Solitaire P
Headphones

The Solitaire P headphones

Our first headphones represent a new and ground-breaking development which pushes the magneto-static principle to the point of perfection. We have designed these open headphones with no hint of compromise and without regard to cost, for we had only one goal in mind: musical reproduction to the very highest standard of perfection.
The headphone transducer systems are of sophisticated construction, and all components and sub-assemblies are manufactured to the tightest of tolerances using precision tools. Wherever possible and sensible, the headphones employ aluminium components machined from solid metal. The ingenious construction of the diaphragms, drive magnets and sound guides linearises the sound field and the dispersion characteristics. Music is reproduced without distortion: the Solitaire P adds nothing and takes nothing away. Totally natural reproduction is the first commandment for all T+A devices.

Construction

Many planar-magnetic headphones exhibit significant inherent disadvantages, including low efficiency, high weight and – very often – very low impedance. From the outset we designed our headphones to avoid these problems. A crucial factor in this purpose was the adoption of a new approach to the problems. We invested considerable effort in the design, and insisted on the use of the finest materials. The headphones incorporate several close-tolerance sub-assemblies which fit together pefectly; they can only be manufactured using precision tools. These parts consist of high-strength plastics or carbon in accordance with their function, and are made to tolerances of a few hundredths of a millimetre in order to guarantee a perfect fit.

Material Selection

The open construction of the Solitaire P avoids the resonance problems of closed systems, and allows the diaphragm to vibrate unimpeded.
All sub-assemblies are attached to solid aluminium cups which are machined from solid using a precision 5-axis milling machine. The machining of a single cup takes more than an hour, starting from a 35 mm thick solid aluminium plate. The yokes and yoke connections are also machined from the solid. Although these sub-assemblies are very complex and difficult to produce, we decided to employ aluminium for them because it does not suffer from ageing problems, and always maintains its shape and strength.

Transducer

Our in-house transducer TPM 3100 is the beating heart of the Solitaire P. The TPM 3100 -just like the entire Solitaire P- was developed and is built in Herford.
The high-performance neodymium magnets are made with an accurately calculated segment shape as well as being precisely matched in length to suit the oval outline of the diaphragm; this ensures that the magnetic field lines generated have a homogeneous course, and that no air turbulence occurs; the airflow remains laminar at all times. The precise design of the retaining rings and the magnet mount maintains the diaphragm’s position accurately in the linear part of the magnetic field, ensuring that it is able to generate high sound pressures without distortion and with an enormous dynamic range, virtually devoid of inertia. This design also eliminates the need for supplementary opposed magnets, helping to keep the headphones’ weight low. The diaphragm is able to oscillate freely in the direction of the ear cushions, since there is no acoustic hindrance between the transducer diaphragm and the ear. The diaphragm itself consists of a special ultra-thin – and therefore ultra-lightweight – film, coated with an accurately routed and calculated conductor array whose impedance is around 80 Ohms.

Earpads

The ear and head cushions are hand-made, and manufactured for us by a specialist company here in Germany. They consist of allergen-free synthetic leather and Alcántara. For this reason they are very pleasant in contact with the skin even when the headphones are worn for long periods.

Headphone Cable

Of particular interest to us is the sound quality of the connecting cables. Ours are of symmetrical construction, with very low inductivity and capacitance, and designed with the optimum impedance. They consist of ultra-pure copper (OFC) conductors with a carefully defined silver layer. The four signal conductors are embedded in cotton threads, and permanently wrapped in a silver-plated woven shield. This construction isolates electro-magnetic influences, and damps mechanical resonances. The connectors are of the highest quality. Professional military-grade two-pole connectors are used in the headphones. The entire cable harness, including connectors and splitters, is encased and sheathed in a single manufacturing process, resulting in an extremely robust, durable cable which remains very flexible. The cable insulators consist of high-quality Hytrel® and TPE; these elastomers are free of PVC and latex, and are manufactured without the addition of toxic softening agents. Two cable sets are supplied with the headphones: one with a 6.3 mm barrel connector, and the second with a symmetrical 4.4 mm Pentaconn connector which offers optimum transfer resistance for the best possible sound quality. As you would expect, all contacts are gold-plated.

