T+A Solitaire P planar magnetostatic

[Droffen]

No, won’t help.
I checked with T+A support.
Either a MP 200 or a dedicated flash tool will do the update

Received the USB-Network dongle and software.
Firmware update of the HA 200 with a windows 10 PC worked fine.

 

[nrbatista]

Curious about how you got the USB-Network dongle and software. Did you ask T+A support?

Received the USB-Network dongle and software.
Firmware update of the HA 200 with a windows 10 PC worked fine.

 

[Droffen]

Curious about how you got the USB-Network dongle and software. Did you ask T+A support?

Yes, contacted T+A support directly and got a offer to buy it from T+A directly
Software was shared for free afterwards.

Don’t know if I’m allowed to link to a ‚foreign forum‘: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/63998-ta-dac-200/?do=findComment&comment=1240072

 

[nogi replicant]

New owner here. Just received today in a trade from a great Head-fi member. Initial listening sessions are positive (I had not heard them prior to trading for them). Fit is a little funny, have contact with the metal bits on the side of my head where the padding end (this might not be a problem though and might just take some getting used to - strange though as I don't have a particularly big head). Owning the Susvara and TC, this might be a nice compliment to both. Looking forward to tuning my brain into their sound in the coming days. Build quality is phenomenal and the stock cable is nice. I have ordered an adaptor to be able to try my DHC Prion 4s with them.

 

[daijobudes]

I have my Lavricables Grand silver 6ft 4.4 rhodium for sale. AFAIK it fits T+A Connectors.
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/lavricables-grand-silver.48423/

 

[daijobudes]

Yes, they do:
Only I have 4.4 rhodium

 

[nogi replicant]

Well after some pretty extensive listening to the Solitaire P for a week (4-8 hours per day) I am certain (imo) they are at the same level as the Susvara and the TC. I currently own all 3.

At first I found the headband a little bit uncomfortable but now I am used to them they are possibly the most comfortable of the 3. I have some cauliflower ear from years of grappling so the deep cups are great. They are definitely the best build quality of the 3 (up there with the Utopia - which I traded a few years back due to the lack of bass and uncomfortable band). Now that my brain has tuned into their sound I am finding them really balanced, transparent, and with a really cohesive sound. The slightly darker tuning is nice (I can find the TC too hot sometimes). The Susvara has a beautiful sweet tuning but does not have the bass authority of the other two, although it has excellent bass. No headphone can do it all, so I am glad to have all 3. I think they are all stellar and sufficiently different, with the Sol P sitting somewhere between the other two regarding many of its traits. I am also using the Prion 4s on the TC and Sus, and the stock cable on the Sol P. An adaptor is in the mail from Affinity Cables.

It is impossible for me to conclusively rank these 3 headphones as I find my listening preference re preferred headphone oscillates back and forth between headphones (as has been the case with the TC and Susvara over the last 2 years). I find my brain needs to spend an extended time with the one headphone to truly tune into it and get the most out of it. I can enjoy all 3 on a given day and think they sound great but if I spend 1 month mainly listening to one and familiarizing myself with the nuance of it I can dig way deeper into the sound.

 

[Roasty]

@nogi replicant nice post! love my SolP. I have the prion4 as well but don't enjoy it as much with the SolP if using stock pads. it gets a bit too dark/blunted for me. it's ok with the alternate/wide solP pads though.

love the tuning of the SolP. very agreeable with almost all genres of music. can't wait to try it with the Zähl HM1.

 

[nogi replicant]

@nogi replicant nice post! love my SolP. I have the prion4 as well but don't enjoy it as much with the SolP if using stock pads. it gets a bit too dark/blunted for me. it's ok with the alternate/wide solP pads though.

love the tuning of the SolP. very agreeable with almost all genres of music. can't wait to try it with the Zähl HM1.

Thanks for the heads up re the wide pads. Will no doubt get them at some stage. If the Prion 4s is a no-go with the Sol P that is OK, I like them how they sound already and think the stock cable is excellent in terms of ergonomics and it is the perfect length too.

Very jealous you are getting the Zahl. That is one SERIOUS amp. I am using the Formula S and Powerman (which I do like) but have had that combo for a few years so a new amp will be on the cards in the next year or 2. Probably something compact with power like the Zahl or Enleum.

I see you also have the Rockna Wavedream, I only have the standard Edition though. I would like to add the Wavedream Net at some stage to replace my Nucleus. You have some killer gear

 

[Roasty]

Thanks for the heads up re the wide pads. Will no doubt get them at some stage. If the Prion 4s is a no-go with the Sol P that is OK, I like them how they sound already and think the stock cable is excellent in terms of ergonomics and it is the perfect length too.

Very jealous you are getting the Zahl. That is one SERIOUS amp. I am using the Formula S and Powerman (which I do like) but have had that combo for a few years so a new amp will be on the cards in the next year or 2. Probably something compact with power like the Zahl or Enleum.

