[TheOneInYellow]

The issues with the multiple naming and renaming schemes with USB and HDMI, multiple wireless topology protocols and codecs, and similarly related areas of tech, is incredibly annoying and confusing.

Yes, I took the time to deep dive and self educate on the barmy stupidity of the above, but I should not have had to do so.

Monopoly and jargon flooding of tech variations are a bane, and creates real confusion to the general public (or worse, cause the public to be misinformed or create misled allegiances).

Add to that crazy expectations for certain gear, and it's a saddening state...

 

[angelom]

While it is not the answer I was looking for, I at least appreciate the transparency I received from T+A.

I don’t sure about this (the transparency of A+T). Only about one month ago A+T saying to WDitters that LDAC will becoming available after licensing is ready. And I think one month ago A+T knowing already whether LDAC will be a reality or not.

I personally think the transparency isn’t so good.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

I don’t sure about this (the transparency of A+T). Only about one month ago A+T saying to WDitters that LDAC will becoming available after licensing is ready. And I think one month ago A+T knowing already whether LDAC will be a reality or not.

I personally think the transparency isn’t so good.

Out of interest, is the reason you are typing the brand T+A as A+T due to accidental error (autocorrect or otherwise), or is this a passive comment of your feelings towards the brand?

 

[angelom]

Out of interest, is the reason you are typing the brand T+A as A+T due to accidental error (autocorrect or otherwise), or is this a passive comment of your feelings towards the brand?

Is honest typing error.

 

[newworld666]

Licensing and politics. It's the same reason they don't support Dolby Vision on their TVs. They have their own agenda, but sadly don't seem to realise they don't quite have the industry pull the likes of Apple does to inform industry wide standards

Apple can make nice products based mainly on broadcom, qualcomm, sony, samsung oled hardware and sell them at best as possible, but for defining new standards, particularly for mucic with the old bluetooth AAC based on more or less 280Kbps bitrate, I am not sure Apple can be called a real reference compared to Sony's LDAC based on a near to CD bitrate at 990kbps or even Qualcom with APTX HD/Adaptative.
For apple user the missing LDAC feature is not a big deal at all..
For Samsung users with Qobuz providers, it's a real disappointment at 1300€, though using a balanced cable + ANC active plugged on a Sony WM1A in LDAC mode with a Samsung Z Fold4 can help to bypass, in a way, the missing codec in the Solitaire T.

 

[angelom]

I don’t sure about this (the transparency of A+T). Only about one month ago A+T saying to WDitters that LDAC will becoming available after licensing is ready. And I think one month ago A+T knowing already whether LDAC will be a reality or not.

I personally think the transparency isn’t so good.

I must adding that even when I think the transparency of T+A is lacking in the subject of LDAC, I, personally, still think that what the ST is offering in sound quality in all its modes—including the really superb BT HQ mode—, plus others aspects, the price of 1300 euros is valid. I accepting this price before the real LDAC situation is revealed.

 

[F208Frank]

Why is the lack of Ldac such a big deal? The headphones sound great.

 

[Benesyed]

Why is the lack of Ldac such a big deal? The headphones sound great.

yeah I don't even use the LDAC on my Mark Levinson. AptX sounds completely indistinguishable but has better latency and connectivity

 

[WDitters]

Why is the lack of Ldac such a big deal? The headphones sound great.

Beacuse there's a whole contingent of Samsung (Galaxy) users out there (me included) for whom LDAC is the only supported high quality codec (outside Samsung's own proprietary SDC codec.

Because Samsung stubbornly refuses to invest in a license for APTX-HD it means that when it comes to selecting a pair of wireless headphones these users basically are limited to regular AptX for every non-LDAC supporting pair of headphones that exist ...

I was therefore quite happy with the Mark Levinson No 5909 because on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra I could use them with LDAC. Now that I have switched to the T+A I felt compelled to buy a Shanling M3 Ultra as workaround so that I would no longer have to think about whether or not I would have a supported codec available

 

[newworld666]

And some of my favourite Sony's DAPs include only LDAC too..
So in my poor case, with Samsung Z fold and Sony WM1A .. I think Solitaire T is a bit too limited in BT mode for Qobuz streaming.
Though I am not completely decided yet concerning Solitaire T (due to balanced cable input), as I would like to keep for years such headphone (5 to 10 years), I imagine it should be frustrating rather fast.

 

[y2jdmbfan]

I modified my listing a bit just to make it clear I am open to a bit of flexibility on the price.

 

[angelom]

Why is the lack of Ldac such a big deal?

Maybe because the power of suggestion AND the power of marketing / BS are really very strong? If I want believing that something is there, not matter what the evidence for the contrary is saying, then, for me, that something is really, really there.

 

[newworld666]

Maybe because the power of suggestion AND the power of marketing / BS are really very strong? If I want believing that something is there, not matter what the evidence for the contrary is saying, then, for me, that something is really, really there.

Or just because for at least Sony and Samsung users, CD bandwith is 1411 Kbps, AAC is more or less limited to 280Kps, SBC 320Kbps and LDAC reaches 990 Kbps... So in 2023 => we just all hope a wireless connection to be nearest the old 80's CD quality as possible.
HIRES can probably also be just a very good Sony's marketing matter... or not.
In a way, it reminds me a bit when CD appeared in the 80's, still many, since then, are claiming that Vinyl has a more natural sound and they don't like CD sound at all.
Maybe, for some users, until Apple's marketing decide to include Hires in their hardware too, AAC will be sufficient for their pleasure to listen to music.

At 1300€, it definitely can be an issue for Sony and Samsung users to be limited between AAC at 280kps and SBC at 320 Kbps instead 990Kbps of LDAC and almost nothing in between.

 

[angelom]

In a way, it reminds me a bit when CD appeared in the 80's, still many, since then, are claiming that Vinyl has a more natural sound and they don't like CD sound at all.

Many, many CDs from the (early) 80s (when first CDs coming out), the first generations of this CD albums are not very good in sound comparing with the vinyl versions because many of this CDs are only (very) poor transfers of the original vinyl, and in some cases transfers from 2nd or 3rd generation vinyls, and not from the original reel to reel masters. After several years CD sound improving very much, and today's (and for many years now) CDs are absolutely fine.

 

[angelom]

Today is 10 weeks since I receiving the ST.

For last 2 weeks I have one problem: I intend listening at night not more than 45 minutes, but NOT one night I'm successful. Every night is minimum of 2.5 hours or going up to 3.5 hours. Is very difficult for me stopping using my ST and this is a problem in the morning when I must getting up early.

By now I think that surely the novelty of the ST is enough...but apparently isn't...or maybe this isn't about novelty or not novelty but about having a headphone that is reproducing sound so excellently that is (very) difficult not using more time than I planning.

For me this is a more serious problem than not having LDAC. (I'm not joking)