Specifications

Solitaire P Headphones

Transducer principle

Planar-magnetostatic

Impedance

80 Ohms

Frequency responce

5 Hz - 54 kHz

Distortion

< 0,015 % @ 100 dB

Maximum sound pressure level

> 130 dB

Transducer size

elliptic 110 x 80 mm

Type of construction

Open, over ear

Connectivity

Wired transmission (3m)
Version 1: unbalanced cable with 6.3 mm connector and balanced cable with 4.4 mm pentaconn connector
Version 2: unbalanced cable with 6.3 mm connector and blanced cable with 4-pin XLR connector

Material

Aluminum, steel, allergen-free synthetic leather, Alcantara

Weight

530 g excl. cable

Technical modifications reserved

Support

Catalogue

User manual

User manual Solitaire P

Fresh-Up-Service

Fresh-Up-Service

Reviews

Secrets of Hometheater and High Fidelity 6/2024

T+A delivers luxury and performance with its Solitaire P Planar Headphones and HA 200 Headphone Amplifier.

T+A’s Solitaire P Planar Headphones and HA 200 Amplifier deliver finer sound reproduction than every expensive speaker I’ve heard.
I don’t typically like to talk in absolutes but the T+A’s Solitaire P Planar Headphones and HA 200 Amplifier blew my mind. They delivered more detail and better balance than any speaker I’ve ever heard. Their presentation is addictive, analytical, emotional, musical, precise, and next-level. And for the sake of brevity, I’ll stop there. They are expensive at $16,550 for the system. But compared to high-end speakers and electronics, they are a bargain. If you want to sit in a chair and let music flow through your mind and spirit, I can think of no better way.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Audiophile Style 7/2023

Solitaire P Headphone Review

T+A may not be a well-known name in the US for high-end audio and headphones, but based on the performance of the Solitaire P, they should be!
The Solitaire P more than justifies its lofty price tag by delivering a headphone that does it all with effortless panache. Its elegant and sumptuous looks are matched by its refined sonics. It has a balanced and neutral tonal profile, timbrally accurate instruments and voices, and extension on both ends of the spectrum, from airy highs to deep, subterranean bass.
I plan to add the Solitaire P to my collection of reference headphones. I am convinced they set a new benchmark and a very high bar against which the very best headphones will have to compete.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Robb Report 12/2022

Why These New Ultra-Premium Headphones Are Some of the Best We’ve Ever Tested

The Solitaire P headphones and HA 200 amplifier work together to reveal previously unheard layers of a recording.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Archynewsy 8/2022

T+A Solitaire P: Conclusion

The T+A Solitaire P is among the truly expensive headphones out there. Fortunately, they also sound heavenly! Sit down and get lost in the music!
Solitaire P is even more addictive than its little brother P-SE, with an even warmer tone. The bass is in a class of its own, and the lower midrange is simply magical. And it sounds extra good with T+A’s own amplifier, the HA 200.
The slightly laid-back midrange may not be for everyone, especially not those who want voices and instruments to come forward as far as possible. Sound engineers will probably also wonder about the sound balance. But many, including myself, will experience the sound as exclusively beautiful.

This is the sound of butter melting on a delicious tenderloin, here you just have to sit back and indulge in dreamland!

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Audio Video Polen 1/2022

Solitaire P

According to our editor, these are the best headphones we have ever tested.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Audio Poland 11/2021

Planarne Rewelacje

W tym teście występują tylko...i aż dwa modele jednej firmy. Takich
porównań nie dokonujemy często, ale tym razem przemawiały za tym
specjalne argumenty i do pewnego stopnia przypadek.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

On-mag.fr 4/2021

La marque allemande spécialisée dans l'audio haut de gamme T+A s'est lancée récemment sur le marché du casque audio de salon avec un bien joli duo. Animés de la même ambition qu'à l'accoutumée, le casque planaire Solitaire P et le DAC/ampli casque HA 200 veulent frapper extrêmement fort et s'imposer comme des références absolues. De quoi donner des sueurs froides aux maîtres du genre.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

FWD 3/2021

De combinatie van de HA 200 en Solitaire P is zeer geslaagd. Het is een lichtvoetige, inzichtrijke ervaring om muziek te beluisteren met dit duo. De Solitaire P is bovendien een zeer goede hoofdtelefoon, met een lichte, snelle toets die bijna doet denken aan een elektrostaat. Niet helemaal hetzelfde uiteraard, maar toch is heel anders dan menige dynamische en planar-magnetic rivalen. De Solitaire P is een van de beste koptelefoons die je momenteel kunt vinden, een enorme prestatie. Maar dat kun je eigenlijk ook zeggen van de Solitaire P-SE.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

