Hey there friend, and Welcome aboard!!
This is part 5 in a 7-part series on Genre, which takes a nostalgic look at some of my personal experiences with various types of music, games, and pop culture over the years. Check out the others if you would like! Suggestions for how to improve? Contact me or leave a comment below!
- The Best Headphones for Jazz
- The Best Headphones for Classical
- The Best Headphones for Rock
- The Best Headphones for Metal
- The Best Headphones for Pop (This article)
- The Best Headphones for Hip-Hop
- The Best Headphones For Folk
Before we get into the best headphones for Pop music, grab a snack and some pop, sit back and relax because…
I’m Here to Help!!
Pop? What is Pop? Nobody calls it that.
Today’s column will cover the headphones first, then we’ll go over a list of considerations and criteria needed before making a decision, and finally, I’ll share some history of the genre as well as my personal experiences.
So if you’re in the mood for a laugh at someone else’s expense (me) stick around to the end as I regretfully talk about some embarrassing times when I was younger and used to think bad music was good. xD
- Important Note: This list gives a synopsis of each product at a glance, highlighting the headphone’s most important qualities. For full reviews, please click on the links provided before each rundown!!
With that, are you excited?
Woo!
Let’s get it.. poppin’.
($150 And Under)
#5
Sony MDR-7506
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!
The MDR-7506 makes a lot of my “best” lists, and for good reason.
- Required Reading: The Budget Kings Series
This budget homie came out in 1991 and remains relevant today; this despite a barrage of new headphones oversaturating the market and making everyone’s life a living hell.
Worry not though, as these headphones have excellent resolution, are tuned very well, and work nicely for pop because of their hard-hitting (but not bloated) bass response.
Moreover, the mid-range is nearly perfect, and the treble shimmer is on point like a Pilot G2.
Instruments and vocals come through effortlessly and also clearly. You’ll be able to distinguish everything a bit better: Lyrics, bass lines, guitar riffs, and everything in between.
Yes, the treble can sound a bit “hot” at times, but the sparkle and air are there and you’ll be able to distinguish what’s going on like Marvin Gaye.
This also makes them a great asset for music production and general reference work.
Put simply, there’s a reason the 7506 is still in circulation today and they absolutely deserve a spot on most headphone lists.
And I still have one!
I will caution you that comfort is kind of meh, but the build is good for the most part.
Be aware that the coiled cable can be a pain in the ass (it starts to tangle after a while), and the cups themselves will peel/flake over time. Honestly, the entire look is kind of dated, so don’t expect these to be your next fashion statement at the gym.
(Please don’t take them to the gym unless you want to get throat punched by the resident meathead).
In other words, I would love it if Sony came out with a refresh of these. Keep the same sound signature, but make the cable detachable and provide a few cords in the package. Heck, make a Bluetooth version. Whatever.
For instance, 1x coiled, 2x straight (one longer, one shorter).
- Verdict: The 7506 is a remarkable achievement in headphone audio and will always be relevant.
- Sound Decision: Yes. The MDR-7506 popped my cherry. Will it pop yours?
#4
Audio Technica ATH-M50x
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H! | Official Review: Here!
Despite all the unwarranted hate these have gotten in recent years, they will always be relevant to me for the reasons forthcoming.
For pop? There aren’t many headphones better for the genre.
The 5dB bass shelf across most of the low end is perfectly fine for this type of music, and what saves them from sounding boomy/bloaty is the cut around the mud regions of 200-300Hz.
A secret I’ll share with you is that this is precisely the area most companies f**k up royally.
In other words, they boost these regions thinking it’s going to make music sound livelier and more exciting when in actuality it’s always going to sound like complete dog shit if you know anything about music production and mixing down tracks (hip-hop specifically).
Want to feel like someone’s stabbing both of your ears with broom handles? Try an A10, or 99 Neo, how about a NightHawk? A Black Hole? If that’s not enough, try any Sony XM series headphones ever.
- Required Reading: How To EQ Bass Properly
Fortunately for you, I am a producer with many years of experience, so I understand this gargantuan issue that plagues these types of cheap (and expensive) consumer headphones. Ones that, as mentioned above, flood the market daily with no end in sight.
