[FooFighter]

Currently having N8ii here on loan.
Thx @Tom75
Best DAP pairing with Solitaire P I personally could listen too (Ultra wide pads, high gain, Solid State AB, P+)
Engaging but smooth, transparent with some thump.
HA200 is another tier but for a DAP that sounds fabulous!

 

[HA-1]

Review of the Solitaire T in the paywalled online-article of the German HiFi-Magazine Stereo.
The article also appears in the print-edition and e-paper of Stereo 1/2023 on December 7, 2022.
The Solitaire T will be compared to the Focal Bathys - Stereo - as well as the KEF Mu7 - Stereo.

 

[HA-1]

The HiFi-Magazine Stereo wrote in the above article about the Solitaire T: "The headphone is characterised by neutrality, fine detail, clean & deep bass and high level reserves. The build quality is very good and the price is high but reasonable." Stereo gave the Solitaire T for the sound-quality 91% (out of 100) while the Focal Bathys got 88% and the KEF Mu7 got 84%.


The German HiFi-Magazine AUDIO (5-2023, p.54) wrote:

"Simply the best: the new T+A Solitaire T - a noble headphone that also plays without a cable and with noise-cancelling. The superstar of its class.

The men from Herford have courage, you can't deny them that. And they can read numbers: for almost a decade, more money has been earned in the high-end industry with headphones than with loudspeakers. The crux of the matter: T+A's engineers know their way around loudspeakers, but headphones? That's uncharted territory. Any management consultant would have suggested starting easy, with mid-range headphones, preferably with acquisitions from the Far East. But Siegfried Amft, as head of the company, set a different course: everything from his own hands, everything rethought, no matter what the cost. This, as said, is called courage. This is how the Solitaire P came into being a few years ago, a flagship with a wonderful headphone amplifier, the HA 200. If you order both, you could also pay a deposit on a sports car. This was quickly followed by the Solitaire P-SE, a little slimmer in terms of workmanship, but still upmarket in price.

Now, very recently, the Solitaire T. This is a completely new concept and tailored to a different target group. It is lighter, the shape is more compact - and it can play without cables, via Bluetooth. As if this were not revolution enough, T+A has also integrated active noise cancellation. Sennheiser has been researching this for years, Beyerdynamic came late to this level - now the mighty impact of T+A. The clientele will not be overflowing in droves, because the T costs € 1300. Even unpacking it awakens a feeling of luxury. A fine casket, the Solitaire itself is milled from solid aluminium and appears in a blasted matt finish. The joints allow compact storage in the case on the one hand, but also many ways of playing on the head, of course there is the perfect fit on the ears - not with some skin from rare, dead animals. It's deliberately artificial leather, but tested for allergies. After ten minutes I forgot that I had headphones over the top of my head. With that alone, T+A has scored a lot of sympathy points.

And then there are the extras. I can also make phone calls with these headphones, and they also have really excellent noise cancellation. Here, T+A was smart enough not to spend money or experiment: a chip from Sony currently holds the maximum in the noise-cancelling segment - cleverly bought up and perfectly integrated into the product. The sound processing is ultimate. Any other manufacturer would have docked a Bluetooth module onto an inexpensive transducer, basta. But T+A wants more. Even the diaphragm, at 42 millimetres, is quite large. For Bluetooth, the best and not least the most expensive chip available from Qualcomm is used. At the same level, the converter - here the ES9218 from Sabre is used - again plays noble fare. Now it's up to the owner. As said, the T can be operated via Bluetooth, of course in the highest standard with aptXHD, but also with a classic cable on the jack of an amplifier. Now the cherry on the cake: a cable with a USB-C plug is also included in the scope of delivery - so directly into the PC or Mac. A great scenario is conceivable here: sending files directly to the headphones via the Audirvana software - that's just as modern as it is sonically powerful.

