DEMONSTRATIONS BY APPOINTMENT AT OUR STUDIO IN ELSTEAD, SURREY; |  07423 603035  |  steve@ultimate-stream.co.uk
T+A

T+A Headphones

T+A Solitaire® P SE Headphones

The Solitaire P-SE is based on the Solitaire P, which in itself was a new and ground-breaking development, incorporating a highly refined application of the magnetostatic principle. Like all T+A headphones the Solitaire P-SE is of uncompromising design, since it was conceived with a single aim in mind: music reproduction in perfection.
From the TPM 2500 converter system to the headband connections every single component and sub-assembly is manufactured to the tightest possible tolerances using precision tools. The headphones’ construction employs various plastics with differing characteristics, selected according to function and specific application: the cups exhibit very high internal damping, the yokes and headband attachments are mechanically strong and extremely robust. The surfaces are finished in special top-quality lacquers developed for aviation applications. The sophisticated design of the TPM 2500, in conjunction with the magnet arrangement, the sound duct and the diaphragm, linearises the sound field and the radiation characteristics. Music is reproduced in its purest form: the Solitaire P-SE shows the music for what it is. Natural, totally faithful reproduction is the first commandment of all T+A devices.

PRICE £3,000

  • The T+A Solitaire® P Headphones
Technology

Many planar-magnetic headphones share the problems of low efficiency, very low impedance and considerable weight, and T+A were determined from the outset to avoid these drawbacks in their design. A crucial factor in this purpose was the adoption of a new approach to problem solving. T+A invested considerable effort in the design, and insisted on the use of the finest available materials. The headphones incorporate several close-tolerance sub-assemblies which fit together snugly; they can only be manufactured using precision tools to ensure that they meet our requirements for tolerances in the hundredths of a millimetre. The net result is consistently perfect fits. 


The core of the Solitaire P-SE is the new TPM 2500 transducer, whose basic design is based on the Solitaire P’s TPM 3100. The high-performance neodymium magnets of the TPM 2500 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 opposed magnet systems, helping to keep the headphones’ weight low. The diaphragm is able to vibrate freely in the direction of the ear cushions, since there is no acoustic hindrance between the transducer diaphragm and the ear. The diaphragm of the TPM 2500 itself consists of a special ultra-thin – and therefore ultra-lightweight – film material, coated with an accurately routed and calculated conductor array whose impedance is around 45 Ohm.
The open construction of the Solitaire P-SE avoids the resonance problems of closed systems, and allows the diaphragm to vibrate unimpeded; the music signal is maintained in its full, unadulterated form.
The ear cushions and head band are hand-made, and manufactured for us by a specialist company here in Germany. They consist of allergen-free synthetic leather and velours, and are specially selected to suit the specification of the Solitaire P-SE. Right at the development stage we laid the foundation for a very enjoyable wearing experience; contact with the skin is pleasant even when the headphones are worn for long periods.
In the pursuit of optimum sound the quality of the connecting cables is a crucial link in the chain. T+A's 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. The headphones themselves are fitted with special 3.5mm barrel connectors, which – like the sockets at the headphone end – are finely gold-plated, and exhibit zero transfer resistance. 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 as standard: 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 an option, a lead terminating in a four-pin XLR connector can be supplied instead of the 4.4mm Pentaconn cable set.
Specifications
  • Transducer Principle: Planar-magnetostatic
  • Impedance: 45 Ohms
  • Frequency Response: 8Hz – 45kHz
  • Distortion: < 0.015% @ 100dB
  • Maximum SPL: > 130dB
  • Transducer Size: Elliptic 110 x 80mm
  • Construction: Open, over-ear
  • Connectivity: Wired transmission, un-balanced 6.35 mm, balanced 4.4 mm Pentaconn or XLR-4-Pin
  • Thermo Plasic, steel, allergen-free synthetic leather and velour
  • Weight: 440g excl. cable
Forbes Review

T+A Solitaire® P Headphones

Like the Solitaire series of loudspeakers, the new Solitaire P symbolises the experience, expertise and commitment in the design and development of sound transducers which have been T+A’s hallmark for 41 years. These new corded Over-Ear headphones have been developed by a team of young engineers and experienced physicists who share a deep passion for music. 

The minimalist design of the Solitaire P references the iconic T+A High-End series, and – like all T+A devices – addresses aesthetes just as much as those who appreciate music, innovation and modern craftsmanship.

