[angelom]

Looks like the reviewer has been reading @angelom early posts on the ST: "But they’re detailed, accurate and they present the music in a neutral, almost “boring” manner, which allows you to hear the music as the artist intended and it does a very good job at it."

Yes, is very possible that the reviewer looking at this thread and seeing my early comments, like you saying, and probably simply agreeing with the "boring" comment I making.

I still very much think that the sound of the ST for many people, people coming from more 'commercial' type of sound (more heavy and unnatural, but 'exciting', bass with sometimes a lift in treble too) will finding the ST's neutral --but never dry, thin or clinical-- sound boring or with not sufficient appeal. I also saying in the early days that this "boring" neutral / very balanced sound is very exciting for me.

In the first 2 days of owning the ST I'm not 100% sure about the excellence of the treble, like I quickly hearing in the bass and mids, because I'm listening to the 5909 for 8-9 months when I receiving the ST. But after playing several albums and many different types of tracks I come to conclusion that the ST's treble, too, isn't only better than the 5909's treble, but is really one very seriously excellent frequency, a frequency that, I insist, is very, very difficult getting correctly.

After I'm arriving at this conclusion, and after several weeks are passing, my conclusion for several months (almost 4 now) is still that I never hearing a headphone or earphone (universal or custom) with a better, more correct, tonal balance.

 

[WDitters]

Coming back from a recent business trip, my first with the T+A, I promised @angelom an update. Unfortunately I must admit that I did run into a minor niggle with the T+A.

The good part is that I find the ANC (maximum setting) to be perfectly adequate. Not stellar and not at the level of Sony who typically keep the best versions of their technology to themselves. But absolutely fine for travel purposes. Low frequency engine hum is limited in quite a satisfactory manner. Also not unsurprisingly higher frequency sounds (voices and chatter) remain slightly audible.

My (only) issue however lies with the fact that ANC only works well when the earpads seal is intact. And although I am willing to accept that the shape of my head may partially have to do with this, I find the T+A to be slightly too sensitive to lateral or vertical head movements that occur while moving around, looking around, nodding or shaking my head as well as jaw movements when eating. The limiting effect on ANC performance was audible. More so than with the ML 5909.

In the end I managed to compensate it by being a bit more cautious in my head movements, so all in all I can live with it just fine. In my opinion however I found it noteworthy enough to mention here. This type of behavior by the way may not necessarily happen to everyone. Since heads vary in shape and size, I guess this is a typical case of YMMV

 

[F208Frank]

Slightly used one is in classifieds, beep beep.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Coming back from a recent business trip, my first with the T+A, I promised @angelom an update. Unfortunately I must admit that I did run into a minor niggle with the T+A.

The good part is that I find the ANC (maximum setting) to be perfectly adequate. Not stellar and not at the level of Sony who typically keep the best versions of their technology to themselves. But absolutely fine for travel purposes. Low frequency engine hum is limited in quite a satisfactory manner. Also not unsurprisingly higher frequency sounds (voices and chatter) remain slightly audible.

My (only) issue however lies with the fact that ANC only works well when the earpads seal is intact. And although I am willing to accept that the shape of my head may partially have to do with this, I find the T+A to be slightly too sensitive to lateral or vertical head movements that occur while moving around, looking around, nodding or shaking my head as well as jaw movements when eating. The limiting effect on ANC performance was audible. More so than with the ML 5909.

In the end I managed to compensate it by being a bit more cautious in my head movements, but in my opinion noteworthy. This however may not necessarily happen to everyone. Since heads very in shape and size, I guess this is a typical case of YMMV

I relate to this, and as the Solitaire T has a smaller earcup to skin connection, I on occasion do find the seal to break on specific lateral movements.
However, I naturally just adjusted to this unconsciously to reduce or eliminate this.
(I had a similar issue with the Meze Audio 99 Classics, though those are on-ear so a different set of issues and self-resolutions).

As you say @WDitters, we all have different head shapes, and also we all use or cans differently, so though we have valid opinions, they may not be applicable to all.

Even with the above, I consider it a negligible issue as I have self-adjusted and still enjoy the Solitaire T to pieces, so yay more natural sounding reproduction

Edit: no idea why the word different was autocorrected to something silly; my apologies and fixed!

 

[GreenRunner]

Hello fellow audiophiles!

I have a question about the dimensions of the inner earcup(void) of the T+A Solitaire T(Bluetooth); what is the maximum width and maximum height? I have relatively small ears, but I still need to know.

thanks in advance!

 

[Spie1904]

With regards to durability, was there any confirmation on battery changes? If they die on you, are you able to get them replaced or is it a wired closed back at that point.

 

[angelom]

With regards to durability, was there any confirmation on battery changes? If they die on you, are you able to get them replaced or is it a wired closed back at that point.

T+A giving confirmation few months ago that ALL parts of the Solitaire T are replaceable by them, including the battery, of course.

 

[Spie1904]

T+A giving confirmation few months ago that ALL parts of the Solitaire T are replaceable by them, including the battery, of course.

That’s pretty awesome!
Pardon my curiosity but do you have an official source on this and any insight on the price for a battery replacement?

 

[angelom]

That’s pretty awesome!
Pardon my curiosity but do you have an official source on this and any insight on the price for a battery replacement?

