The House of Marley brand appears to have quietly wound back its investment in the Australian market, despite its long-standing positioning as a champion of sustainable audio products.

A review of local audio and technology media shows no recent coverage of Marley products for several years, with multiple outlets reporting they have not received press releases or outreach from the company.

Calls to the brand’s Melbourne office have also gone unanswered, raising questions about its long-term plans in Australia.

Although House of Marley has released several new products globally, the company has been absent from the CES show floor for several years and its latest launches have received no local promotion.

Among the new devices is the Positive Vibration Rebel ANC over-ear model, which promises an impressive 130 hours of battery life with noise cancellation off—or 75 hours with it on—and can recharge in just 15 minutes.

Despite this, the brand’s Australian distribution appears to have shrunk. Once widely ranged across major retail chains, House of Marley products today are primarily found at Bunnings, Kogan and JB Hi-Fi. Attempts to obtain local pricing for the new headphone line, or confirmation of any Australian retail uptake, were unsuccessful.

Internationally, the company has also introduced the Trenchtown ANC earbuds, featuring Bluetooth 5.4, touch controls, voice-assistant support, IPX5 water resistance and up to 24 hours of total battery life with the charging case. As with previous Marley products, they incorporate recycled plastics and sustainable sapele wood.

However, the brand’s global reputation has come under scrutiny. Some retailers now describe Marley as a “budget brand,” and customer feedback online highlights recurring issues across several product categories.

Commonly reported problems include:

Earbuds

Non-replaceable batteries, reducing longevity and sustainability

One earbud failing to connect or function

General Bluetooth pairing issues

Turntables

Frequent skipping, often attributed to a low-grade or misaligned stylus

Audible motor whine

Loud DC pops when powering on

Intermittent speaker output

Bluetooth Speakers

Pairing and connectivity failures, occasionally requiring hard resets

Customer service concerns also feature prominently, with some users reporting that support teams cannot offer battery replacements or repair options.

Suggested user fixes include upgrading the stylus on turntables, cleaning belt components, checking speaker and turntable cabling, or performing resets on Bluetooth devices and earbuds.

With no communication from its local representatives—including Michael Tapp, who has not responded to repeated calls—the future of House of Marley in Australia remains unclear.