The sad part is that most new people completely miss out on good sound signatures and well-tuned headphones because of all the trash that’s marketed toward them.
The 50X is one of the most important headphones in the consumer sphere because it mostly avoids these pitfalls and sounds pretty incredible with harder-hitting genres like Pop, EDM, Hip-Hop, etc.
The bass thumps like it’s supposed to, which is why I’ve vehemently defended these and will continue to do so. This is as close to a perfect consumer headphone that I can think of and is one of the main headphones that sent me down the rabbit hole – the other being the MDR-7506 just discussed.
In no way is it perfect, but the resolution is incredible for a closed back and it’s excellent for Pop because of the bass and overall clarity of music in general. The instruments sound clear and accounted for, vocals aren’t pushed back, and the treble is improved over the original M50: less bite, more air after 10kHz (which is good).
Build is pretty fantastic overall and comfort is mostly OK, but these suffer from some of the same issues as the 7506. Namely, the faux leather pads will crack and harden over time.
Other than that, this is a rock-solid product at a great price.
- Verdict: True bass head sound for the masses, put on your glasses, it’s nerd rappin’ automatic no static havin’ mackin’ doin’ backflips off this rap sh**. WHAT. BARS.
- Sound Decision: Of course. They even have a Bluetooth version nowadays but I haven’t tried it yet. Stay tuned, dude.
#3
Philips SHP9500
Price: Check Amazon! | Check B&H! | Official Review: Here!
The SHP9500 is a headphone I’ve been ecstatically recommending to people since around 2017, and it’s a product I firmly believe every person on earth should hear before they die.
That’ll never happen, but we can dream.
The fact that a company specializing in everything from household appliances to toothbrushes of all things… could craft a budget headphone so perfect, seems preposterous.
When you consider that some headphone companies dedicated to manufacturing headphones only… fail miserably at it, it makes the 9500 that much more of an incredible achievement in audio.
That’s exactly what Philips did, and the snobby audiophile world is still feeling the effects of it today.
In other words, these headphones are mostly perfect in every way, and if you’re looking for a pop headphone with a bit of bass roll-off + loads of incredible resolution at the price point, look no further.
Yes, the treble, like the 7506, can sound a bit essy at times, but this is more the result of the track itself and how it was recorded, mixed, and mastered rather than any inherent flaw in the headphones.
That said, these are on the brighter side so plan accordingly.
Comfort is some of the best you’ll ever experience, and for a headphone costing roughly $60 (I paid $54 back in 2017) the build is simply astonishing.
- Verdict: Unbelievable resolution for $54. Easily competes with headphones out of its price range.
- Sound Decision: One of the best headphones the hobby has ever seen; below $100 or otherwise. And no I’m not kidding. If you want your music to sound like it’s happening underwater, get a Sony WH1000-XMWhateverthefucknumberitisthisyear. It’s all the same trash. If you don’t want that, buy an SHP9500, brat. It’s simple mathematics like Fat Joe. SonyGarbageCans + music = I’m going to kill myself. SHP9500 + music = Wow, I never knew clarity was an actual thing given all the piss-poor headphones I’ve listened to since I was 2. Next time I better listen to Stu.
#2
HIFIMAN HE400se
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos Audio! | Official Review: Here!
The 400se is a dirty cheap planar that sounds incredible.
It seems rather ridiculous that a headphone this good only costs a measly $109 (Subject to change), but that’s the state of audio now.
Noticing a trend?
One of the main reasons I still recommend HIFIMAN products (even despite some QC issues over the years) is that the sound of their headphones is remarkable and they understand price to performance perhaps better than any manufacturer I’ve ever come across.
Consider the fact that I first tried an OG HE400i (roughly $400-500) back in 2017 and it completely rocked my world like Jichael Mackson.
It was the first time I had ever heard a planar magnetic and in many ways, I wish I could go back and relive the moment.
It was absolutely mind-blowing and completely changed the way I looked at recorded music.
Nowadays, that sound can be had for just a shade over $100 (!!!), and that to me is quite absurd (in the best way possible).
Never before has it been easier for people to enjoy what good headphones sound like, and that is most certainly a great thing despite the rabbit hole dilemma (which you’ll see in a second).
