I hope your dad is ok and recovers quickly!!Yay woo what good timing, and before Christmas Eve!!
Unfortunately, my father has had a bad tripped, and hurt his left ankle, badly
We're both at a walk-in-centre, however, it is a five hour wait grr
Actually waiting to be seen for triage first...
Got my Solitaire T (in ANC high mode) and my Analogue Pocket with me to ride it out!
(You can probably see my annoyance at the wait, but my father is priority, so will stay with him till he's seen to).
T+A Solitaire T Wireless Headphone
- Thread starter frdtitan
- Start date
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Damn this thread has 40 pages and I completely missed it until now.
How big are the earcups?
Are they still over ear or more on ear headphones?
How big are the earcups?
Are they still over ear or more on ear headphones?
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
Thank you @WDitters and @Benesyed for the kind words!
My dad has indeed got fractures (two), but they can heal over time as long as he keeps his casts on.
At least that's all sorted, with a checkup on Monday (Boxing Day) at our main hospital.
All-in-all, though very inconvenient, good result tonight!
One more selfie pic of me from the walk-in-centre with me cans
My dad has indeed got fractures (two), but they can heal over time as long as he keeps his casts on.
At least that's all sorted, with a checkup on Monday (Boxing Day) at our main hospital.
All-in-all, though very inconvenient, good result tonight!
One more selfie pic of me from the walk-in-centre with me cans
Attachments
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
Over the ear, but small-to mid sized.
However, they do look bigger, but are probably one of the smaller high-end cans I've worn.
I liken them to that of Dan Clark Audio's Stealth and Expanse.
Another context, smaller in diameter than my Focal Elear's.
Hope that helps!
My pair finally came in. Really excited to try them out. Since it's being talked about, the earcup are definitely on the smaller side, but not uncomfortable at all, i guess it provides a tight passive seal as well. I'd say my ears are on the smaller side.
The white looks absolutely gorgeous in person!
The white looks absolutely gorgeous in person!
Attachments
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
Aye, the white is bloody killer!
I pre-ordered a year ago the Analogue Pocket in black, but as much as it was, technically, a cool colour that I think is executed well, I now wish I had the white console to match my Solitaire T
Congratulations on the purchase btw!
So I've been listening to them since my previous post. These are absolutely the real deal! Neutral to a fault and I love it! They are extremely detailed and balanced in their sound. The tonality and imaging is brilliant. The soundstage as mentioned by previous owners leaves a little to be desired, but this is barely an issue compared to what they headphones accomplish. I've been listening in HQ mode via aptX HD on Tidal. I know this is fairly common thing to say with new headphones, but I'm genuinely observing beats/instruments that I haven't before in some of the tracks I've gone through so far - mostly in the level of clarity/detail those notes come through the set as opposed to be observing them for the first time.
I would definitely love the ability to custom EQ just to give the bass and treble the slightly increase. The mids are prestine. i also definitely notice the mini crackle/pop when navigation through my phone where there are tones playing as was previously mentioned. I wonder if this something that can be fixed down the line or is an issue potentially with the delay from the sound effects of the phone registering with the headphones.
Lastly, I knew multi-point wasnt supported, but in my brief experience with pairing with my Windows 11 PC from my Pixel 5 - it took about 2 or 3 tries to connect to the PC (and the headphones were disconnected from my phone). Then connecting back to the phone, I had to go and actively disconnect fromy my PC to be able to connect to my phone. I dont know if I'm alone in this experience, but this is slightly disappointing. Also, I don't know the technical requirements, but I wonder if multi-point is something that could be supported down the line. I frequently have meetings during my workday on my laptop, and a better switching experience/multi-point would send me over the moon!
Edit to add - the comfort is absolutely amazing. I barely feel them on my head. There is barely any pressure build-up/heat at any of the contact points (and this is coming from immediate use, I'm sure they'll break in a little better as others have noted). A far cry from my Amiron Wireless which would hurt the top my head within 30-45 mins!
I would definitely love the ability to custom EQ just to give the bass and treble the slightly increase. The mids are prestine. i also definitely notice the mini crackle/pop when navigation through my phone where there are tones playing as was previously mentioned. I wonder if this something that can be fixed down the line or is an issue potentially with the delay from the sound effects of the phone registering with the headphones.
Lastly, I knew multi-point wasnt supported, but in my brief experience with pairing with my Windows 11 PC from my Pixel 5 - it took about 2 or 3 tries to connect to the PC (and the headphones were disconnected from my phone). Then connecting back to the phone, I had to go and actively disconnect fromy my PC to be able to connect to my phone. I dont know if I'm alone in this experience, but this is slightly disappointing. Also, I don't know the technical requirements, but I wonder if multi-point is something that could be supported down the line. I frequently have meetings during my workday on my laptop, and a better switching experience/multi-point would send me over the moon!
