[ThanatosVI]

So a few words to my first impressions.

As background I had the Meze Empyrean as my only headphone for the last 8 months, the Empyrean are close to perfect for me and therefore I sold all my other cans including the Arya.

Build quality of the Solitaire P is impeccable, as you'd expect from german engineering. It really feels like the 4800€ headphone that it is.
Comfort wise it was a close call, I have a tiny head, I have to use all headphones on the smallest setting, also the Solitaire P. Probably due to this the fit on my head isn't as good as with the Empyrean. It's also heavier which you can instantly feel, but weight on headphones has never been an issue for me.
It's still comfortable but doesn't fit as well as I am used to.

Regarding the sound, the headphone is completely new, 0 hours of burn in.
What immediately caught my attention was the treble. T+A absolutely nailed the treble presentation, just perfect. Completely non fatiguing but at the same time not lacking at all.
Instrument layering and detail retrieval are on another level. A clear step above the Empyrean in that regard. With the Empyrean you also had great detail retrieval but sometimes had to focus on it, not so with the Solitaire P, it's just completely effortless. You can hear every nuance, every detail without anything being "in your face"
The Bass quantity is noteably less than on the Empyrean, which is one of the main reasons the Empyrean is so appealling to me - I'm a bass head after all. The sub bass is a godly experience though, maybe it's partially because the Solitair P has less mid bass, which makes the sub bass clearer to hear, but it also has definitely more texture.

So I think the Empyrean will stay my favourite, especially as daily driver, but the Solitair P is a great addition for critical listening sessions.
Both have very musical presentations, without focus on any part of the frequency spectrum.
The Empyrean has a more "fun" tuning, while the Solitaire P is completely neutral.

Both headphones were used with stock cables, and I can't wait to receive my Norne Audio Silvergarde S4 8-wire.

 

[Bonddam]

So a few words to my first impressions.

As background I had the Meze Empyrean as my only headphone for the last 8 months, the Empyrean are close to perfect for me and therefore I sold all my other cans including the Arya.

Build quality of the Solitaire P is impeccable, as you'd expect from german engineering. It really feels like the 4800€ headphone that it is.
Comfort wise it was a close call, I have a tiny head, I have to use all headphones on the smallest setting, also the Solitaire P. Probably due to this the fit on my head isn't as good as with the Empyrean. It's also heavier which you can instantly feel, but weight on headphones has never been an issue for me.
It's still comfortable but doesn't fit as well as I am used to.

Regarding the sound, the headphone is completely new, 0 hours of burn in.
What immediately caught my attention was the treble. T+A absolutely nailed the treble presentation, just perfect. Completely non fatiguing but at the same time not lacking at all.
Instrument layering and detail retrieval are on another level. A clear step above the Empyrean in that regard. With the Empyrean you also had great detail retrieval but sometimes had to focus on it, not so with the Solitaire P, it's just completely effortless. You can hear every nuance, every detail without anything being "in your face"
The Bass quantity is noteably less than on the Empyrean, which is one of the main reasons the Empyrean is so appealling to me - I'm a bass head after all. The sub bass is a godly experience though, maybe it's partially because the Solitair P has less mid bass, which makes the sub bass clearer to hear, but it also has definitely more texture.

So I think the Empyrean will stay my favourite, especially as daily driver, but the Solitair P is a great addition for critical listening sessions.
Both have very musical presentations, without focus on any part of the frequency spectrum.
The Empyrean has a more "fun" tuning, while the Solitaire P is completely neutral.

Both headphones were used with stock cables, and I can't wait to receive my Norne Audio Silvergarde S4 8-wire.

good track to try above and beyond waltz extended mix the bass impact with the right equipment is awesome. don't youtube it you can loose out on my example. Apple Music is really good recording of this track.

 

[brams]

Still looking for a used Solitaire P before springing for the P-Se ...

I have not heard the P-Se to decide if the sub-bass roll-off relative to the P is meaningful to me, but the build quality of the P is very appealing!

