T+A Solitaire T Wireless Headphone

[WDitters]

For me this comment from the 'review' is completely ridiculous: "While the Px8s measure far better than the lower priced Bowers & Wilkins Px7s, they are more like the T+As in terms of total bass (meaning controlled but not overly bassy) which is good." Wrong. The bass of the B&W PX8 is, in fact, bloated and sometimes boomy, always affecting the midrange, and is completely different from the very accurate, tight and clean bass of the ST.

Although we may all agree or disagree on points of difference, I do not exactly disagree with the reviewer's experience on this specific point, despite the fact that I do not agree with them (and thus I agree with you @angelom).

How can that be?

That is due to how we all perceive music, so for them, if they perceived the PX8 bass as balanced, and as they mentioned other headphones to show context, then though I disagree with that point, I still respect their opinion in what they are hearing.
However, I do not think that the B&W PX8 has balanced bass, whereas the Sony WH-1000XM5 is more balanced than the PX8 in my opinion.
Yet, outside of this outlier, much of what the reviewer experienced with the Solitaire T is close to my own experiences.

Recently, I had an almost religious moment listening to Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath (2012, SACD, JP Sanctuary UIGY-9094) and Machine Head by Deep Purple (2001, SACD, JP WPCR 14166) (both albums are SACD's in DSD64 format) via the T+A Solitaire T and FiiO M17 balanced. On these recordings, the bass response was near PERFECT, with immense detail of the drumplay and screeching guitar riffs, whilst the vocals had me in goosebumps on realism!
However, on hotter recordings or some modern RnB music, such as Renaissance by Beyoncé (2003, 24 bit/44.1 kHz, Parkwood Entertainment), which is closer more RnB mixed with disco and ballroom, the bass response via the Solitaire T is just slightly lower than what I wish for, and here a few dB increase on sub-bass and bass (but not upper-bass) would satisfy my cravings.
Even so, bass from tracks such as the track Slow Me Down from the album Path of the Planes by Soara (2011) (Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music) has incredible bass depth and grip that the Solitaire T execute masterfully.

I think this is where I should employ my Meze Audio 99 Classics in balanced on recordings where I want a bit more bass fun, but those are fewer than my want to experience music via the T+A Solitaire T!

I find goosebumps always to be an excellent indicator, if not the best...

 

[angelom]

I find goosebumps always to be an excellent indicator, if not the best...

The problem with the 'science' of goosebumps is that is practically any headphone can giving a person goosebumps sometimes, even a cheap $5 earphone, and this is similar with people's sound preferences, only preferences in a particular time, usually. This isn't a problem for me (if, for example some people liking very bassy or bright headphones, or if they preferring the sound of very more cheap headphones than the ST).

The problem for me is that this is supposing being a review, where you receiving money for writing this, and for helping people that can't testing all or some of this headphones, and trying obtaining a better idea of the sound (and other aspects). If I'm someone that thinking I want trying the px8 and I'm reading that the bass is the same like ST, I probably thinking that the price of the ST is ridiculous. And before that, his comments about Bathys vs ST are very contradictory when reading about the bass in px8 vs ST. And his comments about the 5909 are useless almost.

Honestly, I think that the 'reviewer' is doing some/a lot of cutting and pasting from many comments already in the internet (this is obvious for me in different parts of the 'review'). His comments are, in many ways, the typical "if (very) more expensive, then (very) better", and when talking about sound impressions of ST, all his comments are cliche and not really helpful.

 

[Maukey]

New review of the T+A Solitaire T by Future Audiophile.

Said review was with a the black/silver version and almost solely in Bluetooth HQ mode.

Enjoy!

For me this comment from the 'review' is completely ridiculous: "While the Px8s measure far better than the lower priced Bowers & Wilkins Px7s, they are more like the T+As in terms of total bass (meaning controlled but not overly bassy) which is good." Wrong. The bass of the B&W PX8 is, in fact, bloated and sometimes boomy, always affecting the midrange, and is completely different from the very accurate, tight and clean bass of the ST.

