[alvinmate]

For those interested and havent seen this video already.... Brief intro to the new 2020 models.

 

[paulgc]

For some time I have been contemplating the Solaris. Have and love the (DD) Atlas as well as the (BA) SE846. So the Hybrid had lots of appeal. When the Ceramic (internals) SE version came out it was pretty obvious that there would be a new generation. As. beautiful as the SE pictures look the look was just not for me. Those that have them have a nice piece of kit no question. The Black 2020 look great and the smaller size a nice bonus. Not sure how I feel about the cork case but not a make/break. @KB do the Solaris 2020 fit in the traditional Atlas/Comet case? Going to wait a bit for some early impressions but I am leaning farther towards my next CFA!

 

[Tristy]

Crinacle's Solaris SE measurement (2nd measurement) = Green line
Jude's Measurements of the Solaris 2020 (different rigs) = Red and Blue solid and dotted lines.

 

[CL14715]

Crinacle's Solaris SE measurement (2nd measurement) = Green line
Jude's Measurements of the Solaris 2020 (different rigs) = Red and Blue solid and dotted lines.

So I’ll stick with the dotted line rig since it’s closer in line with crinacle. Based on that it seems to have had a slight mid range bump and some shimmer added around 4-6k. Oh boy, this will be interesting to hear first hand.

 

[Dsnuts]

Well. It is now time to snap up on a used Solaris/ SE. Never seen so many Solaris's for sale. Lol!!

 

[gto88]

Now, the fit issue is resolved by 20% smaller, new owner will jump on.
Any picture of the side by side comparison of OG and 2020 model?

 

[gnahra]

Now, the fit issue is resolved by 20% smaller, new owner will jump on.
Any picture of the side by side comparison of OG and 2020 model?

there are several in this thread - check the last couple of pages

 

[FlowLikeWater]

Now, the fit issue is resolved by 20% smaller, new owner will jump on.
Any picture of the side by side comparison of OG and 2020 model?

check out official release thread or this few pages back lots of comparisons posted

edit: sniped by @gnahra

 

[gto88]

thanks, I see it.

 

[sorrick]

I can understand emotionally why folks who bought the SE can be disappointed at the new solaris 2020 coming out less than a year after the special edition because your new hotness is no longer the newest hotness. I briefly felt the same way when Solaris came out something like 6 months after the Atlas.

However, unless I’ve missed something, from everything I’ve read and from the intro video with ken, Caleb, and Jude, it sounds like the special edition is still the only Solaris with the ceramic chamber, which was, per CA marketing material, the only advertised sonically-relevant physical change between the OG and the SE. Yes, it came out later that the mids driver may be updated too in the SE, but that was never in the CA marketing materials. In fact, if anything, I’d say CA downplayed the sonic differences between the SE and the OG. So all those who got the SE can rest comfortably that you have a fancier interior chamber material to add to your fancy abalone face place.

I have an OG Solaris and just pulled the trigger on a Solaris 2020. I have, on multiple occasions over the past months since the SE was announced, added it to my cart only to shy away from pulling the trigger at the last minute. I’m pretty stoked for the smaller size of the 2020 and am eager to hear any sonic improvements, but if it makes any of you SE owners feel better, I still think the SE looks sexier (the Abalone faceplate is quite lovely).

After ordering earlier today, I made the realization rewatching Jude’s video that the next step for CA is almost assuredly a custom Solaris. This now seems inevitable because part of the rationale for the new one piece internal boot that Caleb said each of the new 2020 models have was that they needed a way to preserve the internal architecture of the older andromeda for the custom solstice. So I have in one day had a new hotness and been deflated by recognizing its inevitable overshadowing by a newer new hotness.

And so the world turns, we continue to spend such embarrassing amounts of money on frivolous iems that we sheepishly lie to our friends and spouses about their cost (the equivalent of least ten rolls of TP in today’s currency), and we then bitch verbosely when the iem we loved yesterday devolves overnight into garbage when something shinier comes along and our signatures lose cache amongst the anonymous avatars with whom we enjoy arguing on head-fi.

 

[Mirimar]

Actually out of all this I think what I really want is that new Super Smokey Litz cable...I love the look of the OG smokey litz...I think I'll be picking this one up.

