You've probably heard of the eco-conscious audio manufacturer House of Marley – yes, created in collaboration with Bob Marley's actual family. If not, the company's Rebel and Liberate Air earbuds are a good place to start.
And although the Liberate Air didn't exactly gain a glowing review from this publication, the audio specialist has just released a project which could well be its redemption song.
The new Get Together Solo (is it possible to get together solo? And if so, could you be loved?) is the House of Marley signature speaker, reimagined. It is essentially an all-new portable speaker that boasts up to 25 hours of playtime.
Get Together Solo speaker is a two-way design featuring 3.5-inch and 0.75-inch drivers, but although it may look like one half of a great stereo speaker pair, it likes to go solo, featuring Bluetooth 5.1, plus RCA and AUX connectivity. And in true Marley style, this new addition takes sustainability seriously. It is crafted from bamboo and the company's own REWIND fabric; a balanced blend of 30% reclaimed organic cotton, 30% reclaimed hemp and 40% recycled plastic bottles.
As one of the world’s fastest growing plants, bamboo makes for an environmentally friendly alternative to most materials – which makes it a far greener option than the Sonos One.
Opinion: greener doesn't have to mean uglier – House of Marley's Solo proves it
Perhaps, when we imagine recycled plastic bottles and hemp by-products, we imagine a murky brown material akin to sackcloth. This is not what the House of Marley Get Together Solo says to us. Not at all.
Its glorious bamboo baffle, curved edges, drivers and useful control panel on the top plate suggest aspirational hi-fi, and I personally had to double-check the price given the Bluetooth and connections on the back.
House of Marley also tells us you can seamlessly pair two Get Together Solo speakers to form stereo sound, and for a simple, wireless, eco-conscious turntable setup, you might also pair the Get Together Solo to House of Marley's Stir It Up Wireless Turntable (currently on sale for just £219.99 from £249.99, which is around $246 or AU$390) for a remarkably affordable system.
Having recently tried the Victrola Stream Carbon (which hooked up to my Sonos Five a treat with no extra amps or phono stages needed) I'm a wireless turntable convert – and House of Marley's proposition is a tempting one.
The House of Marley Get Together Solo is available to purchase from House of Marley now, and will be available on Amazon and HMV by the end of the month, priced £99.99 (around $111, AU$175, although we're awaiting official pricing there) – but House of Marley has kindly told us that it will be on promo for Black Friday in the UK, at just £79.99.
At that price, even the best Bluetooth speakers should sit up and take notice, because that saving on an already affordable speaker makes us feel like the sun is shining, and the weather is sweet, yeah…