Comfort is exemplary, and build is mostly excellent aside from the glue issue on the back of the pads which, for whatever reason, HIFIMAN hasn’t rectified yet. No, they’d rather have Dekoni make the pads they (HFM) should make so you have to pay $80 for them. Wonderful.
- Verdict: Honey, wake up… they’re giving away free hi-fi.
- Sound Decision: I can’t imagine a scenario in which you wouldn’t buy these. You’re essentially getting the planar sound at a quarter of the original asking price in 2017. Just don’t change pads too often or you’ll be in a world of pain like Smokey trying to glue them back on while you wait for your Dekoni replacements in the mail. LOL.
#1
Koss KPH30i
Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!
I’ll start out by saying that all things considered, the 30i is probably the first headphone you should purchase in the audiophile hobby if all you have is some MACKdonald’s lunch money to spend.
Be forewarned though, once you hear it, there’s no going back and you’ll likely end up with half your body lodged inside the rabbit hole, sort of like this:
For a headphone costing roughly $30, the 30i is a miracle of epic proportions and actually stole the top spot from the 9500 in my Budget Kings series.
I still go back and forth on which I like better, but the fact that these headphones can sound this good for this price seems almost criminal.
There’s just the right amount of bass for pop, the mid-range is mostly perfect outside of a dip at 4kHz, and the treble is crisp without sounding sibilant.
That dip at 4kHz doesn’t sound jarring as you might expect, as the headphones have fantastic resolution for the price; perhaps even better than any product in the sub $100 category. They’re also tuned incredibly well overall and represent an accurate portrait of what drugstore headphones should have sounded like in the ’90s.
It should be noted that the Porta Pro is also worth a look, donning a similar overall sound signature with even more bass emphasis. If that’s what you’re after, I’d consider it first although if I were you, I’d purchase both, decide which one you like more, and then return the other one.
I’d bet money you’ll keep the 30i as the bass sits almost perfectly in the mix.
The Porta Pro is a good headphone but the bass can sometimes have this strange, thin layer of fuzz over top of the music that may bother you over time.
- Verdict: High resolution at a low price.
- Sound Decision: Easiest purchase you made since that gargantuan MACKdonald’s order you put in the other day at the drive-thru.
($200 & Up)
#7
Sennheiser HD6XX
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Drop! | Official Review: Here!
If you’re noticing a trend in my articles, it’s that I recommend a lot of the same products. This is because there’s no need to confuse you. I know; it sounds wild.
Reviewers out for a quick buck? Never heard of that one before.
The same headphones that were good 10-15 years ago are STILL GOOD today. Time doesn’t magically render a great headphone obsolete. Only marketing can do that.
The issue (and it’s not the chinaman) is that audiophiles and headphone manufacturers would have you believe the opposite: that you must drop everything and purchase the new flavor of the week headphone when in reality, that’s probably the worst idea ever.
So it is about drawing a line in the sand.
Most of the best sound signatures that exist have existed for a long time; decades even.
Case and point, the HD6XX, which first originated as the HD580 in 1993, followed by the HD600 in ’97, and the HD650 in 2003.
The Drop/Sennheiser collaboration that birthed the 6XX is a much better value, thus why I recommend it nowadays. In 2016, I paid $330 for a brand-new, made-in-Ireland HD600, but you don’t need to spend that much anymore.
The 6XX at roughly $200 (fluctuates above and below periodically) is the perfect gateway drug and represents a fantastic step up from the headphones we discussed earlier.
If you want to hear pop in its truest form, look no further than this wonderfully tuned, natural, and mostly neutral representation of sound.
With some bass roll-off, perfect mid-range fidelity, and a slightly darker-than-average treble, these headphones are for those who want to hear music as is; no fluff, no extra emphasis, NO BULLSHIT, WALTER.
Instrument separation is the headphone’s claim to fame, and resolution is of course phenomenal. Build and comfort are both equally as wonderful, so there’s a reason why I’ve recommended these headphones countless times over the years.
They just sound right and will absolutely change your perception of music if you’re new to audio.
2 quick examples: in 2019 I let the one who got aw… I mean a friend borrow my HD600 and upon returning them (reluctantly I might add lol) she told me she never wanted to leave her room ever again. Not even to see me. Ouch. Just kidding she didn’t say that.