That new Super Smokey Litz Cable is dope. I’m getting my Solstice reworked and when I get them back I will either get the Super Smokey Litz Cable or Copper Litz Cable. I was going to buy the Solaris OG some time ago but they didn't fit so I got the Solstice but this new smaller shell looks enticing

 

[paulgc]

For some time I have been contemplating the Solaris. Have and love the (DD) Atlas as well as the (BA) SE846. So the Hybrid had lots of appeal. When the Ceramic (internals) SE version came out it was pretty obvious that there would be a new generation. As. beautiful as the SE pictures look the look was just not for me. Those that have them have a nice piece of kit no question. The Black 2020 look great and the smaller size a nice bonus. Not sure how I feel about the cork case but not a make/break. @KB do the Solaris 2020 fit in the traditional Atlas/Comet case? Going to wait a bit for some early impressions but I am leaning farther towards my next CFA!
[/QUOT
Tought

For some time I have been contemplating the Solaris. Have and love the (DD) Atlas as well as the (BA) SE846. So the Hybrid had lots of appeal. When the Ceramic (internals) SE version came out it was pretty obvious that there would be a new generation. As. beautiful as the SE pictures look the look was just not for me. Those that have them have a nice piece of kit no question. The Black 2020 look great and the smaller size a nice bonus. Not sure how I feel about the cork case but not a make/break. @KB do the Solaris 2020 fit in the traditional Atlas/Comet case? Going to wait a bit for some early impressions but I am leaning farther towards my next CFA!

or do I wait for Solaris 2020 SE TI. Titanium 2020 Solaris with Ara like Ti shell!

 

[gnahra]

or do I wait for Solaris 2020 SE TI. Titanium 2020 Solaris with Ara like Ti shell!

There will undoubtedly be a Solaris 2020 special edition of some sort, in all seriousness.

 

[fokta]

as owner of OG, and had tried SE, (will try 2020 & tempted by the Blackish color)...
well that's life.. just move on...

anyway, looking forward in the corner for Custom Solaris... fitting Acoustic Chamber to certain size for DD is a challenge of its own...

 

[hkpants]

There are multiple issues at hand here, so I'll try to break it down from my perspective. I'll preface by saying that I sold my Solaris SE last week, so I have no investment in the product anymore. I am interested in the Solaris 2020 since the Solaris has the best sound I've heard in my IEM journey, but I may also hold out for a custom Solaris. Side note, CA customs are beautiful. Anyways, in no particular order:

1. The increase from 750 units to 900 units is underhanded business and false advertisement. When you sell a product with an advertised limit, people buy it with the knowledge that they are getting 1/xxx copies. For example, imagine an artist advertises a painting that is limited to 10 copies (very common) or a watchmaker advertises a watch as limited to 100 copies (also very common). The artist/watchmaker is making an unofficial contract to the buyers that there will not be more made. People will buy these, not only for their functional value (decoration or timekeeping) but also for their collectability, which is tied to the limited supply (something that is limited to 100 pieces is much more valuable than something similar that is made in unlimited quantities). People on the fence about purchasing may make their decision based on the fact that supplies are limited, so they have to make the purchase soon. If later on, say a month later, the artist/watchmaker suddenly made more copies, the artist/watchmaker is going back on their word that the product is limited. People that bought the original item may not have made that choice if they knew more was going to be made. The underhandedness is further exemplified when you see the way it was done. CA didn't announce that they were extending the series or provide any reasoning, they simply changed the numbers and hoped no one would catch it. What people bought (a 1/750 Solaris SE) was not what they got (a 1/900 Solaris SE). That is a false advertising.
2. The Abalone piece on the Solaris SE. While, technically, CA didn't state they would give you one whole Abalone piece, when you're paying such a premium for a product, it shouldn't have any sort of blemishes like mismatching art. Other products have been marked as B-Stock for much less (a minor wood blemish or the paint color is slightly off). Again, when people bought this product, they saw a beautiful one-piece abalone faceplate. Yes, people knew that their faceplate would not be exactly the same, but I think they were justified in expecting a product that looked like a complete piece of art, not some mismatched art.
3. The Solaris 2020 vs the Solaris SE. In this case, this is just the way of the business. "Upgrades" will always be made (in this case, I'm not sure it can be technically called an upgrade tho most may consider it one), so when you buy your product, you should expect that there will be an upgrade coming down the line. There will always be people that buy a product a week before the upgrade is released, which is unfortunate, but also just how new releases work. Now, CA could have alleviated some of the negativity by providing sneak peeks or dropping hints further in advance, say maybe a couple weeks, so people that are thinking of buying the old version can wait and see, but I'm not going to knock them too much for that, especially during this COVID-19 situation.

I'm not going to try and speak for CA's behalf, I don't know why they did what they did. Perhaps it was for more benevolent reasons such as making the product more accessible or it was for more business-oriented decisions ($$$). Overall, I can understand and sympathize with the people that are upset about how the Solaris SE was handled.