When it comes to headphones, I’ve always been old-school, meaning I go for those huge, chunky circum-aural or full-size headphones. Apart from blocking out the rest of the world, making me focus on whatever song I am listening to, chunky headphones also make me feel like a legit music-lover.

Call me a poser, but I just really like how I look when I have those huge headphones on, whether they’re covering my ears like they’re earmuffs or just fashionably resting around my neck. Of course, I’ve tried earphones as well. Cheaper, more portable and easier to wear—what’s not to love?

If there is something I am not a big fan of, it is those in-ear headphones. Inserted in the ear canal, they remind me of those rectal suppositories. I’ve tried them a couple of times and I never really “got” them (the headphones, not the suppositories), so I’d always go back to tried-and-tested full-size headphones.

Lately, I had another close encounter with in-ear headphones, care of audio brand The House of Marley. Founded by Rohan Marley (the sixth eldest son of, yes, the Bob Marley), the brand offers a collection of audio products that Rohan himself created. Earth-friendly, priced at P1,399 and embodying the spirit of the iconic reggae artist, those in-ear headphones deserved another chance.

Classy casing

No doubt about it, my Smile Jamaica in-ear headphones in Fire look really nice. They have a classy wood rear casing, a silver aluminum ring, a braided tangle-free cord in reggae colors, plus red silicone tips.

One look at those tips and I kind of didn’t want to listen to some music in the meantime. But I had to confront my fear, so inside my ear canals they went. They didn’t feel comfy when I plugged them in; they felt ill-fitting, but I didn’t want to push them deeper inside. And then I remembered that two more sets of plugs were in the box. Tried both, and then found my ears’ perfect match.

I have to admit I didn’t feel instantly comfy with them, but after just a couple of songs (Manilyn Reynes songs, to be specific), I finally got used to the feeling of having my ears plugged. Apart from the crisp and clear sound with just the right amount of bass, what impressed me was the headphones’ ability to cancel noise.

When I removed the earbuds, I was surprised to be reminded of just how loud the TV volume was and how noisy the people in the room were. They were that effective. Manilyn Reynes herself would approve!

There are so many other impressive things about The House of Marley’s audio products. The Smile Jamaica earbuds, the People Get Ready in-ear headphones and the Positive Vibration on-ear headphones all respect the environment.

Materials like recyclable aluminum, steel and canvas are used to make them. The wood for the rear housing is FSC-certified. Even the packaging is green; recycled plastics and paper were used—and less of them, too.

Giving back

The House of Marley also donates five percent of its annual profits to 1Love.org, a nonprofit organization that’s said to support the youth, take care of the planet and promote peace.

“Our father taught us everything we do has to give back, to complete the circle,” Rohan says. “It’s not enough to make earth-friendly products. We need to support programs that do good and take action.”

Earlier this year, JERM Marketing Inc. imported The House of Marley products to the country for the very first time, and the trial shipment turned out to be successful. The items sold out at Ansons Appliances, Powerbooks, National Bookstore and other stores.

The good news is that more stores will be carrying items from the brand, and new products such as watches, bags and accessories will be introduced very soon—all of them still embodying the spirit of the great Bob Marley.

How do you like your headphones? E-mail the author at [email protected]. Niño Mark M. Sablan, contributor, Philippine Daily Inquirer