 

[ThanatosVI]

Still looking for a used Solitaire P before springing for the P-Se ...

I have not heard the P-Se to decide if the sub-bass roll-off relative to the P is meaningful to me, but the build quality of the P is very appealing!

I am 100% sure that the build quality of the P-SE is just as good.
It is lighter since it doesn't use aluminium but by no stretch of the imagination cheap.

So the question should really be about the sound difference.
"Unfortunately" most Solitaire P users really enjoy their purchase, which makes the Solitaire P extremely rare on the used market. (I didn't find a single one in over 3 months on hifishark)

 

[Bonddam]

The weight isn't bad. It's not like the Empyrean.

 

[Bonddam]

I am 100% sure that the build quality of the P-SE is just as good.
It is lighter since it doesn't use aluminium but by no stretch of the imagination cheap.

So the question should really be about the sound difference.
"Unfortunately" most Solitaire P users really enjoy their purchase, which makes the Solitaire P extremely rare on the used market. (I didn't find a single one in over 3 months on hifishark)

I'll be the first. I bought two only need one. I wanted my OCD unit now I want to bring back my other favorite headphone the Empyrean back in the fold. Now I'm just waiting on those pesky German Dudes of EXCELENT brains to ship all my fun T+A gear. They be in the union because they most be taking a bunch of smoke breaks on the way to the post office.

 

[Bonddam]

Anybody in the US thinking about taking the HA-200 off me when it comes? I don't think I'll need it, I've got too many amps.

 

[Ciggavelli]

My headphones are going to take longer to ship, according to my dealer. Something about waiting for parts to come into the T+A factory.

Oh well, I expected it would take a while to ship to me in the US, so I'll just keep anxiously waiting

 

[ThanatosVI]

My headphones are going to take longer to ship, according to my dealer. Something about waiting for parts to come into the T+A factory.

Oh well, I expected it would take a while to ship to me in the US, so I'll just keep anxiously waiting

Very sorry to hear that, nur I gotta Feeling that they will be worth the wait

 

[Nomax]

Here some Keywords for the Black SE from me...positive and also negative

Unclean in the lows/more Airy as P/Distortion/Vibration from the Housing above 95 db/sounds more realistic at low volume levels as P/worst Build and Materialquality that i have ever seen

NOMAX

PS.but for the announced price the tonality is good ...more on Sunday

 

[Bonddam]

Here some Keywords for the Black SE....positive and also negative

Unclean in the lows/more Airy as P/Distortion/Vibration from the Housing above 95 db/worst Build and Materialquality that i have ever seen

NOMAX

PS.but for the announced price the tonality is good ...more on Sunday

Who wrote that? I've come to see there are plain haters towards this company. just kidding

 

[ThanatosVI]

Listening to the Final Fantasy VII Remake OST as I did a lot lately. Nice to have a new experience with the Solitaire P.

Really enjoying them.
@brams I've seen in Nomax signature that he is selling his Solitaire P. Maybe you get into an agreement...

 

[Nomax]

Who wrote that? I've come to see there are plain haters towards this company.

I wrote it lol

NOMAX

PS.on Sunday....i will post my full report/my personal impressions...no worries...not all is bad for the anounced price

 

[Bonddam]

My headphones are going to take longer to ship, according to my dealer. Something about waiting for parts to come into the T+A factory.

Oh well, I expected it would take a while to ship to me in the US, so I'll just keep anxiously waiting

I'm checking with my dealer to see if I'm in same boat. What would make me made if you expedite it and that's for nothing. I'm expecting two headphones and amp.

 

[Bonddam]

Listening to the Final Fantasy VII Remake OST as I did a lot lately. Nice to have a new experience with the Solitaire P.

Really enjoying them.
@brams I've seen in Nomax signature that he is selling his Solitaire P. Maybe you get into an agreement...

Nomax needs my setup get a real amp not puny boy stuff over there. Got me some American Muscle. lol