I have to agree with angelom on this one. I like a lot of what the reviewer said until he got to the PX8, and I LOVE the PX8. The PX8 bass is in no way comparable to the T+A in my opinion. I think sometimes people get confused when talking balanced bass boost and unbalanced bass boost. I also think we all hear different so it's possible that he hears the PX8 as balanced. The PX8 has an unbalanced bass boost where the bass emphasis is in the upper end of the bass range. It's what gives the PX8 that warm, somewhat thicker sounding profile that's unique to the others. It's actually what I love about them because it makes them unique. If this reviewer is sensitive to sub bass, or maybe doesn't hear upper bass frequencies as well, I could see him hearing the PX8 as balanced. To my ears, they are not. The T+A is balanced. Has a slight, balanced bass boost when using ANC. In HQ mode though, I hear the T+A as neutral. Like the PX8, the 5909 has an uneven bass boost, just not as heavy. Like most Harman inspired headphones, the 5909's bass boost is in the sub bass range. The Bathys are like the T+A in the fact that it too has a balanced bass boost. The Bathys just pushes the boost more than the T+A. I go back and forth pretty much everyday between the PX8, Bathys, and T+A

 

[angelom]

I think this is where I should employ my Meze Audio 99 Classics in balanced on recordings where I want a bit more bass fun, but those are fewer than my want to experience music via the T+A Solitaire T!

Is a pity that, after almost 6 months of releasing the ST, T+A don't updating yet the app with custom EQ like they confirming and promising.

For me I want the custom EQ for some more old first pressing CDs that needing lift in bass, old recordings that are transferring poorly directly to CD from original vinyl, with the limitations of vinyls of that time in the low end. Thankfully is only few albums, but after 6 months, and a premium headphone like the ST, by now a good custom EQ must be available. No excuse.

 

[WDitters]

Recommendation to new Solitaire T owners, and something that I already mentioned earlier... Rearange your case to accommodate the SolT like this to prevent early scuffing and scratching

 

[Frabera]

 

[rammstoon]

I noticed something interesting today (don't recall if this was discussed before or if other owners have noticed), the instructions manual states that you need to double tap to turn transparency mode on for an on-going conversation, but i am able to get to get it to work by swiping (up or down) to turn it on or off for an on-going coversation. I find this useful as the double-tap is always a hit or miss for me.

 

[Benesyed]

unfortunately there is just no good substitute for prolonged listening with your own ear. It takes time for that subconscious cognitive bias of new and expensive equipment to fade and for mental adjustment to a new sound signature to kick in.

once all that happens, you find yourself reaching for one piece of equipment more than others and probably have your answer at that point.

it's a very pricey process

 

[TheOneInYellow]

unfortunately there is just no good substitute for prolonged listening with your own ear. It takes time for that subconscious cognitive bias of new and expensive equipment to fade and for mental adjustment to a new sound signature to kick in.

once all that happens, you find yourself reaching for one piece of equipment more than others and probably have your answer at that point.

it's a very pricey process

That's how I felt after I received my T+A Solitaire T back in Dec 2022.

Initially, the bass was the only area I was a little meh on during the honeymoon period, but as I was also mostly conditioned by three headphones prior for many years (Meze 99 Classics, Focal Elear, and Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 1); it took a while to adjust to the new sonic response of the Solitaire T.
However, the other areas of the Solitaire T was so astronomically greater than anything I had heard (and could afford or owned) at this price point, specifically the bass and treble regions, that I was dumbfounded; and these impressions were in Bluetooth ANC and HQ modes! I experimented with the Bass Boost in the companion app, and this briefly fixed my bass needs, but this transition from previous headphone gear to my new cans also highlighted the flaws of the previous headphones, specifically the upper-bass and low-mid regions.
Some more listening exposed that I was disliking what the Bass Boost was doing in it's upper regions leading into the mids, and reverting the Solitaire T back to stock elevated my listening experience. This was coupled that I had, mentally, adjusted from years of a specific sound signature to another more natural, leaner one.
I had recognised on first using the Solitaire T that the bass region was superior to my previous headphones when I first got them in multiple areas, but the lower volume of them was my only initial dissatisfaction at the time. Yet once the adjustment occured late January and early February 2023 (of continuous listening to the Solitaire T almost exclusively), I could now fully enjoy the bass clarity, authority, detailed texture, and lean-power and speed is a revelation in almost any recording I play, including my electronic or dance music*!
*For the adventurous, try this track on your T+A Solitaire T headphones: Dirty Rat by Orbital feat. Sleaford Mods, from the album Optical Delusions (2023, Orbital Recordings Ltd./London Recordings Ltd.) (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, YouTube Music) (my copy is the Serenade Deluxe Edition album: Disc 1- 24 bit/44.1kHz and Disc 2- 24 bit/96.0 kHz).

