Oh! i dont realized @Kiats has been a fellow ST user for so long. i often read his post in fitear threads and really learnt a lot. probably i've missed some discussions here, after the initial fondness with ST faded a bit, so missing out the participation of #kiats
T+A Solitaire T Wireless Headphone
- Thread starter frdtitan
- Start date
Nice review from Stereophile ...
https://www.stereophile.com/content/ta-solitaire-t-bluetoothwired-headphones
https://www.stereophile.com/content/ta-solitaire-t-bluetoothwired-headphones
angelom
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2015
- Posts
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The curious thing is that you actually giving a like to the @Kiats post that I linking to before, from 14.5 months ago!
But I understand because you prefer the ML 5909's sound more than the ST's sound (yes, I remember!) and, also, you own so many headphones and earphones that maybe you don't always following this thread...
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oh really? i don't really recall that. my bad memoryThe curious thing is that you actually giving a like to the @Kiats post that I linking to before, from 14.5 months ago!
.i moved to a short term leased apartment while refurnishing the old one. most headphones are packed up and not in use for the last few months. i mostly listen to iems and tws during this transitional period, and very occasionally listen to abyss diana tc (the only overeras i didnt packed) . . .
How’s the Diana TC holding up as your only over-ear during the move?
excellent. i bought it during the 50% off sale last year from abyss. abyss also fitted the new headbands coming out with DZ for my order. it's more comfortable than most headphones i've tried. really night and day difference from the ergonomic nightmare 1266 series. amazingly detailed and the bass of abyss planar is very special.
Very kind of you to say that.
Yes, FitEar is the love of my life insofar as customs go. It has played a special part in my life for so long. And cocooned me from the madness of flights and hours spent in airport lounges. I am glad you enjoy FitEars as much as I do. Yes, actually ML 5909 is special too.The curious thing is that you actually giving a like to the @Kiats post that I linking to before, from 14.5 months ago!
kela66
New Head-Fier
T+A Solitaire Companion App 1.4.0 with 5-Point-Equalizer has com out.
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
Edit: as you cannot reply after your own previous comment on Head-Fi, I'm editing this comment with an update regarding the new firmware and settings. See the end of this comment for that update.
However, please UPDATE your headphones ASAP, play a song, then go into the Sound tab, and select EQ Custom Settings without adjusting the toggles, as there is a new bonus feature* I've discovered in testing!
Yep, just noticed the update on the Google Play Store (v1.4.0+120) but will be playing around with it later today!
So, got the update and installed the firmware.
This is what you see in the app's Sound Tab and under the Custom Settings drop-down box. Note: you MUST have music playing, otherwise the below new feature cannot be seen/used:
(Note: I have Tidal app temporarily running as a pop-up on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5. Phone is in unfolded mode).
Unfortunately, this is not full parametric EQ, with only five pre-determined bands, no Q Factor, and no dB graduation for fine adjustment
*HOWEVER, to everyone using their Solitaire T, immediately update your headphones and companion app, and set the Sound EQ to Custom Settings.
Without any toggle adjustments, you will have a moderately significant bump (increase) in overall volume.
This was tested in Bluetooth, ANC, and Bluetooth HQ modes (USB-C mode not tested).
Might as well get your bonus free volume for wireless playback!
This bonus is incredible for dynamics, slam, soundstage, and air (to me!).
This also means I'm lowering my volume listening by a decent factor, but more on that momentarily.
For my initial tests, I used the song Vermis from the album Empor by MEUTE (hyperlinks ought to give you options to stream in your favourite platform). This is an electronic techno marching band who use real instruments live with some synthesised elements for their production albums, though their live performances are extremely powerful exhibitions of live instrument play and lungs.
This track is extremely taxing on audio gear, simply due to the huge dynamic range, expanse of instruments and play, as well as the versatility of the brass and percussion instruments. The bass is very deep (especially mid-bass thump!), whilst the highs, especially on the xylophone, are mellifluous with uncanny decay- again, real instruments.
Back to wireless volume operation, on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and in the default Flat EQ mode, I regularly listen between 145 to max 150 (latter usually only in ANC and when I'm doing DIY or lawnmower'ing the garden) in any Bluetooth mode, but predominantly Bluetooth HQ or ANC.
