Today’s age is the age of POP music. Pop stands for popular music and as of today, many mainstream artists include hip-hop music in their songs. Are you equipped to listen to pop music in your home? For that matter, Are you equipped enough to listen to hifi audio? You would need a pair of speakers, a source, and an amplifier to listen to the brilliancy of the music. In this post, you’re going to see the best speakers for pop music.
The whole section is divided based on two forms of speaker cabinets.
- Floor standing speakers
- Bookshelf speakers
Let’s see one by one in detail.
Floor standers
As the name suggests, these speakers stand on the floor. Usually, they have few more speakers to produce loud and clear sound, especially the bass. They are usually used as the front speakers in a home theatre setup. Also, it can be used for stereo music listening. Huge in volume, the enclosure can produce deep bass and the system can function as a full range speaker without the subwoofer. Having said that, not many floor standers can replace a subwoofer.
Advantages
- Loudness
- Bass
- No stand required
- Can be used without a subwoofer
- Can put a 3-way design easily.
Disadvantages
- Costly
- Tough to integrate into a small room.
Bookshelf speaker
Although the name is a bookshelf speaker, it isn’t usually placed in a bookshelf. They are smaller speakers that are usually stand mount. They are cheaper than the floor-standing counterparts. They usually have a two-way design meaning there are two speakers in a single cabinet, which can produce sounds from different frequencies. They need to be stand-mounted or somehow placed on the ear level for optimum performance. Being a small speaker, it cannot produce bass like its floor-standing counterpart. But, they can be integrated easily in a small room.
Advantages
- Cheap
- Can be perfect for small rooms
- Mids can be better
Disadvantages
- It needs a stand
- Less bass
- Need a subwoofer oftentimes
You would need an amplifier to power these devices.
Best Speakers for pop music – Bookshelf speakers
Dynaudio Emit m20
Dynaudio is known for its speakers with great performance. Emit M20 is one of the best speakers for pop music. The good thing is, irrespective of the genre, it plays everything well. The only gripe is that you would need a beefy amplifier to power these to decent levels.
You probably don’t need an additional subwoofer as the frequency response in real-time is very good. It uses a soft dome tweeter and the level of clarity is too good. You will get Dynaudio’s MSP woofer which is capable of producing good bass without sacrificing the mids. The speakers have an aluminum voice coil which is weightless and therefore the agility is great with these speakers. This can be used for both Home theatre and Stereo music. This is a best speaker for home music
The technical specification goes as follows.
- Sensitivity: 86 dB
- Impedance:4 Ohms
- Power Handling: > 150 W
- Frequency Response: 50 Hz – 23 kHz (± 3 dB)
- Weight: 16.5 lbs
Q Acoustics 3030i
Q Acoustics is one of the recent brands that came into the limelight now. But for a good reason. Their new Q Acoustics 3030i is one of the best speakers for pop music owing to the bigger driver than its brother 3020i. The sound is lush with a slight emphasis on treble. It pairs well with any warm-sounding amplifiers.
The midrange/ bass driver is a 165mm driver. It has a 22mm tweeter for high-frequency duties. The best thing is that the tweeter is decoupled with the woofer. This brings even better sonic performance.
The specifications go as below
- Cabinet type: 2-way reflex
- Bass unit: 165 mm
- Tweeter Unit: 22 mm
- Frequency response (+/-3 dB, -6 dB): 46 Hz – 30 kHz
- Average impedance: 6 Ω
- Sensitivity (2.83v@1m): 88 dB
- Crossover frequency: 2.4 kHz
- Cabinet volume: 12.5 L
- Weight (per speaker): 14.1 lbs
Kef Q350
Kef is a famous British brand that focuses on hi-fidelity audio. They are one of the best speaker brands in the world. Most of their lineup is for serious listeners. An example is kef ls 50s – best hifi speakers of all time. Those are legendary monitor speakers that can be used in studios. Kef Q350 is a speaker from the KEFs lineup that packs serious performance for the money paid.
