All products featured are independently chosen by us. However, SoundGuys may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links. See our ethics statement.
House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless
Ever want to plant a tree without going through the process of actually planting a tree? Well, now you can. With House of Marley’s initiative, purchasing any of its products helps to plant a tree. The Uplift 2 Wireless will keep your eco-friendly conscience clean while reducing excess CO2.
Editor’s note: this House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless review was updated on February 1, 2022, to include an FAQ section, contents menu, and add context to the sound quality section.
Who is the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless for?
- Eco-friendly consumers will appreciate the company’s effort to plant a tree and its House of Marley initiative.
What’s it like to use the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless?
FSC certified, the 100% wood panels on the earbud housing look and feel great. The housing is molded from aluminum and connects to the cloth cable. The eyesore of a battery is made of recycled plastic and, like the wood paneling, is brandished with the House of Marley logo. Its packaged silicone ear tips fall short when isolating sound but sit comfortably, thanks to the angled arm that extends from the housing. To improve the sound quality and isolation, the Comply Comfort Plus ear tips serve as an exceptional option.
Start here: Ultimate headphone buying guide
House of Marley’s smart material choices can’t make up for the Uplift 2 Wireless’ poor design. Extending from both sides of the pack are wrapped cords. On the left side sits an in-line mic and remote, with an operable but imperfect layout. When skipping tracks, it’s easy for the remote to interpret a quick double-tap as a command to increase the volume.
Seemingly designed to sit on vertebrae C7 or T1, the battery pack slips and slides everywhere. If you’re still enough to wear the Uplift 2 Wireless as intended, the magnetized front clasp can be attached to simulate a 90s-inspired choker. The rest of the cables then curl up and into the ears. Suffice to say, the dangling cables look strange at best.
What do you get?
Recycled packaging encases the Uplift 2 Wireless, and the company provides three pairs of ear tips, a microUSB charging cable, and a drawstring pouch.
How does the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless connect?
Connecting the Uplift 2 Wireless is a simple process. House of Marley claims that the Uplift 2 Wireless stays connected up to 10 meters, which is true, sure. But they struggle to maintain a strong connection after the five-meter mark.
You get SBC codec support on these earbuds, and will notice audio-visual latency. Audio falls a second, sometimes two, behind visual cues. It’s odd because sometimes the two synchronize and then slowly fall out again, like taillights in a stop-and-go caravan of cars during rush hour.
How long does the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless battery last?
The Uplift 2 Wireless lasts 10 hours before you need to recharge it via microUSB cable.
How does the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless sound?
Like the SOL Repulic Amps Air the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless suffers from the classic case of inescapable white noise. Fortunately, it doesn’t degrade the sound quality as much as with the SOL true wireless buds, but its presence still poses a frustration. On the whole, the Uplift 2 Wireless reproduces a classic consumer-friendly sound with amplified lows and mids.
Lows, mids, and highs
In the song, Grace Is Gone by the Dave Matthews Band, you can hear how the bass is amplified just enough to sound louder than mids without completely masking them.
The mids are reproduced clearly, and are easy to hear during quieter parts of any song because bass notes don’t run the risk of overpowering mids. Matthews leads us into the chorus with the strum of a G chord, which comes through clearly amid the fingerpicking.
Additionally, LeRoi Moore on the saxophone greatly complements the song’s mournful tone. The notes are reproduced loudly without masking Matthews’ voice during the second chorus (2:15). While the snare drum hits background hits may be mixed a bit quieter than they’d sound in real life, they still come through clearly on the Uplift 2 Wireless.
Should you buy the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless?
This is a great value as far as portability and sound quality are concerned. If you want to watch the video with the Uplift 2 Wireless, you’ll be happier with something like V-MODA Forza Wireless or Beyerdynamic Blur BYRD (2nd generation). Otherwise, if the price hike is too much, any pair of wired earbuds will do. However, for less than $60 USD, you get a compact package sourced from environmentally responsible materials.
Frequently asked questions about the House of Marley Uplift 2 Wireless
Yes, House of Marley has plenty of true wireless earbuds from the Redemption ANC, Rebel True Wireless, and True Wireless Champion.