Podspeakers - The Drop Review

This is a review of ‘The Drop’ speakers from a Danish company called Podspeakers. The speakers are very noticeable, have high aesthetics and they also have a high quality finish, making them worth a second and third look. They are certainly a conversation starter in my experience of having them on general display in our living space.

Design

These ‘The Drop’ speakers are designed with art, design and nature in mind, so says designer Simon Ghahary.  He talks about traditional speakers being functional and technical and just boxes as part of a solution, I totally get this as I sit in front of my perfectly square (cuboid?) B&W CM7s, though I do appreciate a clean straight line as much as the next speaker man.  So Mr Ghahary talks of space being filled with music and then being released in the silence that is left when the music stops.  Philosophically then , there is more talk of form than substance, this is fine but it does all come down to what they sound like at the end of the day, or here it does at least.

The speakers, as I have them, are on 3 soft feel Rubber feet that are included in the box with a rudimentary user guide. They can be hung from the ceiling on suspended wires that also act as speaker cable. They can also be wall mounted.

Quality

The speakers are of impeccable standard with a very aesthetic soft feel black finish.  I am very impressed with the finish.  The teardrop soft rubber top of the speaker comes away to reveal a terminal for hanging the speakers from the ceiling.

If you are not hanging the speakers from the ceiling there is a conventional speaker terminal at the back featuring a spring loaded push in system that I have found very easy to get to grips with.

Specification

Packaging
Size (WxHxD): 508 x 268 x 222 mm
Weight (Gross): 2.9 Kgs

Each Speaker
Dimensions (WxHxD): 215 x 437 x 170 mm
Weight (Net): 2.6 Kgs

Housing material: ABS + Fibre material
Speaker terminal type: Push Type. Ø4mm cable max

Acoustic details
Closed cabinet. Bass Driver: 5.25” Kevlar driver
Tweeter Driver: 25mm soft dome

Frequency Range: 52Hz – 22KHz (±6dB)

Sensivity: 86dB@1m1W
Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohm

Performance

I am using various sources, including to start, with a small Onkyo integrated CD player.  For a more formal review I have moved them to a Bluesound streamer with a T+A DAC8 AMP 8 set-up which is way over the top but does seek to present the speakers at their best possible sound.

With the integrated set-up, the Podspeakers have been exceptionally playful, crispy, neat and fast.  The vocals throughout have been very acceptable indeed.  The mid ranges in this speaker are very good in my view and I have found them to be very pleasant in everyday use.

the speakers sparkle with Coldplay’s piano based original and best record

Moving to a more critical set-up with the DAC8/AMP8  with an MQAd Bluesound source, again the speakers are fine, with a forward sound stage.  They can certainly take the power given to them and the speakers perform well.  What is missing is a low end thump from them and a couple of minutes with Massive Attack reveals this deficit.  ‘Everything’s Not Lost'(!), however, as the speakers sparkle with Coldplay’s piano based original and best record (and my personal favourite).  

Finally, I had a really good listen with the Bluesound MQA’d Fleet Foxes ‘Cracked Up’ album, which is a very detailed but well produced piece of music.  Streaming through the DAC 8 at 96kHz, the detailed presentation was excellent and there is plenty of dynamic flexibility in the music that is amply passed through by The Drop speakers. They also pass through a quite open sound that is very pleasing, and necessary, with this Fleet Foxes album.

Overall

At a couple of hundred pounds, these speakers are very pleasant indeed and, for everyday use, I think they are well worth a good listen.  The ceiling mounted system is a hefty price but I imagine if this is a bespoke type of installation it would be fun.

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