The speaker has a 6.5-inch bass driver and 25 mm vented aluminum tweeters. The main difference between this speaker and others is the kerf’s UniQ driver arrangement. The tweeter is placed in the center of the bass driver. This means the sound is like coming from a point source. This gives extreme clarity and accurate imaging, a phenomenon where you can hear musical instruments arranged clearly in between the speakers. Being a 6.5-inch woofer and bigger cabinet, the speaker can hit pretty low. Otherwise, the bass is good. It is in no way a replacement for a subwoofer but it just works. It is one of the best speakers for pop music.
Technical specifications
Cabinet type: Two-way Bass Reflex
Bass unit: 6.5 inches
Treble Unit: 1 inch
Configuration: concentric or Uni-Q array
Frequency response: 63 Hz to 28 kHz.
Crossover: at 2.5 kHz
Sensitivity: 87db
Impedance: 8 ohms
Maximum volume: 110 dB
Weight: 16.8 lbs
ELAC Debut 2.0 B 6.2
Elac Debut B6.2 was a great speaker designed by Andrew Jones. The second version Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 is even better. The sound is very dynamic and very detailed. The transparency is top-notch. Now, the speakers have a front port so that placing close to the wall isn’t an issue at all. The only issue with this speaker is that you need a powerful amplifier to go with it. This is one of the best speakers for pop music one can buy. Add in a subwoofer, you’re in for a great treat.
Specifications:
Cabinet type: 2-way bass reflex.
Frequency response: 44Hz to 35kHz
Sensitivity 87db @2.83v/1m
Crossover frequency: 2200 Hz
Impedance 6 ohms
Max power 120 Watts
Tweeter: 2.5cm
Woofer: 16.5cm
Weight: 16.3 lbs
Pioneer SP-BS 22 LR
Pioneer SP- BS 22 LR is one outstanding speaker for its price range or above. This bookshelf is designed by Andrew Jones himself. The speaker requires a good integrated amplifier to show its full color. The sound is just sweet and powerful. The imaging is clear. The only caveat of this speakers is the bass. But, a lot cannot be expected from its 4-inch driver. Still, it punches above its weight. This is an entry-level best Speakers for pop music
Specifications:
Enclosure type: 2-way bass reflex
Frequency range: 55hz – 20Khz
Impedance: 6 Ohms
Sensitivity: 85dB
Crossover frequency: 3 kHz
Woofer: 4 inches
Tweeter: 1 inch
Weight: 9 lbs
Best Speakers for pop music – Floor-standing/tower speakers
Q Acoustics 3050i
We have seen Qacoustics’ bookshelf speakers previously. This 3050i is of the same line as 3030i but a floor stander. Every rich thing about 3030i is there in 3050i and much more. Being a floor-standing speaker, it can go very low and the bass is very taut and tight. It can also function well in the mid-bass section. The tweeters are decoupled and it produces clean highs.
The cabinet is made up of ‘Point-to-Point (P2P) bracing techniques’ so that they are firm and rigid. This gives the bass a good accuracy. There is also a Helmholtz resonator inside to deal with the resonance inside the cabinet. All in all, it is one of the best speakers for pop music which demands bass and speed.
Specifications
Enclosure type: 2-way reflex bass reflex
Bass driver: 2 x 165 mm ( 6.5 in)
Treble driver: 22 mm (0.9 in)
Frequency Response of the unit: (+3 dB, -6 dB): 44 Hz – 30 kHz
Average Impedance: 6 Ohm
Sensitivity (2.83 V@1 m): 91 dB
Crossover Frequency: 2.5 kHz
Effective Volume: 32.4 L
Weight (per speaker): 39.2 lbs
Polk Audio RTiA7
Polk is another company well known in the USA. They are into car audio as well and they make some of the people’s favorite loudspeakers. Polk’s RTi line is one of the renowned speakers for movie playbacks. But, it is good for music as well. It has good dynamics and bass performance that POP listeners can benefit from. The sound it produces is extremely good for the money paid. It is constructed with laser measurement technology so that the driver’s accuracy is constant across the spectrum. The speaker has a patented Acoustic resonance control which controls the cabinet resonance and produces clean sounds. It is the best speakers for home theatre.
