T+A Solitaire P planar magnetostatic

Dec 31, 2021 at 6:00 AM Post #1,621 of 3,594
Just jumping into this party.......I had a set of P in house for a few weeks thanks to a kind member here and they are officially my favorite headphone for EDM (preferably Ambient or Chill not Oakenfold per say). The Soundstage and impact was as good as the 1266 TC to me but the fitment offered me some of the same issues as the 1266, they just don't fit my head very well.......I would still buy a set at a good price though, really enjoyed them!
I had the P (and then the P-SE) for about a year. They still amaze me for their technicality and that they can be driven much easier than most of the flagships. I love the cup design but I wished they had a better headband. For my larger and flatter head top, the headband was unfortunately a fail. I still catch myself thinking about buying them again, but then I remember the headband.

P-SE is also very capable and lightweight HP. We still keep it and is my wife's studio desk headphone. It is more comfortable due to less weight but still the same design.

I switched to HEKse, unfortunately. Not due to better sound but better comfort.
 
Dec 31, 2021 at 6:12 AM Post #1,622 of 3,594
I had the P (and then the P-SE) for about a year. They still amaze me for their technicality and that they can be driven much easier than most of the flagships. I love the cup design but I wished they had a better headband. For my larger and flatter head top, the headband was unfortunately a fail. I still catch myself thinking about buying them again, but then I remember the headband.

P-SE is also very capable and lightweight HP. We still keep it and is my wife's studio desk headphone. It is more comfortable due to less weight but still the same design.

I switched to HEKse, unfortunately. Not due to better sound but better comfort.
I wondered if the headband would be more comfortable on the P-SE with less weight pulling down, but you've answered that! I'm willing to put up with the P headband as they sound superb. Best I've heard and I've owned a few!
 
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Dec 31, 2021 at 6:39 AM Post #1,623 of 3,594
I wondered if the headband would be more comfortable on the P-SE with less weight pulling down, but you've answered that! I'm willing to put up with the P headband though as they sound superb. Best I've heard and I've owned a few!
I used to have a small towel or a small and soft piece of wool under the headband and that used to help a lot.
 
Dec 31, 2021 at 11:26 AM Post #1,625 of 3,594
Yeah, that's worth a try. Don't have much natural padding up there!
Yes it was the headband fitment for me but more so than the padding it just has a weird shape to it that doesn't secure the cans to the side of my ears properly. As Dargin said they are technically a marvel and have the HD800 soundstage and cup comfort albeit some HUGE cups. I would like to have a version 2.0 for certain.
 
Jan 7, 2022 at 9:09 AM Post #1,627 of 3,594
hi, im loking for shorter cable for my t+a p-se (about 1,5 m with pentacon)

would somebody have ay advice where to buy (im in europe)

thaks a lot
 
Jan 7, 2022 at 9:31 AM Post #1,629 of 3,594
For those who’ve heard both, are there any plus points with the P-SE over the P, other than the lighter weight?
Different sound signature, less dark.
Certainly a matter of taste if this is a pro or contra.

Uses 3.5mm connectors instead of the HD800 connector.
 
Jan 7, 2022 at 10:12 AM Post #1,630 of 3,594
I had the P (and then the P-SE) for about a year. They still amaze me for their technicality and that they can be driven much easier than most of the flagships. I love the cup design but I wished they had a better headband. For my larger and flatter head top, the headband was unfortunately a fail. I still catch myself thinking about buying them again, but then I remember the headband.

P-SE is also very capable and lightweight HP. We still keep it and is my wife's studio desk headphone. It is more comfortable due to less weight but still the same design.

I switched to HEKse, unfortunately. Not due to better sound but better comfort.
I have been in the headphone game for a while now and I still can't believe ANY manufacturer considers anything else than a suspension style headband nowadays (for sit-down, flagships; obviously not for portable).

In about the past 7 years, suspension style headbands have taken over the headphone scene and I am very grateful for that. I have even modded several of my non-suspension style headphones to be so since anything else is just a step backwards.

I also owned the HEKv1 before and I thought they, and now the HEKse, were some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever listened to.

I too wish the Solitaire P would have been like that. Even if they are fine, they still could have been better with a suspension style headband. Just like Pioneer did with the SE-Master1s, which are very similar in overall materials and build.

And 3-pin mini XLRs for driver cable sockets... HD800 sockets...
 
Jan 7, 2022 at 4:27 PM Post #1,631 of 3,594
anything else than a suspension style headband nowadays

I don’t think there is only one way to do headband right.

Audeze used suspension style headbands for years and people were complaining about comfort. Abyss makes suspension headband for 1266 and I laugh each time I see it. On the other hand we have Fostex TH-900, Sennheiser HD800 and other “classical” headphones which were comfortable without any suspensions.

I have not tried LCD5 yet, but I’m pretty sure that any other Audeze headphones with suspension would be less comfortable for me than Solitaire P with it’s “normal headband”.

I’ve had Meze Empyrean in the past. Best headphones when it comes to comfort and build quality. I would not say T+A reached same level of quality, but all in all I do similar listening sessions with Solitaires and in terms of overall comfort I feel even better, because Empyrean were less open and therefore slightly hotter.
 
Jan 8, 2022 at 1:55 AM Post #1,632 of 3,594
I’ve had Meze Empyrean in the past. Best headphones when it comes to comfort and build quality. I would not say T+A reached same level of quality, but all in all I do similar listening sessions with Solitaires and in terms of overall comfort I feel even better, because Empyrean were less open and therefore slightly hotter.
I had problems with the Empyrean fit, could never get it to sit comfortably around my ears without the suspension headband sliding off my crown. Realise I’m probably alone in this! Solitaire comfort is at HD800 level for me, other than the headband causing pressure over long listening sessions.
 

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