T+A Solitaire P-SE HiFi Planar Headphones – Flagship Theory Application Performa
T+A Solitaire P-SE is a $3900 USD flagship HiFi Planar Magnetic Headphone designed and made in Germany, based on the groundbreaking Solitaire P, but with a more affordable price point. Solitaire P-SE incorporates a highly refined application of the magnetostatic principle, having an uncompromising design to deliver perfection in music reproduction Today we will review the T+A Solitaire P-SE and compare them with all the other flagship headphones we have been reviewing over the years, including Dan Clark Audio Expanse (3999 USD), Audeze LCD-5 (4500 USD), HIFIMAN HE1000SE (1999 USD), Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced (1700 USD).
Introduction
We should start by exploring that T+A stands for Theory and Application in the field of Audio technology. T+A began as a loudspeaker company, but over the past 45+ years, the company has been able to grow and complete the founder’s original goal of developing complete system solutions, including speakers, digital and analog sources, amplification, and high performance headphones. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to T+A electroakustik for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Excellent sonics, to the point where I can safely call it the widest, most holographic sounding headphone with the best instrument separation I heard up to this date. Excellent resolution, clarity and precision, with exceptional bass depth and treble extension. Superb comfort and build quality, overall one of the best headphones ever created in the whole world, and which takes the listener into account, delivering comfort too.
Cons – Quite hard to drive, no short balanced cables, the connectors at the earcup side are not universal.
Product Link
Official Link – https://www.ta-hifi.de/en/headphones/solitaire-headphones/solitaire-p-se/
Build Quality / Aesthetics
T+A Solitaire P-SE is based on the legendary Solitaire P, a headphone that brought groundbreaking development to the portable world. P-SE is a headphone of uncompromising design, and the whole headphone feels sturdy and well put together. The earcup design is very similar to the big Solitaire P, but the transducer is a newly in-house designed TPM 2500. The fundamental design is based on the Solitaire P’s TPM 3100, but there are some key differences, as the special membrane is tamped with copper conductors tracks and the Draft Control System has been revised to work better with the Solitaire P-SE plastic construction.
By employing high-quality plastics, Solitaire P-SE is substantially lighter than the flagship Solitaire P, and it maintains the same high level of comfort while in usage. The earpads have always been designed to provide the best comfort combined with the widest soundstage possible. A big part of how the headphones feel so different in the build quality compared to the market is that T+A employs extremely tight tolerances and use precision tools for the construction of the headphones. Each component is refined to offer the best possible performance, and each component is made from a different plastic, for example the ear cups exhibit a very high internal damping, while the yokes and the headband are strong and robust to resist for years with a normal daily usage.
To give you the ultimate comfort, the headband is made of an allergen-free synthetic leather and velours, and both the headband and the earpads are manufactured by a specialist company in Germany. The contact with the skin is indeed very pleasing even if you’re wearing the Solitaire P-SE for long periods of time, and all the sub assemblies of the headphone fit together snuggly, with no free space, and no margin of error that the human eye could see. T+A also dedicated Research And Development efforts to make sure that Solitaire P-SE overcomes the shortcomings of most planar magnetic headphones, including the heavy weight and low impedance typically associated with planar drivers.
At the technical level, T+A Solitaire P-SE has a medium-high impedance of 45 OHMs, combined with a SPL of 101dB, which doesn’t sound so low, but is actually on the lower side, making them heavy to drive well. The contact pressure or clamping force is measured to be 3.2N, while the weight is 440 grams without the cables. The THD is quoted to be lower than 0.015%, and the transducer has a size of 110mm x 80mm. Even the cables have been optimized for T+A to offer the best possible sonic performance, and they are a symmetrical, very low inductivity and capacitance cable, with ulta-pure copper conductors with a silver layer. The found signal conductors are embedded in cotton threads and wrapped in a silver plated woven shield. The construction is highly effective at damping the mechanical noise, and the headphone side connectors are 3.5mm in size, but they are a special blend of barrel connectors that sit really deep inside of the headphones. When ordering the T+A Solitaire P-SE, you can opt to either receive them with a 4.4mm balanced cable, or an XLR Balanced cable, while the large 6.35mm SE cable is always included standard. The design also combines well with the ddHiFi HS270W Wooden Stand we’ve used for most photos.