The headphones were so good that all she wanted to do was listen to music for the rest of her life. In only a bra and panties, of course.
The second, and more recent example is when I gifted my brother-in-law an HD58X (for all intents and purposes pretty close to the same sound).
Being a mostly speaker/monitor guy, he was astonished at how good they sounded and thanked me profusely for weeks since he finally was able to find a great reference headphone for that extra bit of assurance when mixing down tracks.
In short, buying an HD6XX is never a bad idea, and once you own a pair, you’ll likely never part ways since it’s built so well and all parts are replaceable. I still have my original made-in-Ireland set and don’t ever plan on selling it.
- Verdict: Still A Remarkable Value In Mid-Fi.
- Sound Decision: Yes, everyone should have one of these by default.
#6
Sony MDR-Z1R
Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!
Sony’s flagship model happens to be their best, and it does cost a pretty penny.
Lots of pretty pennies.
That said, this closed-back offering from the Sony Giganto conglomerate corporation thing is just about the most open-sounding closed-back headphone you’ll find, and it’s remarkable what they achieved in the package.
From looking at images online, you may think they’re pretty heavy.
Not so.
Because they’re so nimble and light, comfort is magnificent and they look really pretty, too.
With remarkable resolution, marvelous timbre, and an overall fairly even-keeled sound, the Z1R doesn’t disappoint.
Roughly tuned to the Harman Target, the headphones have bottomless bass, a bump in the presence regions around 3kHz, and a crisp treble that shimmers without the sibilance.
You’d be hard-pressed to find better sound in a closed-back headphone, but again, it’ll cost you.
- Verdict: The Most Open Sounding Closed Back Ever?
- Sound Decision: Yes, but try to snag a better deal than $1700.
#5
Audeze LCD-2
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Audeze! | Official Review: Here!
Out of all the Audeze headphones I’ve tried, the LCD-2 seemed like the best compromise in terms of the veiled/dark nature of the treble.
That is, it doesn’t feel overly dark like an LCD-4 and to me remains the best overall value in the lineup and the best sounding (in my opinion). It also happens to be the very first that came out, so take that for what it’s worth.
It’s almost like Audeze said, OK, we’ve essentially made the headphones we wanted to make. The rest will be just subtle experiments.
You can even snag an LCD-2 Classic if, like me, you’d rather not feel like you have a jet engine strapped to your melon.
At this point, I’ve listened to over 135 headphones, and, when I tell you that the LCD-2’s resolution was easily in the top 3, I’m not exaggerating.
At this stage of the game, we start to delve into “uncomfortable” territory. Sure, those other headphones we discussed may have great resolution and realistic timbre, but this goes beyond that.
It’s almost like you have trouble recognizing songs you’ve heard probably thousands of times. I mean, you know it’s the song, but are you sure? Perhaps you’re in an alternate dimension.
For me, this mostly manifested with the LCD-3 (likely my strangest experience listening to music), but the LCD-2 is equally as disturbing (like the kid above) when it comes to shedding light on the actual recording and completely exposing it; for better or worse.
And when I say exposing it, I mean like putting a magnifying glass up to a fire ant x10. Everything is heard in its most granular, molecular form.
Fortunately, well-recorded music sounds completely spectacular, and you may start pitching tents because of it.
I distinctly remember listening to Rage Against the Machine and an LCD-2 paired with iFi’s sorely missed Black Label; a swiss army knife-like amp/dac combo more powerful than explosive diarrhea.
The song was rendered 99.9346% perfect, and I was headbanging so hard I almost broke my spine in half.
Caveats included the aforementioned jet engine dilemma, and a somewhat odd build; eerily reminiscent of the Grado configuration only triple the size. That said, an Audeze is built much better than a Grado, so don’t get the wrong idea or make a big thing out of it, Spider.
These are durable materials overall and it’s clear a lot of work went into the final product.
- Verdict: Uncomfortably Good Resolution
- Sound Decision: Yes, but consider an LCD-2 Classic: Cheaper and lighter.
#4
Dan Clark Audio ÆON Flow Closed
Official Review: Here!
Absolutely Breathtaking.