Edit to add - the comfort is absolutely amazing. I barely feel them on my head. There is barely any pressure build-up/heat at any of the contact points (and this is coming from immediate use, I'm sure they'll break in a little better as others have noted). A far cry from my Amiron Wireless which would hurt the top my head within 30-45 mins!
Last edited:
Hi Guys,
How would you compare the SQ of the Solitaire T to the Arya Stealth?
The Arya is my current daily driver with some EQ applied using a A30 Pro + D30 Pro stack. I use EQ to tame the Treble a bit, remove the BBC dip and add a little bass.
How would you compare the SQ of the Solitaire T to the Arya Stealth?
The Arya is my current daily driver with some EQ applied using a A30 Pro + D30 Pro stack. I use EQ to tame the Treble a bit, remove the BBC dip and add a little bass.
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
So, another mini-impression, but specifically regarding ANC performance and telephony communication.
Following on from yesterday my earlier posts and my eventful evening, making sure my dad was OK after breaking his foot and ankle a few days earlier (
), I did carry both my Solitaire T and Analogue Pocket for entertainment as we waited MANY MANY HOURS in our local NHS walk-in-centre.
Unlike my work office, this provided the perfect opportunity to test bench the ANC functionality and operation of the Solitaire T's call quality (receiving and sending).
With loud air conditioning, hustle and bustle of staff and patients, plus screaming laughing kids, this was really cool to see how the Solitaire T would fare.
Most of the music I listened to was either Caravan Palace or Floating Points.
So, let's start:
Headphone, app, and device system info:
T+A Companion App Version: 1.0.0+66
T+A Companion App EQ preset: Flat (aka no EQ applied)
Android-Version: 13
Android-Model: SM-G998B
Headset-Version: 4.0.5
All audio was conducted via streaming from Tidal HiFi, via the frontend USB Audio Player PRO in bit-perfect mode.
Wherever ANC is mentioned, it is at max setting in the app. I did not test the first two levels of ANC.
ANC Performance:
Adequate.
That's the most apt description I can give.
However, two areas to discuss.
Some ANC cans of yore were aggressive in noise cancelling at cost of sound quality, sacrificing music for total silence.
Thankfully, we are mostly past that as both the mainstream and audiophile audiences (or both!) have matured and become learned of sound quality from audio devices in general.
To this, I still stake that Sony WH-1000XM5 and both Apple AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are the ultimate in ANC tech for near silence experiences and decent sound quality, though I favour the Sony more.
That said, I still think that sound quality still takes a hit for the above mentioned headphones, but it's not egregious, just noticeable.
Mark Levinson No. 5909 was the first landmark wireless ANC headphone that tuned its sound quality in ANC mode to closely match the sound quality without it on, which is remarkable and admirable, but the cost was not as powerful or as technological advanced ANC in either the Sony or Apple headphones mentioned above.
To me, T+A Solitaire T blur that difference between ANC and Bluetooth HQ further; there is a difference, yes, and it does leave a profound experience, but the similarity between ANC on and off (into Bluetooth HQ mode) is its own technological marvel. Quite how T+A voiced ANC and Bluetooth HQ is genuinely something I would love to watch a video over, because it's that nuts. Unfortunately, I don't think Solitaire T ANC is as good as ML 5909's implementation, but it is in no way bad, just adequate.
Neither Mark Levinson No. 5909 or T+A Solitaire T will win awards for purely subjective ANC prowess, but they both ought to gain accolades on how they voiced ANC to be truly sonically high-end.
Both brands are genius.
Of course, I do prefer the Solitaire T sonics, but my experiences of ML 5909 are not huge, so owners of both are better equipped to lean their impressions than I can.
Phone Quality:
Very, very good, no lag, clear voices on my end, and on the other end of the call I was clear and without crackle.
Voices did sound realistic to me, but I do believe there perhaps are better cans than the Solitaire T.
Due to my previous experience was with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 1, I am unable to offer further than the above experiences.
Song #1:
Wonderland by Caravan Place, from the album <I°_°I> [aka Robot Face or Robot], Master MQA (2015).
Tidal HiFi
Spotify
YouTube Music
YouTube (Official music videos)
Utterly shocked
Not only is bass perfectly poised never overtakes the rest of the audio band, it is also graceful, snappy, tight, and joyful!
I reiterate my past comments that this is how neutrality ought to be, and crazy how this is so astoundingly, tap dancingly enjoyable in ANC MODE, WIRELESSLY!