I absolutely wanted to push what the Solitaire T could do, especially in balanced mode, and I was basically convinced that I would not use my Focal Elear's ever again; the gratuitous fun sound of the Elear's is still fantastic, but now just left me wanting for the realism of the Solitaire T. I also stopped using previous headphones from the past as well: AKG K 712 Pro and Audeze EL8 Ti. The Meze 99 Classics would stay, as they are too special to ever leave my stable.
The profound changes in my listening habits and sheer enjoyment that came from owning the Solitaire T was incredible, and so I decided to get rid of three headphones (but not the 99 Classics) and use that as a trade towards the FiiO M17.

The rest is history, and I almost exclusively now listen to the Solitaire T in balanced mode at home or in the office, and use wireless Bluetooth mode on occasion (commuting or moving around on breaks to the cafeteria).
No other headphone has made such a leap of change in rapid succession to elevate my gear and get as much as I can out of one single headphone, and it's hybrid nature is brilliant.

Currently listening to It Is What It Is by Thundercat (2020, Brainfeeder BFDNL100, 24 bit/44.1 kHz) (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, YouTube Music) in balanced mode and having a focused chill experience!

 

[WDitters]

That's how I felt after I received my T+A Solitaire T back in Dec 2022.

Initially, the bass was the only area I was a little meh on during the honeymoon period, but as I was also mostly conditioned by three headphones prior for many years (Meze 99 Classics, Focal Elear, and Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 1); it took a while to adjust to the new sonic response of the Solitaire T.
However, the other areas of the Solitaire T was so astronomically greater than anything I had heard (and could afford or owned) at this price point, specifically the bass and treble regions, that I was dumbfounded; and these impressions were in Bluetooth ANC and HQ modes! I experimented with the Bass Boost in the companion app, and this briefly fixed my bass needs, but this transition from previous headphone gear to my new cans also highlighted the flaws of the previous headphones, specifically the upper-bass and low-mid regions.
Some more listening exposed that I was disliking what the Bass Boost was doing in it's upper regions leading into the mids, and reverting the Solitaire T back to stock elevated my listening experience. This was coupled that I had, mentally, adjusted from years of a specific sound signature to another more natural, leaner one.
I had recognised on first using the Solitaire T that the bass region was superior to my previous headphones when I first got them in multiple areas, but the lower volume of them was my only initial dissatisfaction at the time. Yet once the adjustment occured late January and early February 2023 (of continuous listening to the Solitaire T almost exclusively), I could now fully enjoy the bass clarity, authority, detailed texture, and lean-power and speed is a revelation in almost any recording I play, including my electronic or dance music*!
*For the adventurous, try this track on your T+A Solitaire T headphones: Dirty Rat by Orbital feat. Sleaford Mods, from the album Optical Delusions (2023, Orbital Recordings Ltd./London Recordings Ltd.) (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, YouTube Music) (my copy is the Serenade Deluxe Edition album: Disc 1- 24 bit/44.1kHz and Disc 2- 24 bit/96.0 kHz).

I absolutely wanted to push what the Solitaire T could do, especially in balanced mode, and I was basically convinced that I would not use my Focal Elear's ever again; the gratuitous fun sound of the Elear's is still fantastic, but now just left me wanting for the realism of the Solitaire T. I also stopped using previous headphones from the past as well: AKG K 712 Pro and Audeze EL8 Ti. The Meze 99 Classics would stay, as they are too special to ever leave my stable.
The profound changes in my listening habits and sheer enjoyment that came from owning the Solitaire T was incredible, and so I decided to get rid of three headphones (but not the 99 Classics) and use that as a trade towards the FiiO M17.

