It seems like everywhere you turn there’s Bluetooth speaker after Bluetooth speaker. Some claim to be portable, some not and some not so sure. For most people its hard to determine if there’s any real difference between Bluetooth speakers, and there actually are. Mostly in the sound quality – does the House of Marley Get Together speaker fall under the better or worse category? Let’s check it out and see.
STYLE
The front and back panels of The Get Together Bluetooth portable audio system are made of natural bamboo. The company logo and the word MARLEY are both etched into the wood along the front panel. Overall the bamboo appears stained giving it a more reddish brown mahogany color. What isn’t covered with bamboo is covered with exclusive Marley REWIND gray fabric. REWIND is composed of reclaimed hemp, organic cotton, and recycled plastic bottles (RPET).
The combination of the bamboo and the fabric give the speaker a very retro, eco-friendly appearance. Along the top of the speaker you’ll find off white top mounted controls (Volume Down, Volume Up, Bluetooth Sync, Power) that feel soft and a tad rubbery. The inputs (USB, DC IN, Battery Indicator and Aux In) you will find on the bottom rear.
On the front panel of the Get Together speaker you’ll find dual 3.5” high output woofers and 1” tweeters. The woofers are noticeably missing the mesh cover you may have become accustomed to seeing on most speakers.
FEATURES
The Get Together is constructed of Earth-Friendly Materials. The natural bamboo wood is FSC-certified which, in addition to the recycled materials, effectively minimizes impact on the waste system. The REWIND fabric is made up of 30% Hemp, 30% Organic Cotton and 40% Recycled Plastic Bottles (RPET).
As expected with most Bluetooth enabled speakers, The Get Together portable audio system allows you to stream, control and play your music and also use as a speakerphone. The Get Together has a designated Bluetooth sync button, which allows for easy one-button pairing.
There is also a 3.5mm auxiliary input allowing you to connect older devices that are not Bluetooth enabled. The Get Together can be powered by both the built in 8-hour lithium ion battery or universal power supply. The internal 8-hour lithium battery also allows you to charge devices via the USB power output port. It would be great if you could also use USB to play tunes – I tried and wasn’t able to.
SOUND
The biggest question most people have when purchasing speakers especially in this price range ($199.99), is how do they sound? The good news is that the 3.5” high output woofers are strong enough to deliver room filling sound, while the 1” tweeters help ensure clarity. What does that mean?
Simple – when you think woofers you think loud. I didn’t find the speakers to be overbearingly loud, but the sound did fill a room. I live in a 1450 sq. ft condo and when I left the speaker by my front door and walked with whatever device I was streaming music from to the farthest point (back of my walk-in closet), I could hear the music clearly. You would expect this speaker to be very bass heavy, but it’s on par with the mids and the highs.
Usually, some speakers perform better with some genres than others but I didn’t hear much difference when I played Anaconda by Nicki Minaj, Stay With Me by Sam Smith or Am I Wrong by Nico & Vinz. All levels blend evenly so no one level outweighs the next. On the maximum volume whether using bluetooth or line-in there was no distortion. When switching between the two I found little fidelity loss making the Get Together definitely filed under the better category.
Wrap Up
Although the Get Together looks very earthy and is not as flashy as most speakers on the market today – it’s performance is considerably ahead of the class compared to others you’ll find in it’s price range. Some might find it subpar to other speakers because lacks the ability to connect via Wi-Fi, AirPlay or NFC.
The one con I found is that considering the Get Together is being marketed as portable you’d expect to find a carrying case and/or carrying strap. When I found neither I was slightly disappointed, although it’s small enough to carry around in your beach bag or back pack. The Get Together will blend in nicely in some home decors but seems to look more the part of gathering around at the beach or during a house party. The Get Together can be found on the House of Marley site for $199.99. You will also find it on Amazon.com for the same price.