An interesting note about the drivers used in the Solitaire P-SE is that the magnet is one-sided, to reduce the weight of the headphones, and to improve the transparency for the sonic waves that travel to your ears. This means that no air turbulence can occur and the airflow remains laminar at all times. The diaphragm position is accurately maintained in the linear part of the magnetic field being able to generate high SPL or sound pressure levels without distortion and creating an enormous dynamic range without any inertia. While many driver designers make acoustically transparent drivers, having no magnets on the ear side means that there cannot be any acoustic hindrance between the diaphragm and the ear.
There is a Fresh-Up Service available for your T+A Solitaire P-SE where T+A will replace the ear pads, the dust protection of the drivers, and the headband too. This includes a professional cleaning and maintenance, but it is a service available only by emailing the company. It is also possible to replace both the earpads and the red dust protection mesh by yourself. Although we spoke a lot about the plastic in the frame, there is steel reinforcing in the whole construction to give T+A Solitaire P-SE a tough construction that will survive even those who take less care of their headphones.
Fit / Comfort
T+A Solitaire P-SE delivers what I can consider to be the most comfortable headphone I have had to date, having mechanisms for both lateral and vertical swivel, and allowing for enough size customization to fit any head out there. Despite the cables being quite long, they do not conduct microphonic noise and feel comfortable while using the T+a Solitaire P-SE. The headphone is both lightweight, and the headband does an excellent job at distributing the weight evenly across my head, with a really natural clamping force that never feels loose nor too tight.
With dense and comfortable earpads covered in a high-quality velour material at the contact point with my skin, T+A Solitaire P-SE offers enough real estate for my ears inside the earcups, with no point of the headphones touching my ears, allowing me to wear them for unlimited periods of time. I have noticed that compared to most planar magnetic headphones, Solitaire P-SE shows no driver flex when you push on the headphones, and this was a pretty big comfort issue with virtually every Audze Headphone released to date.
There is no passive noise isolation, and Solitaire P-SE is the most open-back headphone I have ever had the honor of wearing, music leaks out at a similar volume compared to the one you’re listening to. There is no creaking noise when adjusting the T+A Solitaire P-SE, it is one of the most solid and best constructed headphones I have ever handled, precision engineering is an understatement when describing the build quality T+A has. As the impedance is on the higher side, you can expect less coloration produced by the source, and the sound to be more cohesive and vary less across sources.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To really test the T+A Solitaire P-SE, I have used them in combination with a wide selection of sources, including iBasso D16 and PB5, SMSL DO200 PRO driving Singxer SA-1 V2, Dethonray Listening M1, HIFIMAN EF400 driving Feliks Audio Euforia Evo, HIFIMAN Prelude connected to HIFIMAN Serenade, Aune S9C PRO with Aune S17 PRO, and also DAPs, iBasso DX320 and iBasso 320 MAX Ti. T+A Solitaire P-SE is the third hardest to drive headphones that I have listened to personally in my set, right after Dan Clark Audio Expanse and SJY Horizon. P-SE is not very sensitive to the source signature, always imposing their own signature, but they need a lot of power to sound good, and you can hear it in the control, precision and bass depth when they’re properly driven. Most of the combos I have tested are more than capable of driving the P-SE, but they sound best with a warmer, deeper source that has a strong bass and a smoother refined treble, which can easily describe most combos, except for Feliks Euforia Evo which is tuned for neutrality. Although Euforia Evo can drive the Solitaire P-SE, the sound with a powerful and beefy solid state AMP has more bass and less tube character, which is subjectively more pleasing.
Overall Signature – As this is my first written review exploring a T+A product, I did not know exactly what to expect, and as a reviewer I avoid reading reviews to have the most impartial opinion on anything I am reviewing, so it was really surprising when I put on the T+A Solitaire P-SE and heard something I never did before in my entire life. The first thing that captivates your attention and makes you a sonic addict to their sound is the soundstage, it really is boundless. Think about much wider, more holographic and with better instrument separation than any headphone out there, better than Hd800S, simply the widest, most unbound soundstage, wider than all the speakers I have experienced at home, simply astounding. Everything else about the signature is musical, T+a created a headphone that simply sounds natural, but not just natural, it sounds alive and real, it puts you at the center of the song, with every instrument and artist playing and singing around you. It is a magical experience that simply feels so transparent, it’s like the whole listening setup has been erased and instead it is just you and music, more immersive than even Virtual Reality is.