Ah, the Flow: one of the most divisive headphones I can recall. Yes, most of the audiophile hobby is bickering, bullshit and snake oil, but there are rare times when there’s a legitimate reason to be somewhat divided on something.
Enter the ÆON Flow Closed Back, not for everyone but still the most speaker-like headphones I’ve ever heard. In case you were wondering, Dan Clark used to, fittingly enough, call himself MrSpeakers. Go figure.
Of course, those snobby audiophiles complained as the point flew right over their head – likely because they’re audiophiles and not sound engineers lol.
The ÆON Flow was and still is the only headphone that sounded like the female vocalist was in front of my face. Now, this sensation didn’t last the whole song, but it was such a powerful hallucination that it didn’t matter. Kind of like mushrooms…. on your pizza.
I knew then and there that I’d never forget the exact moment in time it happened for as long as I lived. Well, I’ll probably forget when my brain becomes fried at like 90 years old, but still.
What’s Divisive About It?
I’ll never look at music the same way again.
Glad you asked.
Some people, like the fella who lent me the headphones and ended up selling them, thought they sounded too warm, too glossy, and too radiobroadcasty.
I get it, but it’s tuned so well and has such great resolution that I end up not caring about the minor downsides. In no way do those things mean the ÆON doesn’t sound incredible. Because it does if you’re listening.
Warm/glossy/hazy usually results in poor resolution, but not here. If there’s one headphone that can get away with a bit more, it’s this one.
That said, is it a bit mid-bass happy? Sure, it kind of goes against my philosophy of cutting the mud regions around 200-300Hz, but again it’s just so realistic sounding that I end up giving those things a pass. Plus, it’s not going to sound like the majority of cheap consumer trash. These are expensive for a reason.
Comfort and build are both stupendous, and the headphones are easy to drive and very portable.
- Verdict: A Pop Fan’s Wet Dream, Truly Speaker Like.
- Sound Decision: These are pricey, so make sure this type of signature is what you’re after before you take the plunge.
#3
Sennheiser HD25
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H! | Official Review: Here!
You may be wondering, “How can the HD25 be ahead of both an LCD-2 and Z1R?”
To that I say,
I’LL ASK THE QUESTIONS AROUND HERE!!
In all seriousness, it’s because this headphone, and the one that comes next, will be more accessible to a wider demographic of people and I firmly believe these types of sound signatures are tailored specifically for genres like Pop, EDM, Metal, Hip-Hop, etc.
Interestingly enough, the HD25 was made primarily for DJs, but it just so happens to be the perfect headphone for Metal and also Pop.
While the LCD-2 clearly has superior resolution, the HD25’s transient response is magnificent for these types of fast genres that rely on lightning-quick chord and note changes.
Moreover, the bass response is splendid, and the resolution, especially for a closed-back on-ear (Supra-Aural) headphone is hard to beat in this price range.
This is a “fun” headphone on steroids but also circumvents the issues we discussed above concerning the mid-bass. In other words, these headphones emphasize the right areas (specifically 60-90Hz) while cutting the regions that need to be cut. Again, 200-300Hz.
In addition to that, mid-range clarity is spot on and while the headphones are bright in the treble, it’s necessary for the added sparkle and energy that essentially defines what this bad boy is all about.
That said, comfort isn’t great over extended sessions so like I always say, use them in short bursts and take frequent breaks. Build? Nearly indestructible.
- Verdict: A must-have for Metal, Hip-Hop, and Pop fans.
- Sound Decision: Absolutely. One of the most exciting and lively sound signatures you’ll ever come across.
#2
Beyerdynamic DT990
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check Drop!
| DT Shootout: Here!
The DT990 is arguably the best open-back headphone for Pop/bass heads ever assembled, as it’s tuned better and is lightyears more comfortable than both the 50x and HD25.
Again, we have emphasis where it should be (60-90Hz) followed by a cut right after in the mud regions of 200-300Hz. I’ll say it and keep saying it until I’m blue in the face: THIS is how you tune the bass. Every time. No questions asked.
In addition to the bass, one of the best qualities about these is that there aren’t any strange or jarring peaks and dips throughout the spectrum. The bass is completely out of the way of the mids, and the treble sparkles wonderfully without sibilance.
Another reason the 990 ranks higher than an HD25 is that there are countless iterations of the HD25. Some are almost perfectly tuned, while others aren’t.