I notice that 149 is where the overall dynamics of the headphones really shine, and replicate much of my balanced passive playback.
With Custom Settings EQ selected with the additional bonus increase to volume, I can now listen between 140 - 145 and retain the dynamics that previous Flat EQ @ 149 volume exhibited, in all five steps. This is an entirety new experience, and simply a major bonus feature.
Now, as for testing the Custom Settings EQ feature further, I wanted to add a bit more warmth to both subbass and bass, leave the midrange as is, and add a small touch to the mid-high frequency, to my overall music playback.
In the new Custom EQ without adjustment and with increase in volume, it's the standard Solitaire T tuning just with more oomph. Nice.
With my settings below, the volume needs to be readjusted lower to avoid clipping or driver instability; at volume 128 - 130 (especially 130), I get the dynamics of Flat EQ @ 149 volume or Custom Setting @ 140 - 145 volume.
Unfortunately, 130 is where the drivers start to distort or clip, so Custom Setting EQ @ 129 volume is my new preference and max. This is brilliant, lower volume and all the dynamics I crave! Well, it's probably not lower volume as the decibels are likely similar to my previous wireless playback, but still, it's nice! I'm sure on quieter recordings that the extra dynamics and headroom (to further adjust volume) is a win for those who were already pushing max volume with the Solitaire T.
In terms of sound quality changes with my new settings, the bass simply hits harder with more textural information whilst simultaneously expanding the width of the soundstage, the midrange continues to be the highlight with exceptional smoothness and body, and my tweaks to the mid-high and high frequency just add a tad more body and sparkle.
This, for me on my initial experimentation, this is closer to my ideal of a sound profile, reminding me much of the DCA E3 headphones' frequency response (I still crave for this headphone!).
I'll continue to dabble with the toggles, but even if I set this to no toggle adjustments, Custom Setting EQ is absolutely the best way to experience Solitaire T in wireless Bluetooth modes.
It is, to me, essential.
Or, to be frank, I do not know why the global volume increase is not default, and instead squirreled away under a feature tab
Either way, this has changed my listening experience immediately, and brings the headphones closer to my passive balanced playback setup, something I did not have on my bingo card today!
Enjoy this initial review of the new settings, and hope it gives you good listening too!
However, please UPDATE your headphones ASAP, play a song, then go into the Sound tab, and select EQ Custom Settings without adjusting the toggles, as there is a new bonus feature* I've discovered in testing!
Yep, just noticed the update on the Google Play Store (v1.4.0+120) but will be playing around with it later today!
So, got the update and installed the firmware.
This is what you see in the app's Sound Tab and under the Custom Settings drop-down box. Note: you MUST have music playing, otherwise the below new feature cannot be seen/used:
(Note: I have Tidal app temporarily running as a pop-up on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5. Phone is in unfolded mode).
Unfortunately, this is not full parametric EQ, with only five pre-determined bands, no Q Factor, and no dB graduation for fine adjustment
*HOWEVER, to everyone using their Solitaire T, immediately update your headphones and companion app, and set the Sound EQ to Custom Settings.
Without any toggle adjustments, you will have a moderately significant bump (increase) in overall volume.
This was tested in Bluetooth, ANC, and Bluetooth HQ modes (USB-C mode not tested).
Might as well get your bonus free volume for wireless playback!
This bonus is incredible for dynamics, slam, soundstage, and air (to me!).
This also means I'm lowering my volume listening by a decent factor, but more on that momentarily.
For my initial tests, I used the song Vermis from the album Empor by MEUTE (hyperlinks ought to give you options to stream in your favourite platform). This is an electronic techno marching band who use real instruments live with some synthesised elements for their production albums, though their live performances are extremely powerful exhibitions of live instrument play and lungs.
This track is extremely taxing on audio gear, simply due to the huge dynamic range, expanse of instruments and play, as well as the versatility of the brass and percussion instruments. The bass is very deep (especially mid-bass thump!), whilst the highs, especially on the xylophone, are mellifluous with uncanny decay- again, real instruments.