Specifications:
Enclosure type: 3-way reflex bass reflex
Mid-Bass driver: 6.5 inches
Bass Speakers: 2 X 7 inches
Treble driver: 1 inch
Frequency Response of the unit: 35 Hz → 26,000 Hz
Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohm
Sensitivity (2.83 V@1 m): 89 dB
Crossover Frequency: 125Hz and 2.7KHz
Weight: 55 lbs
Wharfedale – Diamond 240
Like the Wharfedale bookshelf speaker, this tower speaker is also one of the best speakers for pop music. It is even better than its bookshelf speaker. The speaker produces clean highs that do not ear fatiguing. The midrange is sweet and warm and the bass in taut. All this was achieved with Kevlar woofers and that means a lot for sound quality.
Specification
Enclosure type: 3-way bass reflex
Bass driver 2X 165mm
Midrange driver: 130 mm
High-frequency driver: 25mm
Sensitivity: 89db
Peak SPL: 102db
Nominal impedance: 4ohms
Frequency response: 40Hz – 20kHz
Crossover frequency: 470Hz and 2.7kHz
Weight: 47.5 lbs
DALI – ZENSOR 5
Dali is the short form of Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries. Dali makes great speakers in every possible way. Their Zensor series is the basic model of loudspeakers. Still, it sounds fantastic. Dali used a wood fiber cone for the speakers. This makes the cone super light yet rigid. It means every micro detail is reproduced. Zensor 5 has ample bass. The mids are crystal clear and the highs are smooth and airy. You got to pair it with an amplifier with a warm sound signature. Neutral to bright amplifiers may make it sound bright. Other than that, there are no real caveats. Being an audiophile speaker brand, Zensor 5 remains one of the best speakers for pop music.
Specifications:
Cabinet type: 2-way bass reflex
Bass driver: 2 x 5.25 inches
High-frequency driver: 25mm
Sensitivity: 88db
Peak SPL: 108db
Nominal impedance: 6 ohms
Frequency response: 43Hz – 26.5kHz
Crossover frequency: 2.4kHz
Weight: 22.71 lbs
Pioneer SP- FS 52
Pioneer SP-FS 52 is from the same line as Pioneer SP-BS 22. The bookshelf has already been reviewed and the sound quality is top-notch. Similarly, The floor-standing version, FS 52, has excellent sound. It is a steal for the price. It is designed and tuned by the legendary Andrew jones and it shows his works. You would require a powerful amplifier to bring this little gem alive.
The bass is good, not great. But too good for 5-inch drivers. The midrange is fantastic and so is the highs. They convey even the dynamics very well. If you’re going for a blind buy, you can go with this as the general reviews are positive. It comes in just one color though. It is a true value for the money product. Certainly, it is one of the best speakers for pop music.
Specifications:
Cabinet type: 3-way bass reflex
Bass driver: 2 x 13cm driver
Midrange: 1 X 13 cm driver
High-frequency driver: 2.5cm soft dome tweeter
Sensitivity: 87db
Maximum power: 130 Watts
Nominal impedance: 6 ohms
Frequency response: 45Hz – 26.5kHz
Weight: 24.5 lbs
Conclusion:
Music is to enjoy and hence, it is wise to get a basic setup and enjoy the music rather than enjoying the pieces of equipment. If cost is not an issue, please go with Floor standers as they produce better bass than bookshelf speakers. On the other hand, a bookshelf is easier to set up and manage. Either way, enjoying music should be the primary Moto. Of all the listed models, my favorite would be Whaferdale – diamond 240 for floor standers and Dynaudio Emit m20 for bookshelf speakers. Thanks for reading.
Aju Vignesh Sathiaraj Padma is a mechanical and audio engineer. He is a person who loves technology and things. He is also an audiophile and loves to listen to audio gears. He is an avid writer and loves to blog.
Pingback: 5 Best speakers for home music -October 2020- Digit field
Pingback: Is the soundbar a good option - Digit field
Pingback: How to set up a stereo system? - Digit field
Pingback: 20 of the best speakers under $500 - $599 - Digit field