In other words, there’s a bit too much frequency response disparity and I’m unsure why Sennheiser decided to make a gazillion different versions of the same thing.
Anyway, the DT990 also happens to be the most comfortable headphones of all time per my most comfortable headphones of all time list, and deservedly so. They are perfect in every way and feel like 2 of the softest pillows ever hugging your head in the most gentle way possible.
Build is also stellar, as these are marketed towards producers and engineers and should last you a lifetime given proper care.
#1
Focal Utopia
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H! | Official Review: Here!
Some of you may be sick of seeing this one… pop up on every single list, but again, I don’t rank or recommend headphones based on what’s trending this week.
I recommend based on what I know is good and will always be good.
The Utopia?
It’s better than good. It’s arguably the best dynamic headphone on the planet and easily the best I’ve personally heard out of the 135+ demoed.
If the resolution of the LCD-2 made the top 3 without breaking a sweat, the Utopia’s is arguably #1 without so much as batting an eyelash.
I say arguably because I’m still torn whether the Planar LCD-2 has better resolution simply by virtue of being a planar.
I haven’t listened to the LCD-2 side by side with a Utopia, but I have gone back in forth in real-time with an LCD-4 and Utopia. I have to say that because the Utopia is less dark, it at least gives off the illusion that resolution is better and just might be better anyway.
It’s a close call, but overall the Utopia is a perfectly tuned headphone with not a single issue. That’s a hard feat to accomplish as almost every headphone has at least some problems.
This becomes even weirder when you consider that, outside of these, I’m incredibly lukewarm on the rest of Focal’s lineup and wasn’t impressed with the majority of them.
- Required Reading: 7 Focal Headphones Ranked Worst To First
The Utopia was an outlier in an otherwise pretty underwhelming crop of headphones – for the price anyway.
In other words, if you pay full retail for something like a Clear MG at $1,400, you’re absolutely getting ripped off. That’s just the honest truth. The sound, while good, just doesn’t warrant such a ridiculous sum of money.
Put another way, there’s nothing about the Clear MG that’s worth roughly $1,100 more than an Ananda or Edition XS. Not even close.
That said, the Utopia was the exception and yeah, it’s still around $4,000. My take? if you can get one for around $1000-$2000 I’d say that’s pretty fair. These are pretty much the only headphones I’d consider dropping $1000 on.
- Verdict: The Focal Utopia is the best dynamic headphone in the world.
- Sound Decision: Depends. Do you have $4000 worth of disposable income to spend on headphones? If so, these are the best money can buy in my opinion, and based on my experience.
Considerations
Now that we’ve outlined some of the best options, let’s discuss some things to keep in mind before purchasing.
Budget
How much are you willing to spend? Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to ascertain whether or not a headphone is good for Pop. Today we’ve taken a look at look at some affordable options as well as some high-end stuff.
Closed vs. Open
Are you looking for something more portable, or would you like an Open back headphone that does well in the studio?
Should you get an Amp or DAC?
An Amp
If your headphones have a high impedance and/or low Sensitivity, they’re going to resist power and not be as efficient.
Impedance is a measure of resistance and Sensitivity is a measure of efficiency.
Generally speaking, anything around 97dB and lower is not very efficient and needs more power from the amp to perform optimally. Anything with an Impedance over 100 generally tends to resist power quite a bit. It really just depends on the headphones in question.
Contact me for clarification!
A DAC
A Digital to Analog converters job is to convert the 1s and 0s from your computer (binary language), into an analog sound that you hear (and vice versa).
During a microphone recording, the computer takes the analog (your voice) and converts it into data that it can understand (1s and 0s).
Either of these exchanges is always happening depending on what you’re doing. The only reason you would upgrade a DAC is if your existing one is crappy.
You’ll know because it either won’t be loud enough or just generally sound bad (noise, crackling, etc).
- Required Reading: What is a USB DAC?
Sensitivity and low-impedance cans
For low-impedance stuff, the Sensitivity will usually be fairly high, resulting in a headphone that generally does well with mobile devices. That said, the quality of the song will still largely depend on the source file, as well as your DAC.
