There is honestly nothing i can say bad about this headphones.
The House of Marley Liberate XL BT
- Added by Giogio
- Create date
When I listen to these Headphones I always think to Polygamy.
That is because I am already in love for another Headphone but I am also attracted by these Liberate. They are not exactly my kind of headphones. Actually, sometimes, depending on which Headphone I have just tested, I do not really like their strong sound signature.
But indeed I like them. They have personality and somehow I am always tempted to listen to them.
If headphones would be women, I would be having some problems in this moment. I would be at lest tempted to spend a time with the Liberate, although I already know they are not the ones I will keep.
And to be clear, it is not that I am a libertine audiophile. I do not go with any Headphone.
I have tested many BT Headphones in the last weeks, actually 16, all the best actually available (apart for the Sony MDR-1RBTMK2 which are not available in EU).
Only 4 of them had my attention, with only one getting my love (the Philips Fidelio M2BT), another my deep respect (the Plantronics Backbeat Pro), another my sincere admiration (Bose Soundlink On Ear), and the Liberate all my sympathy and some dirty thoughts.
So, you see, 4 out of 16, I am not so libertine after all
So, what do the Liberate offer?
They have good detail, decent soundstage, good general Sound Quality, and a very strong proud personality. They do not even remotely attempt being balanced. They have good bass, a bit muddy low-mids, absolutely dominant warm mids, and quite lacking highs.
Yes, I know, you think this doesn't seem so interesting. But if you will try them, I think you may understand what I mean. They have definitely a good SQ. And although they do objectively accentuate the mids no matter how you EQ them, they do not really lack highs. They just hide highs. They want to sound like they sound. And that's cool. Or, warm!
The proof is that you can EQ them and increase their highs and they change. So, highs are there. The liberate can play them. Maybe not as much and as good and with the same detail of the Plantronics Backbeat Pro or of the AKG K845, but they can. They just have been told not to.
Do not ask me why. I do not care.
So, although objectively they are not the best sounding BT Headphones, not the more detailed, not the ones with best soundstage etc, subjectively they offer a unique sound which I did not find in ANY other BT Headphone.
These are without any possible doubt the warmest BT Headphones I have tried.
If this is good or bad, this is a matter of taste and of the music you are going to listen with them.
The fact that they are produced by the Company directed by the son of Bob Marley is not only cool but also a Hint about which kind of music can sound better with them.
Yes, Reggae, but not only! I do not listen to Reggae at all. Not my thing. Even if I admit that "Three Little Birds" is one of the best songs ever made.
But music with vocals and with a soul, this is the music which the Liberate XLBT excel in.
There are songs which these Headphones bring to a level of beauty not reached by other "better sounding" and more expensive ones.
And you know that beauty has nothing to do with perfection.
Then, they can be used with almost any kind of music and the way they interpret the sound is always fascinating.
Even if to be honest, I just cannot use them without EQ. No chance. They are too warm. So I generously increase the highs and some upper mids and also the sub bass, decreasing the lower mids a bit. This way they become much brighter and a bit punchier without loosing their warmth.
What more am I missing?
Well, they have an amazing unique look, a solid build, a good comfort (but that is pretty subjective as an old friend of mine with big sensitive ears taught me), and they are produced ecologically with selected materials.
They also come with a very nice cotton carrying bag and a cable covered with Fabric and equipped with a mic.
Nice!
If you consider that they cost 2/3 of the Beats Studio Wireless and can easily kick their ass, it is Hip-Hop 0 Reggae 1.
Nah, just joking, that has nothing to do. We are all one. Isn't it, Bob?
Well done, House of Marley!
Next time even better!
That is because I am already in love for another Headphone but I am also attracted by these Liberate. They are not exactly my kind of headphones. Actually, sometimes, depending on which Headphone I have just tested, I do not really like their strong sound signature.
But indeed I like them. They have personality and somehow I am always tempted to listen to them.
If headphones would be women, I would be having some problems in this moment. I would be at lest tempted to spend a time with the Liberate, although I already know they are not the ones I will keep.
And to be clear, it is not that I am a libertine audiophile. I do not go with any Headphone.
I have tested many BT Headphones in the last weeks, actually 16, all the best actually available (apart for the Sony MDR-1RBTMK2 which are not available in EU).
Only 4 of them had my attention, with only one getting my love (the Philips Fidelio M2BT), another my deep respect (the Plantronics Backbeat Pro), another my sincere admiration (Bose Soundlink On Ear), and the Liberate all my sympathy and some dirty thoughts.
So, you see, 4 out of 16, I am not so libertine after all
So, what do the Liberate offer?
They have good detail, decent soundstage, good general Sound Quality, and a very strong proud personality. They do not even remotely attempt being balanced. They have good bass, a bit muddy low-mids, absolutely dominant warm mids, and quite lacking highs.
