“Good value”: I spent days playing with House of Marley’s new cheap wired headphones, and I loved their eco-friendly design – they’re not perfect, but they could be great if you want to get in on the wired headphone trend

House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C review

In 1976, Bob Marley & The Wailers were released Smile Jamaicaan upbeat reggae track brimming with soul and positivity. And the House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C headphones aim to replicate those qualities, with a snappy design and apparently “vibrant sound.”

But how good are these wired USB-C headphones? Well, at $19.99 / £14.99 / AU$24.95, I wasn’t expecting anything magical, but there are plenty of major positives to discuss. So here’s what I did with my time with the Smile Jamaica USB-C.

To start, I need to talk about the design of these wired in-ears. As soon as I took the Smile Jamaica out of the box, I was struck by its unique and attractive construction. They are made from a few materials, including recyclable aluminum, renewed PeT, and bamboo. Not only is this blend fantastic, it’s much more durable than much of the competition, even some of the best wired headphones.

I really liked the Brass variant I tested, but you can also buy them in Copper, Signature Black, or even Rasta (a celebration of red, gold, and green, with green ear tips, yellow branding, and a cable that incorporates all three colors). Pretty cool.

The braided wires are quite well constructed and I never experienced excessive cable noise when using the Smile Jamaica USB-C on the go. They’re also tangle-resistant, so I didn’t have horrible messes every time I fished the buds out of my pocket. The inclusion of a USB-C connector also means you can connect these headphones to your smartphone or any modern device, which is incredibly convenient: no pairing, no charging, just plug and play.

If I had to be critical, I would say there could have been more ear tip size options in the box – you only get one extra pair. This way, there could have been more options for people with larger or smaller ears – although, as someone with average-sized, aggressive ears, this wasn’t an issue for me. There’s also no carrying case, but they should still be safe in a pocket or small bag.

The ear tips provided in the box are quite comfortable, however, and passively block noise to a decent effect. Don’t get me wrong, you’re not going to experience the noise-canceling effects that ANC will provide on the best wireless earbuds, but when listening to music in the office, typing and chattering sounds were relatively well attenuated.

One feature that’s missing though is volume control. The in-line remote ignores these, meaning I had to remove my phone to change the volume on the go, which could be a bit annoying. According to the instruction booklet, some controls – related to a single button on the controller – are also limited to iPhone only, which was not good for a Samsung owner like me.

Still, the in-line microphone is actually pretty decent, and during phone calls several people reported that my speech was clear and easy to decipher. When recording, I experienced some feedback and some hiss, but I was happy with the mic at this price.

Either way, I know why you’re really here. You want to know how it sounds, right? Well, I guess I’ll humor you.

It seems only right to start with a Bob Marley & The Wailers track, so I gave Interference one round, and the Smile Jamaica heads performed pretty well. The subtle percussive elements were well balanced in the mix and had an impressive sense of space, and I never felt any harshness or clutter, even when listening at higher volumes. However, the bass sounded a little bloated at times and Marley’s vocals lacked as much definition in the mix as I would like, making for a pretty average listening experience.

This proved to be a bit of a theme with these headphones, as the low end seemed to lack refinement on a number of tracks. In Black eye by Allie Since the bass is quite prominent on these buds, I just wish they had a little more punch and precision. Still, the vocals remained quite clear in the mix and the energetic percussion came through with commendable expression. But if you’re expecting the most refined bass around, you might find the Smile Jamaica a little heavy.

I was more impressed while listening Asama by Yuta Orisaka – a laid-back record that mixes Japanese folk with reggae tones. Here, I found the vocals to be pleasantly weighted alongside relaxed electric guitars and rhythmic percussion, and more subtle keys gliding elegantly in the backdrop. Sure, you won’t get meticulous instrument separation or the most intricate details from a pair of ultra-cheap headphones like these, but for the price, they deliver satisfying sound, all things considered.

In the end, would I recommend the House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C? There you go: it depends on your budget. If you want extremely cheap wired headphones that look totally usable but won’t blow you away, then yes. In addition to their adequate audio quality, they are well built, have a decent mic and a tangle-free cable, ensuring good value for money.

However, if you can spend a little more, you can get big returns. A model like the Sennheiser CX 80U will sound considerably better, with much improved detail and balance across the entire frequency range.

Want a little more finesse and grace? Something like the Sennheiser is for you – but for stable, reliable sound on a budget, the Smile Jamaica USB-C isn’t such a bad option.

House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C review: price and release date

• List price $19.99 / £14.99 / AU$24.95
• Released in September 2025

The House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C was released in September 2025, approximately 13 years after the original 3.5mm version launched. They have a list price of $19.99 / £14.99 / AU$24.95, putting them firmly in the budget category, and are available in a range of color options including copper, signature black, brass and rasta. You can go on sale quite regularly in some areas – I even spotted them for under £10 in the UK while writing this review.

House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C review: specifications

Should I buy the House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C test: think too

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Header Cell – Column 0	House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C	Sennheiser CX80U	Apple EarPods USB-C
Price	$19.99 / £14.99 / AU$24.95	$39.95 / £34.99 (around AU$57)	$19 / £19 / AU$29
Drivers	9mm dynamic	9.7mm dynamic	Dynamic
Weight	0.5 ounces / 13 g	0.5 ounces / 15 g	1.1 ounce / 30 g
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz	17Hz-20kHz	20Hz-20kHz
Connectivity	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C

How I tested the House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C

• Tested over several days
• Music streamed primarily on Tidal
• Taken with me to the office and on walks

I spent several days (weeks in fact) testing the House of Marley Smile Jamaica USB-C headphones, during which time I carried them around with me, analyzing passive noise isolation and convenience, among other things.

When listening to music, I usually streamed tracks on Tidal using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. I started by going through the TechRadar test playlist, which features tracks from a wide variety of genres, but I also made sure to listen to hours of songs from my personal library.

More generally, I’ve tested tons of audio gear during my time at TechRadar, including a whole host of wired and USB-C headphones. I had a few competing models on hand with which to compare the Smile Jamaica USB-C, including rivals Sennheiser and Apple mentioned in the “Also Consider” section.

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• First revision: May 2026

Harry is a senior opinion editor for TechRadar. He reviews everything from party speakers to wall chargers, and has a particular interest in the worlds of audio and gaming. Harry has a background in business technology journalism, particularly in the telecommunications sector.

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