In technical terms the Solitaire P represents a milestone: the sophisticated planar-magnetostatic design philosophy, with its ultra-lightweight diaphragm and planar drive, offers enormous physical advantages and concomitant sonic benefits.

The sound image is enriched by details which you have never previously noticed: the touch of a string exhibits an unprecedented wealth of fine detail; when a cymbal is struck, it seems that you perceive the movement of every individual air molecule.

PRICE £5,000

  • The T+A Solitaire® P Headphones
Design & Concept

T+A’s design principle of timeless reduction is evident in the Solitaire P, with its subtle references to characteristic T+A design elements. The form of the bracket connections is reminiscent of the HV series, while the chamfers are an unmistakable reminder of T+A identity. The ear and head pads are hand-made, and manufactured by a specialist company here in Germany; they consist of allergen-free synthetic leather and Alcántara, and remain pleasant to wear even after ten hours.

T+A have successfully adopted a unique method of construction which minimises the tolerances in the materials to a few hundredths of a millimetre. The components, consisting of high-strength plastics and carbon, fit together perfectly, enabling the entire diaphragm to be driven at high power. And all this without a dramatic increase in weight. From the magnet mount via the sound field linearisation to the unsurpassed workmanship, the new Solitaire P fully justifies its name. Both in technical and visual terms the unit is unique: a modern icon, and a benchmark for connoisseurs.

Technology

The core of the Solitaire P is a special diaphragm on which our sophisticated conductor array is applied by vapour deposition. It is only by means of accurate calculation that the full area of the diaphragm can be exploited, and it is this which brings the theoretical advantages of the planar-magnetostatic system to full fruition. Nineteen high-performance neodymium magnets drive the diaphragm through precisely calculated magnetic field lines. The precise design of the retaining rings and the magnet mount maintain 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. This is the key to the headphones’ enormous dynamic range and precision, which reaches the listener’s ears virtually devoid of inertia. Like the chassis of a sports car, the cables used with headphones play an essential role in the transmission of power. Ours are of symmetrical construction, and their matched impedance ensures that the extraordinary performance of the transducers can unfold to the full. The Solitaire P is supplied with two cables based on ultra-pure copper (OFC) conductors with a carefully defined silver layer: 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.

The headphone amplifier
The HA 200 has been developed from the ground up as a completely new design of headphone amplifier, setting entirely new standards in respect of technology and appearance. The impedance of the three headphone outputs can be accurately fine-tuned to match the headphones in use. The HA 200 is based on analogue T+A HV technology. Its high-performance output stages operate in Class-A mode with a high idle current, and are effortlessly capable of driving even the most demanding of headphones. The high-quality mains sections – one digital, one analogue – feature two separate torroidal transformers and provide the necessary stamina. Like all current T+A DACs the new HA 200 also features a carefully optimised and completely separate decoder architecture for DSD and PCM, ensuring that all digital formats are decoded to the highest standards. All the digital signal processing of PCM data is carried out by our superlative double differential quadruple converter, with a conversion rate of up to 768 kHz. The unique analogue T+A True 1-Bit DSD converter is employed for DSD data; rather than converting the DSD data, it processes them in native Bitstream form. This means that DSD data up to DSD 1024, as they arrive from the USB input of the digital connecting board, can be reproduced in the very highest quality.
Specifications
  • Transducer Principle: Planar-magnetostatic
  • Impedance: 80 Ohms
  • Frequency Response: 5Hz – 54kHz
  • Distortion: < 0.015% @ 100dB
  • Maximum SPL: > 130dB
  • Sensitivity: 101dB @ 1kHz, 1V
  • Transducer Size: Elliptic 110 x 80mm
  • Construction: Open-back, over-ear
  • Connectivity: Wired transmission (3m) / V1: unbalanced cable with 6.3mm connector and balanced cable with 4.4mm pentaconn connector / V2: unbalanced cable with 6.3mm connector and balanced cable with 4-pin XLR connector
  • Material: Aluminium, steel, allergen-free synthetic leather, Alcantara
  • Weight: 530g excl. cable
Website
Forbes Review
HiFi and Music Source Review
Ultimate Stream Video Review

T+A HA200 Headphone Amplifier

Design & Technology

The HA 200 headphone amplifier is a completely new development, designed for dynamic and magnetostatic headphones. It is based on analogue T+A HV technology. Its high-performance output stages are of Class-A design and operate with a high idle current, enabling them to drive even the most demanding headphones without difficulty. Impedance matching allows the HA 200 to be fine-tuned to suit any headphones you wish to use. In addition to high-quality analogue inputs we have equipped the HA 200 with a large number of professional digital inputs.