For instance, if you have a bad DAC and buy an amp, you’ll only be magnifying bad sound by raising the volume level. This is why it’s important to consider just what you will need and not need.
At the end of the day though, I’m nitpicking a little. Most entry-level closed-backs will sound great and the discrepancies in sound quality are somewhat marginal when you’re starting out.
Criteria
Bass
Arguably the most important component of the genre. Here our options are varied. Pop sounds very good with heavier bass (990, HD25) as well as bass that’s on the more neutral/rolled off side (6XX, 9500, etc.)
I enjoy both types, but I do lean towards heavier for Pop. It just has to be done right (which we’ve discussed). So fear not, all of the options mentioned today are solid and will work wonderfully.
Treble
There has to be some excitement in the treble, but I’ve found that even with a darker headphone like the HD6XX, Pop sounds fantastic. It’s more about overall detail than sparkle in my opinion, but certainly, some air after 10kHz never hurt and is very necessary in most cases.
Mid-range
Perhaps the most important aspect of music, the mid-range fidelity has a lot to do with whether the bass is tuned correctly. If it is, then the mids have room to shine and you likely won’t have issues – unless of course they are scooped out like Haagen Daaz. We definitely want to avoid that at all costs, which is why all of the above headphones made the list.
Soundstage/Instrument Separation
This is always one of the more important traits of a headphone, as it will give you more of an out-of-body, 3D type of experience. If you’re used to headphones that don’t get this right, i.e. sounds stacking on top of each other, you’re in the right place!
All of the options listed have either A) Good Soundstage, B) Good Separation, or C) Both.
Comfort/Build
Comfort and build are important for obvious reasons, but ideally, both need to be good. That said, if the sound and build are incredible (HD25 for instance) then I can forgive a somewhat subpar comfort level.
If comfort and sound are incredible but build is iffy, that’s a bit more of a concern but based on my experience dating back to 2016, I’ve never had the structural integrity of a headphone fail me for no reason.
Most headphones, even if they’re very light and/or flimsy, hold up just fine over time. The real issues are things like padding, cables to an extent, and so forth. Headphones themselves have usually been manufactured pretty well all things considered.
Recommendation & Closing Thoughts
If I had to recommend just one on this list for Pop that won’t leave you homeless on street corners trying to make ends meet, I would go with the DT990.
It’s as close to a perfect sound signature for Pop as you’ll find in the open back realm, it’s comfortable, and it’s tuned incredibly well across the entirety of the spectrum.
Pair it with something like a K7 or ATOM and you’re ready to rock and rol.. erm Pop and Roll?
Eh. Sorry.
Learn More:
Now for some fun xD
History of Pop and My Experience
This is going to be really embarrassing for me, but hopefully, you get some entertainment out of it!
Pop Music matters, man.
Before I discovered Rap/R&B, Classic Rock, and Hip-Hop, I listened to Pop like everyone else. It was the cool thing to do.
You remember the days of The Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, 98°, etc.
In fact, the very definition of Pop music is that it’s accessible to the broadest audience, i.e. it sells the most copies, draws the largest concert audiences, and is played the most often on the radio.
Technically, Pop really isn’t a genre.
It originated in the mid-’50s in Britain as a description of Rock n’ Roll. The Oxford Dictionary of music states the term “pop” refers to music by artists like the Rolling Stones. Huh? If you think about it, this is true. The Stones fit the criteria mentioned above, even though they are widely considered to be what “Rock” is. They are played on the radio a lot, they draw unthinkable audiences, and they’re up there in most copies sold (around 200 million).
Popular music is a little different in that it started during the Industrialization period of the 1800s. It’s music that’s most in line with the tastes and interests of the urban middle class. Bleh. Whatever that means.
I like to think of Pop as a sort of “Melting Pot”, (call it the Melting Pop) in that it borrows characteristics, elements, and ideas from other genres. Specifically:
- Its Vocal Harmonies are taken from Gospel/Soul.
- Its Form is derived from Sentimental Ballad.
- Its Instrumentation comes from Jazz/Rock.
- Its Orchestration comes from Classical.
- Its Tempo comes from Dance.
- Its Backing comes from Electronic.
- Its Rhythmic elements from Hip-Hop.
- Its Spoken Passages from Rap.