The rhythm of the mid-range, with the slightly synthesised/old radio style manipulated vocals, the glorious realistic tone of the saxophones, percussion, vibraphone, clarinet, the hyper intense detail and intimate soundstage...oh my god massive, grinning happy face!
Add to a non-rolled off high pressure treble section that never, ever, shrills, loses grip, or drifts off to be a separate identity...man, I thought bass created the foundation of a music experience, but now I think T+A have a genuine musically scientific basis to argue that the treble section is potentially where its at, if done like this!
No wonder owners of T+A Solitaire P and P-SE rave about those cans treble section!
After I got home, I tested again in Bluetooth HQ mode, and was floored.
No, not a massive difference, but the bass extended further with more texture in the subsonic and upper bass ranges, and the treble got a bit more sparkle and air.
Midrange just got, well, not a specific change in character, but a feeling: effortlessly engaging.
In summary of ANC off (into Bluetooth HQ), more extension and more texture, but not a huge difference; just enough!
Song Test #2:
Someone Close EP by Floating Points, 2022, 16 bit/44.1 kHz
Tidal HiFi
Spotify
YouTube Music
YouTube (Official music video)
A segway before I describe this EP, as I wrote most of the the below words in my mind during my testing to this track yesterday!
One of favourite types of music is electronica, and usually not mainstream.
Think Trentemøller, John Hopkins, Ben Lukas Boysen/HECQ, Burial, Moderat, Flying Lotus, Caravan Palace, MEUTE, and Floating Points (amongst many others).
With my previous bass presence concerns and wants from my early days of Solitaire T ownership (and due to years of listening to music via Focal Elear open-back in balanced and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 1 earphones), my notions of bass quantity and enjoyment were clouded. I liked the bass, but not loved its apparent weaker presence during this time.
Once the app landed, it created a bridge between my previously above-mentioned cans' sonics and the Solitaire T augmented with EQ preset Bass Boost. This made the Solitaire T similar in bass presence to said cans, bridging my experiences.
Later, and previously described, I backtracked away from this EQ preset as I started to notice, and actively dislike, how much the transition between the +6dB bass curve into both the upper-bass notes and lower mid-range notes were obfuscated, smeared even.
Even now, I would not mind a slight lift in bass depending on song choice, but not with this curve, and not by so many decibels.
So listening to this EP by Floating Points almost put a nail in the coffin for the EQ preset Bass Boost; it is unnecessary (happy now @angelom; you predicted this!).
The natural, default, voicing of the Solitaire T in wireless mode is not just adequate, I dare say its goddamn near PERFECT, for this EP.
Delightful club bass presence that's not overcooked, allowing the magical synthesised mid and treble elements to float, ping in and out of existence, but also when heard have a richness and musicality without being monotonous (each synthesised sound has an addictive, unique tone, something I never noticed as much with my wired cans!).
The treble added atmosphere that had just enough air, but I did wish for more extension and airyness. It was solid however, and lent the synthesised elements a sense of dancefloor realism.
Again, this is in wireless ANC mode!
At home, in a Bluetooth HQ...OH, my God
SO MUCH AIR, so much sparkle and energy, so much more BASS impact!
Small changes, massive change in experience.
I, still, cannot believe that I'm listening to such sonic signature, wirelessly!
Conclusion:
No EQ Solitaire T is virtually perfect, but, as before, a small bit of low bass lift would suit me on only a few albums/EP's. Outside of that, it's pretty much amazing as is.
ANC is adequate, responsive, and does the job. By no means as powerful as other ANC headphones, but not at all bad.
However, sonically, the difference between ANC on and off (again, into Bluetooth HQ mode) is so small that its borderline a hax; crazy how good, and how much, the majority of the Solitaire T tuning remains.
That said, ANC does roll-off a little of the extremities of the Solitaire T frequency response, and reduces some of the texture, these changes are slight at best, and absolutely wonderful to experience if you happen to be in a situation where your surroundings are too noisy.
For the first time in my life, I can comfortably use ANC without worrying that sound quality gets butchered. Solitaire T masters ANC sonics.
Its only competitor is the Mark Levinson No. 5909, which led the charge for sonically good ANC tuning.
Following on from yesterday my earlier posts and my eventful evening, making sure my dad was OK after breaking his foot and ankle a few days earlier (
), I did carry both my Solitaire T and Analogue Pocket for entertainment as we waited MANY MANY HOURS in our local NHS walk-in-centre.Unlike my work office, this provided the perfect opportunity to test bench the ANC functionality and operation of the Solitaire T's call quality (receiving and sending).