You can contacting T+A directly by email or telephone if necessary (check their website). I receiving confirmation from the German shop where I buying my ST, and they telling me that T+A confirming this for them.

EDIT: I don't know the price for replacing the battery.

 

[Spie1904]

You can contacting T+A directly by email or telephone if necessary (check their website). I receiving confirmation from the German shop were I buying my ST, and they telling me that T+A confirming this for them.

EDIT: I don't know the price for replacing the battery.

Thanks!
I sent them an e mail directly!
As a Belgian still have to find a dealer to purchase a pair if I finally make the decision!

 

[smuh]

Thanks!
I sent them an e mail directly!
As a Belgian still have to find a dealer to purchase a pair if I finally make the decision!

You could order in Germany. There are at least a few vendors that ship directly to Belgium.

 

[angelom]

If you, like me, are using your ST a lot in bluetooth / HQ mode with your laptop (I'm using 16" 2021 MacBook Pro), and maybe after the ST's December firmware update you're still thinking the maximum volume isn't sufficiently loud, maybe you can trying the inexpensive BT Sennheiser BTD 600 dongle. For my surprise, the maximum volume with this dongle is considerably more loud than only connecting the ST directly to my MBP's BT. The BTD 600 is using aptX Adaptive that is backwards compatible with aptX HD (and normal aptX too).

I don't want trying the BTD 600 with my iPhone for 2 reasons: a) I don't have the necessary adapter for this dongle with iPhone, and b) I don't want carrying extra adapter and dongle when I'm using my ST with my iPhone.

EDIT: BTD 600 is also working perfectly with my 11" 2019 iPad Pro, and no extra adapter is necessary.

 

[rael67]

The BTD 600 also works fine with the Focal Bathys And solves the problem with the volume steps some people have.

 

[angelom]

The BTD 600 also works fine with the Focal Bathys And solves the problem with the volume steps some people have.

I don't understand your post. I know you love your Bathys very much but this is the ST thread and your post is about the Bathys (!). Why not posting this information in the Bathys threads??

 

[rael67]

Very brief comments of Solitaire T vs ML 5909 vs Focal Bathys vs B&W PX8.

I owning the Bathys and px8 recently but returning them so my comments about this 2 headphones are from recent memory, but even a few minutes of audio memory isn't 100% reliable. I still owning the 5909.

I think that if you giving this 4 headphones to 100 people in the street, more people choosing the Bathys, then the px8, then the 5909 ONLY IF ANC is on (because you having more bass), and then the ST. So, now after my unscientific survey, this is how I see, very generally, this 4 headphones.

The Bathys is the winner for general public because is have a big / grand sound with very good soundstage that can impressing people easily. For me, unfortunately, I finding 2 problems. One is the mids are never convincing and are sounding a little too recessed, even after using EQ that is helping but not really solving the problem, and I also needing EQ'ing bass down with more music that necessary. The other really HUGE problem for me personally is the, for my ears, extreme volume changes between only one volume step (up or down) and other in iOS and macOS. This is so frequently horribly frustrating, and after all this time and many complaints Focal doing nothing for solving this problem. Also, the EQ isn't covering the frequencies I really want changing, but still not so bad.... The Bathys design isn't my style at all, is looking, for me, a little ghetto for my taste. Other aspects I don't like but don't mentioning now.

The px8 I immediately need using EQ for decreasing bass and increasing treble in the app's EQ. I still own the P7W that sharing some sonic aspects but the P7W, even after 6 years, is very more correct in the mids and treble performance even when EQ isn't available. The px8 is more about adding too many spices / flavourings and having very good construction quality. The design in general is very nice, but one thing I really, really not liking about this headphone is the very prominent "bowers & wilkins" writing in shiny letters in the earcups ("Look at me AND I look expensive!!").

ML 5909 having a design I don't like, but construction quality is really excellent, the best of all this 4 headphones, in my view. Funny but I actually appreciate the cheap look design because isn't attracting attention at all (I prefer wearing this in public than px8 ands Bathys). The 5909 is, in my opinion, the only headphone that really competing in sound quality with the ST, but the 5909 is adding a bit too much spice in the treble area, giving enhanced detail in less realistic way than you finding in the real world. This is a little more problematic at more high volumes where is becoming fatiguing with some music. Also, the sound isn't consistent in all modes, but the 5909 is still really very, very good.

The ST, the boring sounding headphone with not sufficient spices and even a small soundstage...

The ST for me is the very more honest headphone that is the more close like a clean (boring) window representing audio in a more honest and natural way, either from studio quality recordings, or from venues with good acoustics (so, so, so many venues have terrible acoustics!...I often laughing when people so frequently saying X headphone sounding just like live concert...I usually think "I don't want this headphone")

This are very brief comments and I can saying a lot more but I think the is sufficient.

My personal ranking: ST > 5909 > Bathys >> px8.

Hi angelom,
I have posted this in this thread because the one or other person decide against the Bathys only because of volume step problems, as you have mentioned earlier. So maybe it is interesting for them to read that with a little BT dongle that problem can be fixed. And yes I like the Bathys but I am sure that your impressions and comparisons with the T+A are very exact, excellent and right. For me and my big ears the earcups are unfortunately not big enough. That was already a problem for me with the H95 and is one point that made the Bathys very comfortable for me.