The Saddle model from the Rise Up collection of headphones from the House of Marley.These days, the look of headphones is as important as the sound they produce, and the House of Marley knows it.
The company, which was founded on the vision of the reggae musician Bob Marley, tries to incorporate earth-friendly materials and craftsmanship in its latest line of over-ear headphones, called Rise Up.
The new collection, which was revealed at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, uses materials like canvas and bamboo fiber over a frame of aluminum and steel. The headphones, which sell for $160, have a comfortable, yet durable feel, as if tey would outlast their plastic competitors.
The headphones have a standard mic with a three-button controller that is integrated into a four-foot-long, tangle-free fabric cord secured to the right cup. They are relatively light, weighing about 2½ pounds, and come with a canvas carrying case.
One of the models bears a resemblance to the bright Rastafarian flag, but the one I tested, called the Saddle, was of a more muted brown and gray. The Saddle includes Rewind fabric, the House of Marley’s brand of textile that uses recycled materials like reclaimed hemp and organic cotton combined with fibers of recycled water bottles.
But the appeal of Rise Up headphones is more than their appearance; they sound great, too. The headphones are not noise-canceling, but they do use 50-mm dynamic drivers, which offer a rich, bass-heavy sound.
So, you can sit on the couch and listen to your music, smug in the belief that you’re saving the earth while you enjoy your tunes.