With loud air conditioning, hustle and bustle of staff and patients, plus screaming laughing kids, this was really cool to see how the Solitaire T would fare.
Most of the music I listened to was either Caravan Palace or Floating Points.
So, let's start:
Headphone, app, and device system info:
T+A Companion App Version: 1.0.0+66
T+A Companion App EQ preset: Flat (aka no EQ applied)
Android-Version: 13
Android-Model: SM-G998B
Headset-Version: 4.0.5
All audio was conducted via streaming from Tidal HiFi, via the frontend USB Audio Player PRO in bit-perfect mode.
Wherever ANC is mentioned, it is at max setting in the app. I did not test the first two levels of ANC.
ANC Performance:
Adequate.
That's the most apt description I can give.
However, two areas to discuss.
Some ANC cans of yore were aggressive in noise cancelling at cost of sound quality, sacrificing music for total silence.
Thankfully, we are mostly past that as both the mainstream and audiophile audiences (or both!) have matured and become learned of sound quality from audio devices in general.
To this, I still stake that Sony WH-1000XM5 and both Apple AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are the ultimate in ANC tech for near silence experiences and decent sound quality, though I favour the Sony more.
That said, I still think that sound quality still takes a hit for the above mentioned headphones, but it's not egregious, just noticeable.
Mark Levinson No. 5909 was the first landmark wireless ANC headphone that tuned its sound quality in ANC mode to closely match the sound quality without it on, which is remarkable and admirable, but the cost was not as powerful or as technological advanced ANC in either the Sony or Apple headphones mentioned above.
To me, T+A Solitaire T blur that difference between ANC and Bluetooth HQ further; there is a difference, yes, and it does leave a profound experience, but the similarity between ANC on and off (into Bluetooth HQ mode) is its own technological marvel. Quite how T+A voiced ANC and Bluetooth HQ is genuinely something I would love to watch a video over, because it's that nuts. Unfortunately, I don't think Solitaire T ANC is as good as ML 5909's implementation, but it is in no way bad, just adequate.
Neither Mark Levinson No. 5909 or T+A Solitaire T will win awards for purely subjective ANC prowess, but they both ought to gain accolades on how they voiced ANC to be truly sonically high-end.
Both brands are genius.
Of course, I do prefer the Solitaire T sonics, but my experiences of ML 5909 are not huge, so owners of both are better equipped to lean their impressions than I can.
Phone Quality:
Very, very good, no lag, clear voices on my end, and on the other end of the call I was clear and without crackle.
Voices did sound realistic to me, but I do believe there perhaps are better cans than the Solitaire T.
Due to my previous experience was with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 1, I am unable to offer further than the above experiences.
Song #1:
Wonderland by Caravan Place, from the album <I°_°I> [aka Robot Face or Robot], Master MQA (2015).
Tidal HiFi
Spotify
YouTube Music
YouTube (Official music videos)
Utterly shocked
Not only is bass perfectly poised never overtakes the rest of the audio band, it is also graceful, snappy, tight, and joyful!
I reiterate my past comments that this is how neutrality ought to be, and crazy how this is so astoundingly, tap dancingly enjoyable in ANC MODE, WIRELESSLY!
The rhythm of the mid-range, with the slightly synthesised/old radio style manipulated vocals, the glorious realistic tone of the saxophones, percussion, vibraphone, clarinet, the hyper intense detail and intimate soundstage...oh my god massive, grinning happy face!
Add to a non-rolled off high pressure treble section that never, ever, shrills, loses grip, or drifts off to be a separate identity...man, I thought bass created the foundation of a music experience, but now I think T+A have a genuine musically scientific basis to argue that the treble section is potentially where its at, if done like this!
No wonder owners of T+A Solitaire P and P-SE rave about those cans treble section!
After I got home, I tested again in Bluetooth HQ mode, and was floored.
No, not a massive difference, but the bass extended further with more texture in the subsonic and upper bass ranges, and the treble got a bit more sparkle and air.
Midrange just got, well, not a specific change in character, but a feeling: effortlessly engaging.
In summary of ANC off (into Bluetooth HQ), more extension and more texture, but not a huge difference; just enough!
Song Test #2:
Someone Close EP by Floating Points, 2022, 16 bit/44.1 kHz
Tidal HiFi
Spotify
YouTube Music
YouTube (Official music video)
A segway before I describe this EP, as I wrote most of the the below words in my mind during my testing to this track yesterday!
One of favourite types of music is electronica, and usually not mainstream.
