As I have pointed out numerous times before, the House of Marley knows what it is doing in regards to putting out some cans that have ultra-premium sound behind them, so I was more than happy to give the Redemption Song a chance to tickle my aural pleasure center. My old House of Marley headphones had unfortunately snapped in half due to an unfortunate accident involving my Jeep running over a messenger bag. It was a sad time indeed, but being able to try out another pair of headphones from this company made all the sadness worth it.
If I wanted to try another pair of headphones, I’d give the Harmon/Kardon beautiful sound CL on-ear headphones or the iHome SD63 SounDesign retro headphones a try.
I really loved the Stir It Up model more than any of my other sets of cans, so that was going to be the baseline here. How well would the Redemption Song stand up to its brother? Which would ultimately crank out the best tunes? To better understand this device, you may first go over our best over-ear headphones list and make a comparison.
Much like the Stir It Up headphones (and in truth, most of the House of Marley’s offerings), the Redemption Song is full of high-class retro style (yes, that’s a thing). One look at them makes you feel like a Rasta from the 60s – the FSC certified beech wood that the House of Marley uses on most of its products has that effect on me all the time.
Along the headband are a few holes in the sustainably tanned leather where you can see the colors of the Rastafarian flag shining through, a small tribute to the House of Marley’s roots. The Redemption Song headphones are also extremely plush though, with the aforementioned headband being nicely padded – enough so that it never becomes a comfort issue.
The ear cups are also very well padded on the Redemption Song, even more so than the Stir It Up model – however, I still had the issue where after an hour or so I would have to constantly re-adjust them because they were tight. This isn’t an issue you’ll have with the Cord Cruncher headphones, which are earbuds.
Again just like with the Stir It Up model, I had to work through a painful break-in time and allow some of the tension in the headband to work itself out; once that was done though, they were as comfortable as the Stir It Up’s – if not more so.
Related: If you wish to try a different unit, have a look at our Hifiman He 400 Headphones review
Something else I complained about when reviewing the Stir It Up headphones was that I had an issue with my sound card – I was not aware of what caused the issue (whether it be a factory defect or just a cable that was easily broken), but whatever it was, it did not make a repeat appearance here. I am happy to say that the cord that came with my Redemption Song headphones works perfectly with them – I might wish that the in-line remote had a button to go forward or go backward in your playlist, but that’s a pipe dream I have with most headphone cords. As it stands though, the volume up and down buttons and pause/play button works just right with my iPhone; apparently they do not work to raise and lower the volume on Androids though (as per the website).
Related: For those looking for more fancy headphones, read the I-Mego Throne Over-Ear Headphones review
The website House of Marley claims that the “40mm moving coiled drivers deliver a stunning music experience with all the detail and bass of a live performance“, which is something I had to test out for myself (being somewhat of a live show aficionado). I threw everything I could at these beauties to try and push the drivers – from some old 2 Live Crew to my Happy Hardcore disc to some Dethklok for good measure.
The bass never distorted no matter the volume level I had set, and the detail was astounding. I was incredibly impressed at just how clear everything was at max volume. Even when I put on some old live shows that I hadn’t listened to in a long time, the Redemption Song headphones delivered a sound that was phenomenal. Not only was the bass clear and distinct, but the rest of the sound spectrum was just as equally impressive. Highs were crisp and clear and the mids were as they should be: refined and clean.
So impressed with the sound that came out of the Redemption Song headphones that I was more than willing to make sure that they became my “go-to” set of cans, and they now have a permanent place inside of my new messenger bag. One thing that I absolutely love about the House of Marley headphones that I have reviewed so far, is that they have all come with their own little canvas bag for storage. These little satchels make it really easy to find the headphones when you have them in another bag. They also ensure that you don’t lose your audio cord by giving you a place to store it when not in use (since we all know it is unwise to just leave the cord plugged in while in storage).
I will say that I like the outer design on the ear cups themselves on the Stir It Up headphones slightly better than the design on the Redemption Song. It is just a personal preference I know, but I definitely liked the way that the cans looked with a solid wood exterior instead of the wood with a hole in the center. Apart from that little thing though, I really did like the rest of the Redemption Song design more. It was more comfortable than the Stir It Up model (though not by a whole lot), and it felt a bit more high class than the other. All in all, this is a top-quality pair of headphones to make your ears sing with joy.
Editor’s Rating:
[rating:5/5]
Perfect
Bottom Line: This is the second pair of headphones I’ve given the perfect rating to, and by all means they deserve it; apart from a slightly painful breaking in period (that could be due to the size of my head) these have been a complete joy to use.
Pros:
- Made pretty much entirely from Earth-friendly materials
- The sound that they put out is unparallelled
- As always, House of Marley hits the style nail right on the head
Cons:
- Like with the Stir It Up model, the break-in period can be painful
You can pick up a pair of the Redemption Song On-Ear Headphones from the House of Marley’s online store for $199.99