Back to wireless volume operation, on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and in the default Flat EQ mode, I regularly listen between 145 to max 150 (latter usually only in ANC and when I'm doing DIY or lawnmower'ing the garden) in any Bluetooth mode, but predominantly Bluetooth HQ or ANC.
I notice that 149 is where the overall dynamics of the headphones really shine, and replicate much of my balanced passive playback.
With Custom Settings EQ selected with the additional bonus increase to volume, I can now listen between 140 - 145 and retain the dynamics that previous Flat EQ @ 149 volume exhibited, in all five steps. This is an entirety new experience, and simply a major bonus feature.
Now, as for testing the Custom Settings EQ feature further, I wanted to add a bit more warmth to both subbass and bass, leave the midrange as is, and add a small touch to the mid-high frequency, to my overall music playback.
In the new Custom EQ without adjustment and with increase in volume, it's the standard Solitaire T tuning just with more oomph. Nice.
With my settings below, the volume needs to be readjusted lower to avoid clipping or driver instability; at volume 128 - 130 (especially 130), I get the dynamics of Flat EQ @ 149 volume or Custom Setting @ 140 - 145 volume.
Unfortunately, 130 is where the drivers start to distort or clip, so Custom Setting EQ @ 129 volume is my new preference and max. This is brilliant, lower volume and all the dynamics I crave! Well, it's probably not lower volume as the decibels are likely similar to my previous wireless playback, but still, it's nice! I'm sure on quieter recordings that the extra dynamics and headroom (to further adjust volume) is a win for those who were already pushing max volume with the Solitaire T.
In terms of sound quality changes with my new settings, the bass simply hits harder with more textural information whilst simultaneously expanding the width of the soundstage, the midrange continues to be the highlight with exceptional smoothness and body, and my tweaks to the mid-high and high frequency just add a tad more body and sparkle.
This, for me on my initial experimentation, this is closer to my ideal of a sound profile, reminding me much of the DCA E3 headphones' frequency response (I still crave for this headphone!).
I'll continue to dabble with the toggles, but even if I set this to no toggle adjustments, Custom Setting EQ is absolutely the best way to experience Solitaire T in wireless Bluetooth modes.
It is, to me, essential.
Or, to be frank, I do not know why the global volume increase is not default, and instead squirreled away under a feature tab
Either way, this has changed my listening experience immediately, and brings the headphones closer to my passive balanced playback setup, something I did not have on my bingo card today!
Enjoy this initial review of the new settings, and hope it gives you good listening too!
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Marcus 12
New Head-Fier
Did you find a way to reset the sliders, once they are adjusted?
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
Unfortunately, no easy reset for Custom Setting EQ; you have to manual put each slider back to neutral.
If you use the reset toggle in the top-right, it will reset all EQ, but I can't remember if it also reset the toggles in Custom Setting EQ (I'm away from my gear currently
).
Speaking of EQ in general for the T, has anyone seen a PEQ curve done for it online? The OPRA database used in Roon’s MUSE has the P and P-SE but not the T, The new software 5 band EQ is a welcomed addition, but as always, passive wiring the T can yield even better results given how it scales with external sources and amplification.
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ryanmatic
500+ Head-Fier
Not sure how it works on Android, but a haptic fires on iPhone when you position the slider at dead flat, so that makes manually switching it all back to neutral a bit easier.Unfortunately, no easy reset for Custom Setting EQ; you have to manual put each slider back to neutral.
If you use the reset toggle in the top-right, it will reset all EQ, but I can't remember if it also reset the toggles in Custom Setting EQ (I'm away from my gear currently
Nice to hear about the volume bump, too! I hadn't noticed that initially.
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
I've wanted to see real-world examples of PEQ presets for Solitaire T, including those by the legendary audiophile Oratory1990 (this is a Web link).
However, as far as I can tell, there are none
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evhvis
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2013
- Posts
- 456
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- 659
Thanks for the info. I don't have haptics on so I newer would have known without your post.
I do wish there would have been a slightly different bands though as it is the 3.5khz to 6.5khz area that I would want to lift by a few DB with a slight peak around 5.5khz and a bit sharper drop off towards the 6.5khz side. The current 3.8khz band lifts some lower frequencies that I would prefer to leave untouched so the bands don't work for my needs.
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