Bass – Solitaire P-SE has a really punchy bass, with a deep and powerful low-end, but the amount relative to the midrange and the treble is mostly within natural – slightly warm, and it is what you can expect to hear in a live Jazz performance, or classical concert, but if you play some pumped-up EDM or RAP, P-SE keeps up and delivers a deep rumble, easily touching on the 20 Hz Fever Dream Audiophiles seek to hear. If you hold the P-SE with your hands, with songs like Stromae – Tout Les Memes, you can feel the drivers vibrating and creating the deepest level of bass rumble, but the whole headphone is very solid and will not vibrate, there is no THd and distortion transmitted from even heavily increased bass. Thick acoustic and electric bass is full and warm, with a strong body and bold presence, in songs like Brandy Senkio – Nightmarish.
Midrange – I can call T+A Solitaire P-SE the most detailed, cleanest, most dynamic and punchiest sounding headphone in its price class, it delivers a really airy and vivid sound, with a huge soundstage. You could say the whole sound is a bit mid centric, as lead vocals are typically intimate with the listener, and you can hear whispers as if they’re right in your ears, or a live concert like it is currently being played in your room. Full Transparency is a perfect way to describe the tuning and signature of the T+A Solitaire P-SE, they are simply a transportator that puts you right in the action of music and brings a smile to your face every single time you press play. Female voices are lush, rich and especially sweet, while male voices are deep, serious and wide. All sound played by Solitaire P-SE has a really spacious presentation, but it is not scattered or vague, the source point is strongly focused and clear, but has a lot of space around. Intimate music like room jazz or really narrow pop will sound forward and create a more airy / more dynamic presentation, without sounding narrow. In fact, no song can make Solitaire P-Se sound narrow, they are always wide and holographic.
Treble – With a bright, sharp and well defined treble, Solitaire P-SE renders all the information and the detail in the treble really nicely, with a strong emphasis on shimmer and air, detail and clarity. This being said, the natural character combined with a good control means that the top end is never harsh, fatiguing, rather smooth, rich and satisfying to hear. P-SE is renders a unique blend that will satisfy both detail addicts and those who want to hear everything, those who love air, but also those who want a rich and smooth sound, as the texture of the treble is refined and clean, Total Harmonic Distortion is the lowest you can get from a headphone around the price range, and the vibrant treble presentation only gives music an interesting sparkle. Considering the whole tonal balance, the P-SE sound falls in the category of natural – sweet, slightly mid centric, rather than bright or dark.
Dynamics – T+A Solitaire P-SE creates a rich, boundless dynamic range, extreme level of impact and dynamics, and the perfect transparency helps sound react quickly, creating the addictive signature I keep describing in the review. You can expect both music with a high dynamic range like classical and jazz, but also rock and metal to sound rich and detailed. A combination of a strong enough amplifier and dynamic DAC is needed to squeeze the proper dynamics that P-SE can offer, but their slightly higher than average impedance and slightly lower than average SPL allows the source to power up, and even Class B, AB or Class D sources will present music with plenty dynamics. P-SE does not struggle and does not distort at extreme volumes, but the high dynamic level is kept even at low volumes, which is ultra pleasing, as it allows me to enjoy my music even quietly.
PRaT / Textures – Texture presentation is rich – smooth, natural and you get a wealth of textures revealed without those being harsh or fatiguing. This is an interesting distinction, because P-SE has the texture levels needed for me to consider them ultra revealing, but they are never too much for my ears. Even synths and electronic parts are rich and have a clear texture, ultra well defined and revealed, but it stays crisp without being too edgy. This indicates that the impulse response is natural, for a transparent presentation.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – Here you can see a significant difference between T+A Solitaire P-SE and other headphones, as the loudness saturation gradient is absolutely perfect, and the same tuning, level of resolution and dynamics, including size of the soundstage can be noticed at all volume levels, from the quietest, to the loudest volume level. With no physical obstacles for the sound to bounce on, and with a capable driver, distortion at maximum volume is very low, but the same can be said about the distortion at very low volumes, and with a decent source, Solitaire P-SE will be enjoyable to all listeners, from library level volumes, all the way to concert-level listeners.