The rest is history, and I almost exclusively now listen to the Solitaire T in balanced mode at home or in the office, and use wireless Bluetooth mode on occasion (commuting or moving around on breaks to the cafeteria).
No other headphone has made such a leap of change in rapid succession to elevate my gear and get as much as I can out of one single headphone, and it's hybrid nature is brilliant.

Currently listening to It Is What It Is by Thundercat (2020, Brainfeeder BFDNL100, 24 bit/44.1 kHz) (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, YouTube Music) in balanced mode and having a focused chill experience!

Great choice of music.. I see parallels...

 

[angelom]

unfortunately there is just no good substitute for prolonged listening with your own ear. It takes time for that subconscious cognitive bias of new and expensive equipment to fade and for mental adjustment to a new sound signature to kick in.

once all that happens, you find yourself reaching for one piece of equipment more than others and probably have your answer at that point.

it's a very pricey process

That's how I felt after I received my T+A Solitaire T back in Dec 2022.

Initially, the bass was the only area I was a little meh on during the honeymoon period, but as I was also mostly conditioned by three headphones prior for many years (Meze 99 Classics, Focal Elear, and Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 1); it took a while to adjust to the new sonic response of the Solitaire T.
However, the other areas of the Solitaire T was so astronomically greater than anything I had heard (and could afford or owned) at this price point, specifically the bass and treble regions, that I was dumbfounded; and these impressions were in Bluetooth ANC and HQ modes! I experimented with the Bass Boost in the companion app, and this briefly fixed my bass needs, but this transition from previous headphone gear to my new cans also highlighted the flaws of the previous headphones, specifically the upper-bass and low-mid regions.
Some more listening exposed that I was disliking what the Bass Boost was doing in it's upper regions leading into the mids, and reverting the Solitaire T back to stock elevated my listening experience. This was coupled that I had, mentally, adjusted from years of a specific sound signature to another more natural, leaner one.
I had recognised on first using the Solitaire T that the bass region was superior to my previous headphones when I first got them in multiple areas, but the lower volume of them was my only initial dissatisfaction at the time. Yet once the adjustment occured late January and early February 2023 (of continuous listening to the Solitaire T almost exclusively), I could now fully enjoy the bass clarity, authority, detailed texture, and lean-power and speed is a revelation in almost any recording I play, including my electronic or dance music*!
*For the adventurous, try this track on your T+A Solitaire T headphones: Dirty Rat by Orbital feat. Sleaford Mods, from the album Optical Delusions (2023, Orbital Recordings Ltd./London Recordings Ltd.) (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, YouTube Music) (my copy is the Serenade Deluxe Edition album: Disc 1- 24 bit/44.1kHz and Disc 2- 24 bit/96.0 kHz).

I absolutely wanted to push what the Solitaire T could do, especially in balanced mode, and I was basically convinced that I would not use my Focal Elear's ever again; the gratuitous fun sound of the Elear's is still fantastic, but now just left me wanting for the realism of the Solitaire T. I also stopped using previous headphones from the past as well: AKG K 712 Pro and Audeze EL8 Ti. The Meze 99 Classics would stay, as they are too special to ever leave my stable.
The profound changes in my listening habits and sheer enjoyment that came from owning the Solitaire T was incredible, and so I decided to get rid of three headphones (but not the 99 Classics) and use that as a trade towards the FiiO M17.

The rest is history, and I almost exclusively now listen to the Solitaire T in balanced mode at home or in the office, and use wireless Bluetooth mode on occasion (commuting or moving around on breaks to the cafeteria).
No other headphone has made such a leap of change in rapid succession to elevate my gear and get as much as I can out of one single headphone, and it's hybrid nature is brilliant.

Currently listening to It Is What It Is by Thundercat (2020, Brainfeeder BFDNL100, 24 bit/44.1 kHz) (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, YouTube Music) in balanced mode and having a focused chill experience!

About "no substitute for prolonged listening with your own ear", the truth is that this is really different depending on every person.

Some people knowing very well the type of sound they like, and possibly having experience with many headphones, and when testing a new headphone, usually they knowing (very) quickly if the new headphone is good/excellent, better or more bad for them or not. This is my case. I have a 'test playlist' of 87 tracks with very different music (a few parts in each tracks of the first 20 tracks are more critical for quickly testing and knowing different aspects of a headphone for me).