Looking at Pop in this way, it’s easy to see that it’s kind of everything at once. In 1967 the term was increasingly used in opposition to Rock, but that’s only because Hippies. Lol.
Some say Pop is a matter of enterprise and not art. It’s more commercial, ephemeral, accessible, and designed to appeal to everyone. It doesn’t come from any particular place or work off of any particular taste.
It’s not driven by ambition but by profit and commercial reward. In other words, it’s like a Ginger and has no soul. Just kidding.
Haha. Good old Copper Cab. Aside from that…
Why is it so embarrassing for you to talk about Pop Music?
Pop music and I have a strained relationship.
It was a dark and stormy night in late Summer of 1999. I was curled up on the bottom bunk of my bed listening to Sugar Ray and holding my Teddy Bear.
I suppose that’s not too embarrassing, aside from the fact that I was holding a Teddy Bear and listening to Sugar Ray.
I was 12 years old and interested in love, okay? The problem was that I could never find it. It seemed like I was the outcast, even though I knew of some cool kids and had friends.
Girls? They were rarely interested in me. I just wasn’t bad enough yet. I had yet to channel my inner Copper Cab. Or that time Tommy from Rugrats turned bad in “Rebel Without a Teddy Bear” because he thought his mom took his Lion named Herman away from him when in reality she was simply cleaning it for him because he tried to clean it with Mustard and she was just trying to be a good Mom and *Deep breath*
“HIS NAME IS HENRY!”
But darn it I loved a good love song, and still do! Listening to Sugar Ray was my comfort zone, and we all love those good old comfort zones, right?
To be fair, the album had some really good songs (Someday, Falls Apart, Every Morning) but most were flat-out duds. It’s never a good sign when you’re constantly asking, is the album over yet? I’m listening to it now and at 37:05 I can’t wait until it stops.
It came at a time when Sugar Ray, like most mainstream artists, decided to scrap their original sound in favor of a more poppy tone, given the massive success of “Fly” off of the previous album. Read: Incubus followed a similar path.
It doesn’t really work that well because it’s trying to be like 8 different things at once. Oh well. There are lots of things about my childhood that don’t make sense. Add Sugar Ray’s “14:59″ to the ever-growing pile.
Back then I had a friend named J.J. He was always ranting and raving about teh Smashing Pumpkins, and I always ignored it. Why? Because Sugar Ray dude. Years later I would find out that the Smashing Pumpkins are what I was supposed to be listening to; not all this mindless drivel that I’m currently talking about. Sheesh.
That said, there was an extreme low point for me. Aside from Will Smith’s “Willenium”, Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water” and Kid Rock’s “Devil Without A Cause” there was another album that I’m a little ashamed of owning.
It was LFO’s “LFO” released August 24th, 1999. I was just.. but I.. it had some good.. it wasn’t that…
Why? Why did you purchase that album man?
I can’t really tell you why.
Not my proudest moment. Lol.
Actually, now that I’m revisiting it again for the first time in over 19 years, it kind of holds up as a quintessential pop album. Well maybe not that good, but it’s good! You like!
Sure, their music was super corny at times (the song Every Other Time off of “Life is Good” is pretty cringe-inducing), but there were some gems as well, including “Girl On T.V.” from their first album.
This was Rich Cronin’s love song to then-girlfriend Jennifer Love Hewitt. How could you cheat on such a gorgeous man! Ugh.
Unfortunately in browsing the Internet, I found out that Rich died of Leukemia in 2010, and another band member Devin Lima died of cancer.
It makes you really stop and think about your own life and hopefully makes you grateful for what you have. Rich’s last song contained the lyrics:
“I was obsessed with this chase for wealth/’Til the doctor said, ‘Rich, it’s about your health. Your blood’s messed up, it don’t look good/I couldn’t stop time, but I wished I could.”
He would die just days/weeks later.
Listening to “Summer Girls” back then made me long for a girl to call my own. To this day people still talk about the song, and for good reason.
Though it was corny and some of the lyrics didn’t really make sense (LOL) it was pop in its most unapologetic form.
That’s what I’ll always remember about it and why people still appreciate the song over 20 years later.
Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the best headphones for Pop.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these headphones are you most likely to purchase? I would love to hear from you. Until next time..
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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