AV Polen 3/2021

Stereophile 2/2021

Solitaire P headphones and HA 200 headphone amplifier

After spending  a couple of months with the Solitaire P and HA 200 I think T+A has beat the odds: Their first-try headphone products played with the best of the world´s best, at the uppermost point of the gold-tipped asteroid. Bravo T+A!

i-fidelity.net

Ohrenschmaus
Das nenne ich mit Fug und Recht einen Einstieg nach Maß. Mit dem Duo Solitaire P und HA 200 will T+A nirgendwo anders hin als an die Spitze. Dafür war kein Aufwand zu groß, keine technische und konstruktive Herausforderung unüberwindlich. Das Set kostet eine Stange Geld, aber klanglich müssen sich Mitbewerber in Zukunft an Solitaire P und HA 200 messen lassen, denn dieser Ohrenschmaus setzt Maßstäbe.

Den gesamen Testbericht lesen...

Stereonet 12/2020

We are up in rarified air with the T+A Solitaire P. However, it doesn't cost that much more than Focal's Utopia, and it's about £30,000 less than Sennheiser's Orpheus if that's any consolation. Personally, I prefer the build and feel of the Solitaire P over the flagship Focal, but understand that this is a matter of taste.

What's less subjective is the sound, and I genuinely believe that the Solitaire P has now set the benchmark for planar magnetic headphones. It has incredible speed, insight and dynamic range – plus musicality in abundance. Factor in the almost supernatural comfort and this is a seriously special product that performs impeccably across so many areas.

For those who can't afford the not inconsiderable asking price, there is good news as I am told that we can expect more headphones at different price points to follow – including dynamic and electrostatic designs, as well as more head-fi electronics. Meanwhile, there's always the National Lottery.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Image Hifi 1/2021

Theorie und begeisternde Anwendung
Billig sind die beiden High End Geräte Solitaire P und HA 200 von T+A nicht. Angesichts der gebotenen Qualität und der hervorragenden Umsetzung auch zukunftsweisender Konzepte erscheint ihr Preis aber angemessen, zumal dann, wenn der stolze Besitzer alle Möglichkeiten des HA 200 ausschöpfen kann. Die Kombination aus Solitaire P und HA 200 wird ihm, da bin ich mir sicher, neue Einsichten in musikalische Zusammenhänge und auch eine weitere Entwicklung der eigenen klanglichen Wahrnehmung ermöglichen.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

The Absolute Sound 1/2021

Solitaire P Headphones, German Ingenuity
The T+A Solitaire P headphones rank among the best, easiest-to-drive, most completely portable reference headphones I have had the pleasure of reviewing. Their superlatives include physical resilience, elegant looks, build-quality, comfort level, and, of course, sound. The Solitaire Ps fulfills all the requirements to be considered references. Are they perfect? Not quite. The headband’s click-stop adjustment system, while perhaps adequate for a sub-$300 headphone, doesn’t offer the high level of engineering you would expect, especially considering the refinement found in the rest of the headphone’s physical design. But the Solitaire Ps do everything else so well that it’s easy to work around the headband; I’d simply gaffer-tape it in place. So, if you are in the hunt for a pair of headphones that you can keep using for ten or twenty years, and you’re hard on headphones, I would strongly recommend trying the Solitaire Ps on for size. They can take it, and they sure can dish it out.

LowBeats 12/2020

Fazit T+A Solitaire P und HA 200
Viel Geld. Ein gläubiger Anhänger der Lautsprecher-Wiedergabe wird noch nicht einmal interessiert zucken. Was bedeutet: Die Zielgruppe für diesen Amp und seinen Kopfhörer ist fein geschnitten. Wer die beiden jedoch erleben durfte, wird vom Glauben abfallen und mit fliegenden Fahnen die Seiten wechseln. Ich traue mir den Superlativ zu: Das ist die beste Amp/Hörer-Kombi, die ich kenne. Der Preis tut weh. Aber so etwas kauft man sich auf Jahrzehnte. 11.400 Euro durch 365 Tage mal zehn Jahre – macht drei Euro zwölf Cent pro Tag. So gerechnet, kann man schon wieder drüber nachdenken.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

avforums.com 7/2020

Go big or go home
T+A has hit the ground running. This is the best headphone I’ve ever tested and it has a depth of talent that is almost unprecedented in terms of how it balances its talents and capabilities.