Soundstage – With a wide, and holographic soundstage, this is one of the most evident characteristics of the T+A Solitaire P-SE, as they render music in a huge space, with a lot of space between instruments, exceptional separation and a top-notch imaging. Even compared to most headphones I have reviewed to date, Solitaire P-SE has a soundstage that is in top 3, if not even the widest I have ever heard, with the lowest level of scattering and best definition of each layer and instrument. As expected of a true flagship, the number of layers it can present as distinct layers is infinite, you will hear a rich presentation that’s not bound by anything, you can have 9-12 distinct layers and areas where music is coming from with both an excellent lateral, vertical and depth extension. For the most holographic, 3D soundstage kind of sound, that’s more immersive than even VR stuff offers, and wider than any pair of speakers I had the honor of hearing in my own room with my own music. T+A Solitaire P-SE will create one of the most vivid and vibrant staging I heard delivered, a truly recommended them if you love a wide sound.
Comparisons
T+A Solitaire P-SE vs Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced (3900 USD vs 1700 USD) – The build of both headphones has tight tolerances and both headphones are comfortable, both feeling very lightweight, but CZ-8a Enhanced is much more picky with the source, will isolate quite a bit from the outside noise and will leak far less than Solitaire P-Se which is as open-back as they get. The default cable quality is better for Solitaire P-Se, and they come with balanced cables, while CZ-8a Enhanced only comes with single ended cables. The ear cups of the Solitaire P-sE are larger, but both headphones have enough space for my ears inside the earcups.
Sonically, CZ-8a Enhanced is much more colored, it has a specific peaking point, the treble rolls off quite fast and is not very present, while bass is much warmer and thicker, somewhat wooly even at times. In strong contrast, Solitaire P-SE creates a wider, more holographic soundstage that is simply unbound by the laws of physics, and it also sounds much more natural, immediately having a spot-on tonality in the midrange, more natural voicing, less bass, but a higher resolution and revealing ability across all frequency ranges. Overall, CZ-8a enhanced is a very fun bassy headphone with a laid back treble, while P-SE is a much more transparent sounding headphone with better dynamics, a higher resolution, and better clarity, plus a much wider and more holographic sound with much better instrument separation.
T+A Solitaire P-SE vs HIFIMAN HE1000SE (3900 USD vs 1999 USD) – HIFIMAN He1000SE is made really well, and while the magnets have the stealth technology and are acoustically transparent, P-SE has no magnets on the ear side of the driver. The comfort is excellent with both headphones, but the default cable of the Solitaire P-Se is of a better quality, it is sturdier and made better, more flexible, and I don’t feel the need to upgrade the cable in any way, while HE1000Se was used with an aftermarket cable at all times. Comfort is very similar, but HE1000SE is quite a bit harder to drive, depends more on the source to sound good, and will change the sonic character more with the source, while P-SE is more consistent across different sources and relies less on the source to give it any kind of coloration and sound.
Sonically, both headphones are very wide, transparent and both have excellent resolution. Solitaire P-SE has a more natural midrange, slightly darker while He1000SE sounds brighter. Both headphones have exceptional resolution, but Solitaire P-SE reveals considerably more information in the midrange and in the bass, while HE1000SE reveals more in the treble. The dynamic range is excellent with both, but Solitaire P-SE has a higher degree of instrument separation, and can project music wider laterally, and give music more depth. While I am waiting on the Susvara to arrive my way, I feel like it would likely be a better competitor for Solitaire P-SE, as HE1000Se sounds brighter, and reveals more where the highlight of the sound is, but Solitaire P-SE sounds more transparent, and right now has a 50% higher price as well. HE1000Se does not lose its appeal, and is still a top choice I grab often, but for the widest sound, and a gentler, smoother midrange, and for a more transparent sound, Solitaire P-SE gives you a more laid-back trip in the world of sound.
T+A Solitaire P-SE vs Audeze LCD-5 (3900 USD vs 4500 USD) – Although Audeze LCD-5 is considerably more expensive than Soitaire P-SE, 50% pricier to be exact, P-SE has a much better comfort, being lighter, having a lighter clamping force, a more natural contact between the ear and the earpads, and having better cables from the factory, including the popular 4.4mm balanced format, while LCD-5 is incredibly heavy, comes with just one cable that needs replacing from day one if you want to use a balanced source, and LCD-5 still has driver flex, while P-SE has zero driver flex.