The case design and materials harmonise perfectly with the unique electronics. The amplifier’s appearance references the legendary M-system, in line with T+A’s design philosophy of timeless reduction. The cooling fins are inspired by the HV series. The pin-sharp screen displays all relevant information in compact form. The volume display is inspired by the thrust control

PRICE £6,600
AVAILABLE IN BLACK & SILVER

  • The T+A Solitaire® P Headphones
The T+A Solitaire® P Headphones
Converters & VU meters

The two VU meters are accurate indicators which display the variation in various parameters, as in studio applications and measurement engineering. A vast range of levels can be displayed, including input and output level, temperature and stream quality. The brightness and even the colour of the VU meters is user-variable. 

Like all current T+A DACs the new HA 200 also features a carefully optimised and completely separate decoder architecture for DSD and PCM, ensuring that all digital formats are decoded to the highest standards. All the digital signal processing of PCM data is carried out by T+A’s superlative double differential quadruple converter, with a conversion rate of up to 768 kHz. The unique analogue T+A True 1-Bit DSD converter is employed for DSD data; rather than converting the DSD data, it processes them in native Bitstream form. This means that DSD data up to DSD 1024, as they arrive from the USB input of the digital connecting board, can be reproduced in the very highest quality.

Flexibility & Operation

Although the primary purpose of the HA 200 is to be an amplifier with an extraordinarily high performance, this unusual flexibility on the input side is very helpful to various types of user. Since the amplifier employs our very finest DSD and PCM converters, the sound quality of the digital inputs is just as good as that of the analogue ones. The wide range of connection facilities requires a very sophisticated control system and display for the amplifier as a whole. In fact, the HA 200 is intuitive and simple to operate, thanks to an ingenious combination of operating buttons and menu control system.

HA200 Headphone Amplifier inside

Specifications

Analogue Specifications
  • Frequency Response: +0 / −3dB, D0, 1Hz – 200kHz
  • Signal / Noise Ratio: 110 / 114dB
  • THD  /  Intermodulation: < 0.001% / < 0.001%
  • Channel Separation: > 108dB
  • Class A Separation: up to 700mA
  • Volume Control: Relay controlled in 1dB steps, -90dB to 0dB
  • Loudness: Switchable, adjustable on the speaker efficiency
  • Sound Control: Switchable, channel separated, Bass & Treble -6dB to +8dB
  • Headphone Outputs: 6.3mm plug, 4.4mm Pentaconn, 4-pin XLR
  • Impedances: 8, 12, 18, 25, 40, 80 Ohms
DAC Specifications
  • PCM: Double-Differential-Quadruple-Converter with four 32-Bit Sigma-Delta D/A converter per channel, 705,6 / 768 kSps conversion rate
  • DSD: T+A-True-1Bit DSD D/A converter, up to DSD 1024 (49,2 MHz), native bitstream
  • Upsampling: T+A signal-processor – synchronous upsampling with four selectable oversampling algorithms. FIR short, FIR long, Bezier/IIR, Bezier, NOS (non-oversampling)
  • Analogue Filter: Phase-linear Bessel filter 3rd order, switchable with 60 or 120 kHz cut of frequency
Inputs
  • Analogue: High level (RCA) / balanced (XLR): 250 mVeff – 4,5 Veff / 10 kOhms | 500 mVeff – 9 Veff / 20 kOhms
  • Channel Separation: 110 dB
  • Digital: 1 x AES-EBU 32 – 192 kHz / 16-24 Bit. S/P-DIF: 2 x Standard Coax, 2 x optical TOS-Link 32 – 192 kHz / 16-24 Bit. 1 x BNC 32 – 192 kHz / 16-24 Bit. 2 x USB DAC: Device-Mode up to 768 kSps (PCM) and DSD1024*, supports asynchronous data transfer. (*DSD 512 and DSD 1024 with Windows PC and appropriate driver installed only.) 2 x HDMI IN, 1 x HDMI OUT with ARC (as an option)
Ultimate Stream Video Review

Get in Touch

We'd love to hear from you

If you are interested in investing in a new system or looking for ideas on how you can improve your existing system, add a streaming solution or build a digital library, we’d love to hear from you.

To audition any of our products call us on 07423 603035 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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