Think Trentemøller, John Hopkins, Ben Lukas Boysen/HECQ, Burial, Moderat, Flying Lotus, Caravan Palace, MEUTE, and Floating Points (amongst many others).
With my previous bass presence concerns and wants from my early days of Solitaire T ownership (and due to years of listening to music via Focal Elear open-back in balanced and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 1 earphones), my notions of bass quantity and enjoyment were clouded. I liked the bass, but not loved its apparent weaker presence during this time.
Once the app landed, it created a bridge between my previously above-mentioned cans' sonics and the Solitaire T augmented with EQ preset Bass Boost. This made the Solitaire T similar in bass presence to said cans, bridging my experiences.
Later, and previously described, I backtracked away from this EQ preset as I started to notice, and actively dislike, how much the transition between the +6dB bass curve into both the upper-bass notes and lower mid-range notes were obfuscated, smeared even.
Even now, I would not mind a slight lift in bass depending on song choice, but not with this curve, and not by so many decibels.
So listening to this EP by Floating Points almost put a nail in the coffin for the EQ preset Bass Boost; it is unnecessary (happy now @angelom; you predicted this!
).The natural, default, voicing of the Solitaire T in wireless mode is not just adequate, I dare say its goddamn near PERFECT, for this EP.
Delightful club bass presence that's not overcooked, allowing the magical synthesised mid and treble elements to float, ping in and out of existence, but also when heard have a richness and musicality without being monotonous (each synthesised sound has an addictive, unique tone, something I never noticed as much with my wired cans!).
The treble added atmosphere that had just enough air, but I did wish for more extension and airyness. It was solid however, and lent the synthesised elements a sense of dancefloor realism.
Again, this is in wireless ANC mode!
At home, in a Bluetooth HQ...OH, my God
SO MUCH AIR, so much sparkle and energy, so much more BASS impact!
Small changes, massive change in experience.
I, still, cannot believe that I'm listening to such sonic signature, wirelessly!
Conclusion:
No EQ Solitaire T is virtually perfect, but, as before, a small bit of low bass lift would suit me on only a few albums/EP's. Outside of that, it's pretty much amazing as is.
ANC is adequate, responsive, and does the job. By no means as powerful as other ANC headphones, but not at all bad.
However, sonically, the difference between ANC on and off (again, into Bluetooth HQ mode) is so small that its borderline a hax; crazy how good, and how much, the majority of the Solitaire T tuning remains.
That said, ANC does roll-off a little of the extremities of the Solitaire T frequency response, and reduces some of the texture, these changes are slight at best, and absolutely wonderful to experience if you happen to be in a situation where your surroundings are too noisy.
For the first time in my life, I can comfortably use ANC without worrying that sound quality gets butchered. Solitaire T masters ANC sonics.
Its only competitor is the Mark Levinson No. 5909, which led the charge for sonically good ANC tuning.
Last edited:
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Is there a microphone as Accessory?
I wonder if it were suitable as work Headset?
(I have no reason to buy the T, but my brain is looking for excuses)
I wonder if it were suitable as work Headset?
(I have no reason to buy the T, but my brain is looking for excuses)
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
No idea, unsure but potentially you could use a ModMic?
I'm thinking of doing this, and getting a USB bluetooth adapter, so that I can use my PS5 into my Solitaire T, but I'm still looking at how necessary this is.
Honestly? This is a fool's errand. Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, hell even Audeze have cracked the audiophile headset market, and Audeze have released four killer products over the years to address this: Audeze GX, Penrose, Mobius, and recently Maxwell.
I may just buy the latter and be done ha ha!
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Why would you need a USB Bluetooth Adapter to pair them with the PS5?!
The PS5 has Bluetooth from the get go (Controllers Ever since PS3 use Bluetooth)
Headsets and Keyboards are Usually all compatible With PS5
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
Unfortunately @ThanatosVI, Bluetooth from PS5 will NOT interface with Bluetooth headphones that are not Sony PlayStation approved to do so.
It's very annoying
More info here:
Gamespot
The Home Theater DIY
What HiFi
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Interesting, ny jabra "sounds crappy" and my wifes plantronics "sounds even worse" Headsets all paired without issues, therefore I assumed basically all Headsets pair with the PS5Unfortunately @ThanatosVI, Bluetooth from PS5 will NOT interface with Bluetooth headphones that are not Sony PlayStation approved to do so.
It's very annoying
More info here:
Gamespot
The Home Theater DIY
What HiFi
TheOneInYellow
1000+ Head-Fier
So did I my friend, so did I.
Very disappointed that this is even a thing, it's anti-competitive in my opinion.
Microsoft have similar ideology as Sony, but not as restrictive.
It's just...weird.
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