With all due respect, LCD-5 is still an excellent sounding headphone, and once you hear it, you tend to pardon all its shortcomings, but the presentation is quite different, as Solitaire P-SE sounds more airy, wider and has a stronger instrument separation and distancing between instruments, but LCD-5 sounds considerably brighter in the treble, and has a bit more bass, sounding a bit more extreme, more U-Shaped or v-Shaped if you may. Both headphones have an excellent resolution, but LCD-5 will reveal more micro textures and bits of information in music, while T+A Solitaire P-SE sounds more transparent, more like you’re there, while the song is being played, P-SE creates the feeling of music around you more, while LCD-5 is more analytical. The rule here is that if you can bear the weight of LCD-5 and its clamping force, and the higher price, it will be a more analytical headphone, but Solitaire P-SE offers a much better package, better comfort and an airier, wider and more holographic sounding headphone for a 50% lower price.
T+A Solitaire P-SE vs Dan Clark Audio Expanse (3900 USD vs 3999 USD) – The difference in pricing surely won’t be high enough to justify a choice bias here, and right from the start, Expanse and P-SE are currently my favorite open-back headphones for this year, as HE1000Se is part of the previous year, but the comfort of the T+A Solitaire P-SE is a bit better than that of the Expanse, because Expanse has a tiger fit, a higher clamping force, and although the earpads are just as comfortable, it sits quite a bit tighter. The perceived weight is directly comparable, both headphones distribute the weight well, although the headband of the Expanse is more reliable if you don’t want to adjust the size manually. The default cable is of an excellent quality for both headphones, but Solitaire P-SE comes with more cables, while DCA Expanse has a more universal standard and you can upgrade the cable if you want to. While both headphones are on the hard to drive part of the spectrum, Expanse is much harder to drive, and currently the hardest to drive headphone I know, right up there with SJY Horizon. Expanse scales quite a bit more with the source and depends more on the source quality and signature to create a better sound.
Sonically, although I love both so much, each headphone has its own take on music, and Expanse, despite the name, sounds quite a bit more forward and more intimate, more analytical, focusing on details, while P-SE has a very similar resolution, but expands the soundstage significantly more in both the lateral plane, but also has a higher degree of instrument separation and more spacing between the instruments. Both headphones do an excellent job with rock, metal and dynamically compressed music, but Expanse puts you in the driver seat, brings the lead guitars and lead voices closer to you, and gives you a really forward, direct and punchy sound, while Solitaire P-SE expands the music around you, puts you in the center, but plays everything around you, giving you a picturesque painting and image, taking the wheel and giving you a most wonderful trip with the music and the sound, for you to enjoy. I would say both handle music equally well, I would get the expanse for a more forward and tight presentation, with more bass and sub bass, but get the Solitaire P-SE for a lower clamping force, more airy sound and wider soundstage, a more neutral bass and smoother, gentler voicing.
Value and Conclusion
For the 3900 USD price point, T+A managed to nail down all the worries you can have when purchasing a high-end headphone, including the comfort, build quality, but also deliver the exceptional sonic performance that makes it a true flagship that can take on the whole world. Despite it having a rather steep price for a headphone, the value is incredibly high, this is a headphone you can’t really upgrade from unless spending a couple of thousand USD more, so in its price range it delivers the absolute top performance.
Award – I guess it was not hard to see this coming, but I will be awarding T+A Solitaire P-SE the biggest award we have, a golden spot in the Audiophile-Heaven Hall Of Fame, it really delivers an exceptional performance and is currently in top 3 favorite headphones for me, surpassing models that are pricier thanks to its ingenious design and exceptional sound.
At the end of the day, T+A Solitaire P-SE delivers the kind of performance you seek when you want to close the search and when you want to settle for nothing less but perfect music reproduction and want the widest, most holographic soundstage, best resolution and clarity, combined with a warm and pleasing tune that will sound excellent with all styles. I fully recommend the T+A Solitaire P-SE for anyone who’s considering purchasing their ultimate pair of headphones and who wants the best experience regardless of the music style they’re rocking every single day to, and regardless of the volume you’re listening at.
Product Link
Official Link – https://www.ta-hifi.de/en/headphones/solitaire-headphones/solitaire-p-se/
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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