The Coolest Pieces of Gear We Tested This Week

Bob Marley’s son Rohan is taking the family name far beyond reggae. House of Marley makes sustainably produced headphones, speakers, and turntables from responsibly sourced materials. They’re beautiful pieces, built from natural wood and recycled materials. And their quality and value stands up to most anything on the market.

The Stir It Up Turntable is, in a word, gorgeous. With a solid bamboo plinth and repurposed aluminum platter, its body is wrapped in recycled black cloth for a simple, austere appearance. It has a built-in pre-amp and 3.5mm audio-out jack—as well as RCA cables to plug into your existing stereo system.

The Stir It Up ($200) made its debut a couple of years ago; the new Wireless version ($250) pairs instantly to any Bluetooth speaker, so you can take your vinyl sound anywhere—even out in the yard or garage. That’s worth the extra 50 bucks in our book. Both offer USB to PC recording, too—so you can transfer your favorite vinyl albums to digital format. 

The Stir It Up couldn’t be easier to set up, pair, and play. For optimum sound quality, audiophiles will want to switch out the included AT3600L cartridge with something a bit more high-end. But for beginners and casual listeners, the Stir It Up Turntable is ready to rock steady, right out of the sustainably produced box. It’s the perfect gift for anyone interested in getting immersed into the warm sound of vinyl. — Jon Langston, Commerce Editor

[$200; Stir It Up Wireless, $250; houseofmarley.com]

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