Simply incredible sonic performance.
Exceptionally well made.
Comfortably and surprisingly practical.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Stereoplay 8/2020

Der Himmel des Möglichen
Einatmen, ausatmen, den Startknopf betätigen. Danach geht eine Welt auf. Der Solitaire P setzt die Kirsche auf das Sahnehäubchen-mehr Informationen gehen nicht, mehr Leidenschaft ist ebenso schwer denkbar.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Diapason 7-8/2020

Une vision absolutiste de la reproduction sonore.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Audio 7/2020

First Strike
Bravo, T+A: ein sehr gelungenes Debüt. Der Solitaire P ist super geworden, der HA 200 noch besser. Oder um es anders auszudrücken: Es gibt Stand heute keinen besseren Kopfhörerverstärker. Damit sind der HA 200 und der Solitaire P die neuen AUDIO-Referenzen und -Arbeitsgeräte.
Neutral abgestimmt, ungeheuer präzise.
Klang: 100 Punkte
Ausstattung: sehr gut
Bedienung: sehr gut
Verarbeitung: hervorragend

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

HiFi and Music Source 5/2020

Solitaire P - Hifi Review
These T+A Solitaire P headphones are the Rolls Royce of headphones….they are designed for the longer journey, enabling you to arrive without fatigue, knowing you’ve experienced the best your money can buy.
In substance, as I have already stated, the T+A Solitaire P headphones deliver a wonderfully warm sound with such fabulous detail and they have a soundstage to stand up for. I can award these headphones nothing less than ‘Outstanding’, 5 stars.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Forbes 5/2020 Mark Sparrow

These T+A Solitaire P Headphones Are Probably The Best You’ll Ever Hear.
Verdict: Thanks to some amazing technology involving advanced materials and clever placement of magnets, the T+A Solitaire P headphones set the benchmark for all other manufacturers of planar magnetic headphones to reach. Of course, like any high-end headphones, the Solitaires need an impeccable source because they are ruthless in the amount of detail they can reveal. If you feed substandard signals it will be no surprise if the music sounds as bad as it is. Cheap headphones can disguise a multitude of sonic sins. The musicality and abundant detail that these headphones offer is a pure delight. Normally, I can’t manage more than an hour or two of headphone listening at a time, but with these headphones not only could I listen all day in comfort, I knew my ears wouldn’t be fatigued and I could spend days rediscovering my favorite music, finding new sounds and instruments that I never knew were there. T+A may not be a household name in high-end audio, but it really deserves to be. If you are an ardent headphone fan and you want the very best that money can buy, I can heartily recommend T+A’s Solitaire P headphones.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

HiFi News 6/2020

Musicalhead 5/2020

Dem deutschen High-End Hersteller T+A gelingt mit der überragenden Kombination aus SOLITAIRE P und HA200 somit ein veritabler Raketenstart in das internationale Kopfhörersegment, den man in diesem Maße so nicht erwarten konnte.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Stereo 4/2020

Sehr weit gesprungen
Wir machten die Probe auf Exempel mit Peter Gabriels "Come, talk to me"- und waren baff. Wie grollend und mächtig der sythetische Bass hier in staubtrockener Art daherkam, das überzeugte uns dann endgültig davon, dass man in Herford keinesfalls ein "me too"-Produkt auf die Beine gestellt hat, sondern wie beim Materialaufwand auch, klanglich in die Vollen gegangen ist. Da meldet sich der "Habenwollen-Effekt" trotz des Preisschildes ganz energisch zu Wort. T+A hat das fast Unmögliche geschafft und aus dem Stand einen Referenzhörer entwickelt.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

Audionet 7/2020

Headfonics 6/2020

T+A Solitaire P Review

Owing to the ultra-low distortion (a record-breaking < 0.015% at 100 dB), the Solitaire P is a leader of micro-dynamics and capably highlights gradations in small volume changes.

Den gesamten Testbericht lesen...

 

 

Other components of  Solitaire P headphones and headphone amps