Of course, we tested all options. The connection via classic cable to a good, external headphone amplifier sounds best. But not so far below that, the Bluetooth option fixed us in place, which is, after all, the core message of the new, wireless form of use. This is best T+A tradition, I still remember the Solitaire's big brothers - the Westphalians love order and the fine pressure from the upper bass. Great the panorama, then a high energy with voices from the centre axis - a bundle of energy with deeply humane values. The Soitaire T is the new high-flyer in its class. D/A conversion, Bluetooth signal transmission, plus stress-free noise-cancelling: T+A has not only done everything right, but also set the bar for the competition at an extreme level. You don't jump over it so easily.

Transparent, highly informative, fast, open, but always elegant - the price is just as intense as the sound gain. Sound rating: 96 points (out of 100)" - AUDIO.de . E-Paper: Zinio.com , United-Kiosk.de , iKiosk.de .

 

[BTD1]

The HiFi-Magazine Stereo wrote in the above article about the Solitaire T: "The headphone is characterised by neutrality, fine detail, clean & deep bass and high level reserves. The build quality is very good and the price is high but reasonable." Stereo gave the Solitaire T for the sound-quality 91% (out of 100) while the Focal Bathys got 88% and the KEF Mu7 got 84%.

Can you post more of the article or link to PDF of entire article?

 

[HA-1]

Can you post more of the article or link to PDF of entire article?

The links to the paywalled online-articles by Stereo are above in Post #2,822 . They can also be found on Stereo.de .

 

[HA-1]

Another review of the Solitaire T by hobby headphones-enthusiast Fidelio of Musicalhead.de (in German).

He gave the Solitaire T for the sound-quality 4 out of 5 ears, also 4 out of 5 ears for the wearing comfort and full 5 out of 5 ears for the build-quality.

 

[FooFighter]

Another review of the Solitaire T by hobby headphones-enthusiast Fidelio of Musicalhead.de (in German).

A pity that there's no comparison to other closed DD backs in that price range like Denon AH-D9200 for example (yet)
I've personally owned some Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless once upon a time ago, maybe my personal BT highlight.
Nowadays only having some Airpod Max mainly for movie watching but I am honestly quite happy with it especially for multi channel movie watching and movie sound tracks, noise reduction is excellent too but for serious music listening I wouldn't use it either

 

[HA-1]

Solitaire T: "The sound quality is impeccable, whether analog, digital or wireless modes. The ANC function works faultlessly, thanks to that Sony CXD technology, while the Bluetooth is ably handled with Qualcomm’s high-end chipset. Adding a separate Esstech ES9218 Sabre DAC results in excellent high-resolution sound when used in HQ mode. For anyone who can’t decide whether to buy a great pair of wired headphones or a wireless version, the Solitaire T means they no longer have to choose. This pair of headphones offers the best of both worlds. They function as a superb pair of passive headphones while offering excellent wired or wireless digital performance, with the option of switching on ANC to eliminate unwanted sounds. Highly Recommended." - Forbes.com .

 

[Roasty]

not so sure about the aesthetic...

 

[ThanatosVI]

not so sure about the aesthetic...

Aesthetically the Solitaires aren't the most convincing.

However Sonically I read zhat it's the best Bluetooth headphone on the market right now, so there's that

 

[FooFighter]

Aesthetically the Solitaires aren't the most convincing.

However Sonically I read zhat it's the best Bluetooth headphone on the market right now, so there's that

According to the before mentioned STEREO magazin review?
I'd love to learn how that closed can is performing compared to closed non BT competitors in that price range to get some benchmark.
BT performance alone isn't necessarily my personal benchmark

 

[xenithon]

I’m very, very impressed with how the SolP sounds of this thing.

 

[FooFighter]

I’m very, very impressed with how the SolP sounds of this thing.

300 Max?
I was yet impressed with N8ii but for sure SolP will profit from more amp power

 

[homeros8000]

I had very good results driving Sol P with Benchmark AHB2, using HPA4 as preamp. I compared to Ferrum Oor/Hypsos, Headroom BUDA and HPA4 on its own. I experienced an expansion in soundstage, and improved resolution and separation.

 

[FooFighter]

Would love to know how Solitaire P performs with the new Holo Audio Bliss...