Sometimes is only taking me literally few minutes for knowing that a headphone is not good for me (expensive or not), for example B&W PX, PX7, Sony XM3 and XM4 or B&W PX8 without EQ (I only keeping the XM3 for the excellent ANC).

But is true too that our ears adapting quickly to any sound signature, to ANY sound signature relatively soon. And is true too that we don't always listening to music in the same way, and this is depending on several factors (sometimes our favourite headphone isn't sounding great if the moment isn't right). BUT is also true that are several variables for accepting/liking a headphone (or for typically hating Apple earphones), and one important variable is psychological ("If is expensive, and many people saying is great, I must agreeing", group mentality even when so many people don't know about good sound and only repeating what others saying).

I needing 4 days for knowing that the ST is better than the 5909 because the high frequencies are very different. Only when I corroborating several times (with many tracks) that the ST upper mids and high frequencies are very more correct than the 5909's (noticeable more in cymbals, snare drums and some vocals) I know the ST is the better headphone. With the Bathys vs 5909 I needing 6-7 days, specially because I keep having problems with Bathys midrange even after trying different EQ settings.

 

[Benesyed]

About "no substitute for prolonged listening with your own ear", the truth is that this is really different depending on every person.

Some people knowing very well the type of sound they like, and possibly having experience with many headphones, and when testing a new headphone, usually they knowing (very) quickly if the new headphone is good/excellent, better or more bad for them or not. This is my case. I have a 'test playlist' of 87 tracks with very different music (a few parts in each tracks of the first 20 tracks are more critical for quickly testing and knowing different aspects of a headphone for me).

Sometimes is only taking me literally few minutes for knowing that a headphone is not good for me (expensive or not), for example B&W PX, PX7, Sony XM3 and XM4 or B&W PX8 without EQ (I only keeping the XM3 for the excellent ANC).

But is true too that our ears adapting quickly to any sound signature, to ANY sound signature relatively soon. And is true too that we don't always listening to music in the same way, and this is depending on several factors (sometimes our favourite headphone isn't sounding great if the moment isn't right). BUT is also true that are several variables for accepting/liking a headphone (or for typically hating Apple earphones), and one important variable is psychological ("If is expensive, and many people saying is great, I must agreeing", group mentality even when so many people don't know about good sound and only repeating what others saying).

I needing 4 days for knowing that the ST is better than the 5909 because the high frequencies are very different. Only when I corroborating several times (with many tracks) that the ST upper mids and high frequencies are very more correct than the 5909's (noticeable more in cymbals, snare drums and some vocals) I know the ST is the better headphone. With the Bathys vs 5909 I needing 6-7 days, specially because I keep having problems with Bathys midrange even after trying different EQ settings.

I mean moreso when the differences are small or when one doesn't have a lot of experience. Even I, when I finally heard the SolT and compared to the 5909, appreciated they were "better" tuned (after a little EQ). And I had a strong bias to not like them!

 

[TheOneInYellow]

I mean moreso when the differences are small or when one doesn't have a lot of experience. Even I, when I finally heard the SolT and compared to the 5909, appreciated they were "better" tuned (after a little EQ). And I had a strong bias to not like them!

We WISH we could save that cash ha ha!
If I could, I'd have settled for the No. 5909 and reaped the savings towards the M17 and other gear.

However, this thread AND the features of the Solitaire T convinced me to go for it, and I ended up spending MOAR (FiiO M17, Shargeek Storm2, with MCRU Pure Silver DC Power Cable)

It just goes to show how much R&D goes into a product on the cost side, and though there will always be a markup, sometimes value in expensive products are tangible; can be seen, heard, or felt, like the T+A products.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Well, learned two things today via Instagram!

First, T+A Solitaire T won the iFi Design Award 2023 in the Audio category (T+A Instagram post here)!
Link to the award on iF Design Award's website here.

Second, the headphones were actually designed by another company, called Scale Design Company based in Burgdorf, Germany!
Instagram post of some of the Solitaire T design team winning the award here!

 

[angelom]

New ST review: https://stereo-magazine.com/review/t-a-solitaire-t-review