In the year since their introduction, the name House of Marley has come to represent a growing assortment of high-quality but also surprisingly Earth-friendly audio products. Although perhaps best-known for their extremely stylish in-ear and on-ear headphones, the company is also coming on strong with an assortment of home and portable speaker solutions.
The House of Marley recently showcased their 2012 MARLEY headphone collection at CES, and expansion of the Jammin', Freedom, and Destiny lines. The youth-skewing Jammin' collection emphasizes a vibrant, colorful style, while Freedom is more about audio performance, without sacrificing the evident design esthetic. Destiny could be considered their high end, as the products here incorporate professional-quality audio components with premium natural materials for people who appreciate the difference and don't mind paying a bit more.
The MARLEY Jammin' Dock, dubbed the "Bag of Rhythm" ($349.99, due next month) is a portable speaker system comprised largely of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, sustainably-sourced wood, wrapped up in a cotton a bag. It is built around an iPod and iPhone docking/charging station, with two 4.5-inch speakers and two one-inch tweeters plus a long-throw woofer. The three new models of Jammin' headphones, all due this summer, include the wonderfully affordable Riff ($19.99), in assorted colors with a recycled plastic body and one-size-fits-all eco-foam eartips; exercise-ready Lively Up ($29.99) that work with our ear shape to enhance the sound; and the over-ear Little Bird ($49.99) with a fabric-covered stainless steel frame.
The MARLEY Freedom Dock, Get Up Stand Up ($299.99, next month) is distinguished by a single solid, curved piece of FSC-certified wood. It is Made for iPod/iPad/iPhone, and also provides two aux-in connections to use with any standard audio device. Drivers are comparable to those in the Bag of Rhythm, with two 4.5-inch mains, two one-inch dome tweeters and a long-throw woofer. Look for two new Freedom headphones this summer: the Rhythm on-ears ($179.99) with a concealed custom-sizing system and soft, pivoting earcups; and the more elaborate over-ear Flight 'phones ($199.99) with their quiet, comfortable fit and handsome fabric finish.
We were also given a preview of a final production sample of what promises to be the company's flagship product, due imminently, the Destiny speaker dock One Foundation ($599.99). The two-channel, one-piece system is a beautiful piece of furniture that also happens to reproduce music, crafted from polished, sculpted, ethically-sourced wood. It docks easily with an iPod/iPhone/iPad, but also supports Apple's AirPlay for superior wireless connectivity. It also supplies full-sized RCA-type analog stereo inputs as well as a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack for additional sources. A matching, wood-accented remote control is included.
Inside the wooden baffle are a pair of 5.25-inch woofers and two one-inch horn-loaded tweeters, with a ported design to accentuate the bass response. And it cranks, with a reported 200 total watts (100x2) total system power, although the House of Marley booth--one of the busiest and loudest in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center--was not the ideal location for a demonstration. We're hoping to give the One Foundation a proper review later in the year.
The House of Marley donates five percent of annual profits to 1Love.org, a global non-profit organization created by the Marley family to aid charitable causes focused on Youth, Planet and Peace.
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