The Lowdown
The House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini is a joy to look at, and it sounds even better. It is just as suited to any room in your house as it is to use in your backyard. It is made of sustainable, recycled, and upcycled materials and is splash and dust-resistant.
Overall
Pros
- Excellent, robust sound
- Funky design
- Sustainable and recycled materials
- Ability to connect multiple speakers via Bluetooth
Cons
Wireless speakers have been around for a long time and are available in every price range. In order to stand out in the marketplace and be priced at $129.99 (down from the original $169.99), the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini would need to excel in many ways to justify the cost. Do they succeed? In my opinion, wholeheartedly yes.
The Get Together 2 Mini is part of a range of speakers, headphones, and turntables made by House of Marley. The entire product line follows their mission statement: “House of Marley products are designed to elevate and amplify the values we all stand for: sustainability, love, and respect for the planet.”
This is exhibited in their use of recycled and recyclable materials as well as solid bamboo.
What’s in the box:
- Get Together 2 Mini Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker
- Braided USB-C charging cable
- Carry Strap
- Quick start guide
- Warranty
- Sticker
- Sustainability information
- Links and support information
As part of Project Marley, “House of Marley was created in collaboration with the Marley family to expand Bob Marley’s legacy of love for music and our planet. We are committed to global reforestation and ocean preservation through mindful, eco-conscious partnerships with One Tree Planted and Surfrider.”
The speaker is even delivered in 100% plastic-free and recyclable packaging.
The House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini has presence, not only in its sound but also in its design and materials. Although I can imagine that its distinct style may not be for everyone, I found that it looks good everywhere I have put it, and all comments from others who have seen it were positive.
We have acquired several powered wireless speakers over the years, and although many have excellent designs and high-quality materials, none have garnered the attention of the Get Together 2 Mini.
The front of the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini is made of solid bamboo and features two two-inch full-range drivers with the House of Marley logo centered between them.
The choice of bamboo is due to its sustainability. According to the website, “Bamboo is one of the most sustainable materials in the world as it grows quickly, requires no fertilizers or pesticides, and regenerates on its own. “The drivers are made of Regrind (upcycled) silicone.
Although just half of the size of the model that it supersedes, the design of the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini is similar, with the notable exception of the curved sides.
The speaker’s top, sides, and bottom are wrapped in House of Marley’s Rewind Fabric, which is woven from recycled materials. It is black with white accents running through it, adding a pleasant tactile feel that is also very durable.
The top of the housing features three buttons that control volume and pause/continue, as well as a small hole for the microphone.
With the high-quality audiophile presence of the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini, one might forget that it can be used as a speakerphone for phone calls. I tried this from my patio on a windy day, and the sound quality on both ends was excellent, if slightly windblown.
The bottom of the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini features rubber feet. One of the curved ends features a mounting point for the included strap, which sports a small flag with the rasta colors, a nod to its Bob Marley heritage.
The back of the speaker has a flip-up rubber flap that hides the USB-C charging port and a mini phone plug auxiliary input.
The back right side of the speaker echoes the shape of the flap on the left with two grouped buttons. The top button is the power, and the lower button selects language and equalization presets.
The House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini has three EQ options: Marley Signature Sound (a bluish-white light), Bass Boost (green), or Acoustic (purple).
Selecting one is as easy as toggling through them by pressing and waiting a second for the setting to take effect. I found that the signature sound is my favorite for nearly every situation. Although it might sound surprising for a speaker of this size, the level of bass produced can be overpowering.
The center of the back of the speaker enclosure features dual passive radiators. Above and below the bamboo cover are ports that allow the air displaced by the movement of the speakers to move freely.
The result is excellent sound.
I tried this speaker in various rooms and several outdoor locations and found that it does a very good job at every volume.
Even when pushed to the limit of its 20-watt power, there was no distortion or unpleasant breaking up of the music. At low volumes, the sound balance was very nice and suited every type of music.
Some wireless speakers are omnidirectional; the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini projects most of its sound forward.
This is not uncommon with speakers of this type and is not a criticism, merely a recommendation for its placement for best results. Multiple House of Marley speakers can be joined through Bluetooth in stereo or multi-pair mode to further the listening experience.
House of Marley claims a battery life of 15 hours. The Get Together 2 Mini features a USB-C connection and fast-charging technology and is compatible with iOS and Android.
Using Bluetooth 5.0 technology, the speaker has a 30-meter range. Under our test conditions, we never walked out of range, and switching between different phones was never an issue.
Despite its small dimensions of just 7.6″ wide by 3.3″ high and 2.9″ deep, the speaker is hefty.
Some may fault the weight as a limit to the speaker’s portability. I am of the mind that this is a higher-end product than something that you might throw in a backpack for a hiking trip. Many people may already have a less expensive speaker for this use.
Despite the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini’s water and dust-resistance rating of IP67, the speaker’s uncovered drivers, and the fact that it has slits on the backside that will let water inside the enclosure, would make me think twice about dropping it in the pool as shown on their website.
A word about IP Ratings
From Wikipedia:
The IP code or ingress protection code indicates how well a device is protected against water and dust. The standard aims to provide users with more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof. For example, a cellular phone rated at IP67 is “dust resistant” and can be “immersed in 1 meter of freshwater for up to 30 minutes”.
The House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini is a joy to look at, and it sounds even better. It is just as suited to any room in your house as it is to use in your backyard. It is made of sustainable, recycled, and upcycled materials and is splash and dust-resistant.
Bluetooth lets you pair other House of Marley speakers in stereo or multi-mode. It is serious audio and worth the price, especially with the new $40 price drop.
The House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini sells for $129.99; and is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including B&H Photo and Amazon.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Excellent, robust sound; Funky design; Sustainable and recycled materials; Ability to connect multiple speakers via Bluetooth
What Needs Improvement: Nothing
Mark your calendar because from October 10th – 11th, House of Marley will be offering 15% off everything on their storefront, including the Get Together 2 Mini speaker reviewed here and the brand-new Stir It Up Lux turntable.
The brand is also offering:
- 35% off the Bag of Riddim 2 Portable Speaker
- 35% off the Get Together Bluetooth Speaker
- 20% off the Positive Vibration XL ANC Over-Ear Headphones
- 20% off the Stir It Up Wireless Turntable
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