Yes, I know, you think this doesn't seem so interesting. But if you will try them, I think you may understand what I mean. They have definitely a good SQ. And although they do objectively accentuate the mids no matter how you EQ them, they do not really lack highs. They just hide highs. They want to sound like they sound. And that's cool. Or, warm!
The proof is that you can EQ them and increase their highs and they change. So, highs are there. The liberate can play them. Maybe not as much and as good and with the same detail of the Plantronics Backbeat Pro or of the AKG K845, but they can. They just have been told not to.
Do not ask me why. I do not care.
So, although objectively they are not the best sounding BT Headphones, not the more detailed, not the ones with best soundstage etc, subjectively they offer a unique sound which I did not find in ANY other BT Headphone.
These are without any possible doubt the warmest BT Headphones I have tried.
If this is good or bad, this is a matter of taste and of the music you are going to listen with them.
The fact that they are produced by the Company directed by the son of Bob Marley is not only cool but also a Hint about which kind of music can sound better with them.
Yes, Reggae, but not only! I do not listen to Reggae at all. Not my thing. Even if I admit that "Three Little Birds" is one of the best songs ever made.
But music with vocals and with a soul, this is the music which the Liberate XLBT excel in.
There are songs which these Headphones bring to a level of beauty not reached by other "better sounding" and more expensive ones.
And you know that beauty has nothing to do with perfection.
Then, they can be used with almost any kind of music and the way they interpret the sound is always fascinating.
Even if to be honest, I just cannot use them without EQ. No chance. They are too warm. So I generously increase the highs and some upper mids and also the sub bass, decreasing the lower mids a bit. This way they become much brighter and a bit punchier without loosing their warmth.
What more am I missing?
Well, they have an amazing unique look, a solid build, a good comfort (but that is pretty subjective as an old friend of mine with big sensitive ears taught me), and they are produced ecologically with selected materials.
They also come with a very nice cotton carrying bag and a cable covered with Fabric and equipped with a mic.
Nice!
If you consider that they cost 2/3 of the Beats Studio Wireless and can easily kick their ass, it is Hip-Hop 0 Reggae 1.
Nah, just joking, that has nothing to do. We are all one. Isn't it, Bob?
Well done, House of Marley!
Next time even better!
marleyfan
I was looking for a pair of BT headphones on a budget and saw these on sail on Cyber Monday. While waiting for them to arrive I read a lot and liked what I read about the Jabra Move, which were about $30 cheaper. So the HOM's arrived and I was able to compare the two.
Look's wise the HOM's are awesome. They have a great look that is very classy and stylish, as opposed to the Jabra's more industrial look. I so wanted to like them enough to keep them just for that. Combined with the fact that my username on here almost makes me feel obligated to own a pair with the HOM branding. But sadly, I didn't care for the sound quality.
What I didn't like was the highs. They just weren't there. Cymbals sounded muted, guitar strings on acoustic tracks weren't bright and lively. It really detracted from the listening experience. On the other hand, for the money, the Jabra's were quite nice. Good mostly clean bass and much more pronounced highs than the HOM's. I kept the Jabra's and am very happy with the choice. Too bad. The HOM's were so pretty.
Look's wise the HOM's are awesome. They have a great look that is very classy and stylish, as opposed to the Jabra's more industrial look. I so wanted to like them enough to keep them just for that. Combined with the fact that my username on here almost makes me feel obligated to own a pair with the HOM branding. But sadly, I didn't care for the sound quality.
What I didn't like was the highs. They just weren't there. Cymbals sounded muted, guitar strings on acoustic tracks weren't bright and lively. It really detracted from the listening experience. On the other hand, for the money, the Jabra's were quite nice. Good mostly clean bass and much more pronounced highs than the HOM's. I kept the Jabra's and am very happy with the choice. Too bad. The HOM's were so pretty.
Giogio
@marleyfan, sorry for the late reply, I do not get notifications for the comments on my reviews, I should check why.
Did you not try with some EQ for those highs on the HOM?
As I wrote, I have of course also immediately noted those recessed highs, but I was able to bring them back a lot with some EQ.
Really, just some EQ and they change completely, the highs are there, the muddiness is almost completely gone, the bass is more clean.
The move are said to be slightly less good sounding than their bigger brother Revo which I have tested.
I would chose the HOM over the Revo every day, although I did love the Revo back then. They surely sound more balanced out of the box.
Did you not try with some EQ for those highs on the HOM?
As I wrote, I have of course also immediately noted those recessed highs, but I was able to bring them back a lot with some EQ.
Really, just some EQ and they change completely, the highs are there, the muddiness is almost completely gone, the bass is more clean.
The move are said to be slightly less good sounding than their bigger brother Revo which I have tested.
I would chose the HOM over the Revo every day, although I did love the Revo back then. They surely sound more balanced out of the box.
This weekend the right phone simply stopped to work.
I found on other comments on headphones of HoM similar problems.
I'm returning mines after just 3 months!
By the way, I was loving them as I liked its sound and I was able to pair it, at same time, to both my pc and my smartphone!