I see you also have the Rockna Wavedream, I only have the standard Edition though. I would like to add the Wavedream Net at some stage to replace my Nucleus. You have some killer gear

if you think the stock SolP cable is good, wait until u try a nice silver one!
the nice thing about the SolP is it will work great with DAPs as well. not as power hungry as the TC or Sus.
yes am very looking forward to the Zahl. was supposed to get it in May but oh well, delays. one of the local headphone shops has it on demo so i may head down one day to satisfy my curiosity whilst i wait for my own. your Formula combo i've heard a few times and liked it a lot with the TC. Bliss seems to be very popular now too; if i still had my Holo May stack i'd likely have gone with the Bliss.
the WD NET is a fab piece of kit indeed.. am very happy with all my Rockna components. will probably add the WL server down the road.

 

[ThanatosVI]

if you think the stock SolP cable is good, wait until u try a nice silver one!
the nice thing about the SolP is it will work great with DAPs as well. not as power hungry as the TC or Sus.
yes am very looking forward to the Zahl. was supposed to get it in May but oh well, delays. one of the local headphone shops has it on demo so i may head down one day to satisfy my curiosity whilst i wait for my own. your Formula combo i've heard a few times and liked it a lot with the TC. Bliss seems to be very popular now too; if i still had my Holo May stack i'd likely have gone with the Bliss.
the WD NET is a fab piece of kit indeed.. am very happy with all my Rockna components. will probably add the WL server down the road.

Your setup keeps getting more amazing!
Looking forward to your impressions of Solitaire P on the Zähl

 

[ardbeg1975]

Recently got a Sol P and thus am parting with my Sol P-SE if anyone is interested.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Recently got a Sol P and thus am parting with my Sol P-SE if anyone is interested.

First, please give us your direct comparison.
It's so rare that someone can compare them at the own setup

 

[ardbeg1975]

First, please give us your direct comparison.
It's so rare that someone can compare them at the own setup

Traveling at the moment so I’m not near my rig but I’ll give it a go from memory and can comment further in a few weeks time when I return.

The review sites are largely accurate in that the Sol-P has a fuller sound, heavier note weight across the frequency spectrum but particularly in the bass. The Sol-P SE has hints of that “ethereal” quality found in e-stats particularly in the treble. The Sol P is a darker headphone with very detailed but less prominent treble and that darker quality is accentuated by the fuller bass which has excellent articulation and rumble bested by few planars (Final D8K Pro and certainly TC trump as might a LCD-4 by reputation but I haven’t personally heard a 4/4z). Overall the Sol P presents what some might call a non-fatiguing and laid back listen. The detail is there in abundance (even more so than the high detail in the Sol P-SE) but not screaming for attention. Sol P soundstage is larger and deeper than the P-SE for me.

Comfort and construction on both are excellent although the Sol P-SE is lighter given its materials while the Sol P feels more premium in hand. Both are very understated in their design.

 

[BTD1]

Traveling at the moment so I’m not near my rig but I’ll give it a go from memory and can comment further in a few weeks time when I return.

The review sites are largely accurate in that the Sol-P has a fuller sound, heavier note weight across the frequency spectrum but particularly in the bass. The Sol-P SE has hints of that “ethereal” quality found in e-stats particularly in the treble. The Sol P is a darker headphone with very detailed but less prominent treble and that darker quality is accentuated by the fuller bass which has excellent articulation and rumble bested by few planars (Final D8K Pro and certainly TC trump as might a LCD-4 by reputation but I haven’t personally heard a 4/4z). Overall the Sol P presents what some might call a non-fatiguing and laid back listen. The detail is there in abundance (even more so than the high detail in the Sol P-SE) but not screaming for attention. Sol P soundstage is larger and deeper than the P-SE for me.

Comfort and construction on both are excellent although the Sol P-SE is lighter given its materials while the Sol P feels more premium in hand. Both are very understated in their design.

I have them both and it took me a while to warm up to the P-SE. New, right out of the box, they don't reveal what they are capable of. As has been mentioned in various reviews, if you put a lot of hours of burn in on these they really do open up and you realize how capable and versatile they are. They tend toward slightly warm/neutral with a clear and potentially airy treble. These headphones do not color the sound, but you can EQ them to add bass weight and heft. I have recently been using them at night, in bed, because they are so light compared to the Solitaire P. The lightness of these headphones makes a big difference. They are harder to drive the the P. I drive them both with the HA200 so it's easy to compare. I had these on a shelf for a long time before I pulled them out for second hearing. I'm glad I did. T+A did a very good job with these the tuning of these. They are not Solitaire P light, but their own thing. I think they may be underrated, if only because the P is so highly acclaimed. My listening is mostly classical. These really excel in string quartet recordings. They can do subtle nuance and detail. I don't think they are at all for bass heads. The P leans more in that direction.