mm large dynamic driver
– Open-back… pic.twitter.com/RZQ4NZXiJJ

— MOONDROP (@MoondropLab) November 28, 2025

The recently released Old Fashioned wired headphones (that’s the name of the headphones, not my description of them) look and feel the part, and they’re even priced like they’re from the golden era of grunge at $25. On a purely aesthetic level, the Old Fashioned have a see-through housing and a nostalgic, almost Koss-like design to them. The “Old Fashioned†branding on the side is a little corny, I’ll admit, but I’ll also forgive Moondrop since the rest looks pretty rad.

Just like headphones of yore, the Old Fashioned also have an open-back design that would pair perfectly with a Walkman and a telescopic headband for size adjustments and earcups that swivel. I bet the foam on these earcups makes your ears itch just a little, too. Mmm, nostalgia.

It’s not all delicious ’90s nostalgia, though. The Old Fashioned also modernize a classic headphone design with some new tricks, including the use of a 40mm dynamic driver, which is the same driver size found on much larger wireless headphones like the Nothing Headphone 1, for example. One of my favorite inclusions is a dose of modularity. Both the earcups and the headband are detachable, so they can either be replaced or customized. Moondrop says, “DIY customization is encouraged,†so if you’re the 3D printing type, you can snag these bad boys and get to work.

In keeping with that modularity, Moondrop says it’s using a fairly universal 0.78mm two-pin cable, which should be easily replaceable if yours gets damaged or worn down over time. It also comes with a standard 3.5mm plug because, duh. Obviously, if you want to use these bad boys with a phone that doesn’t come with a headphone jack, you’re gonna need a dongle.

Altogether, the headphones are no frills, but that’s kind of the point. If you want the best active noise cancellation or spatial audio and all the other high-tech bells and whistles, you can go run out and buy a pair of Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)—I’ve tested them at length, and they’re great. Or, you can throw it back with a $25 pair of headphones that look cool and might actually sound better than you’d think for the price. The word is out on that last part since I haven’t tried them myself, but I’d be lying if I said the Old Fashioned didn’t have me on the verge of spending $25 to find out.