T+A launches ultra high-end Solitaire P headphones and HA 200 headphone amp

T+A reveals Solitaire P "planar-magnetostatic" high-end headphones

(Image credit: T+A)

How do you like your headphones? Eye-wateringly expensive and built using more than 40 years of electrostatic design expertise? Showcasing German precision engineering and minimalist design? You're in luck.

High-end audio specialist, T+A, has decided now is the time to launch its first ever pair of headphones, the T+A Solitaire P, and the company's first headphone amplifier/DAC, the T+A HA 200.

Previously concerning itself with amplifiers, DACs and speakers costing four figures and up, T+A is promising a new level of headphone performance from its planar-magnetostatic headphones and Class-A design headphone amplifier.

Joining the company's Solitaire speakers, an anniversary edition pair of which went on sale for £46,000 last year, the Solitaire P headphones use an ultra-lightweight membrane, which covers the whole area of the ear cup and is positioned between the planar magnetostatic drive system.

The entire surface area of the membrane is driven in this design, with T+A promising a spacious, airy feel. Aircraft-grade aluminium and "the softest leather" aim to apply a finish befitting of the word premium.

The T+A Solitaire P headphones will be available in March 2020, priced at £4800 (€4800, $6400).

The HA 200 headphone amplifier and DAC sees the company in more familiar territory (we've previously enjoyed the T+A PA 3000 HV and T+A DAC 8). It uses the company's proprietary T+A True 1 Bit DAC, capable of handling up to 32-bit/768 kHz PCM and DSD1024.

There are three headphone outputs, each of which can be fine-tuned according to the headphones. Using the company’s HV analogue technology, previously reserved for its flagship range of high-end audio components, the HA 200 has a high-quality power supply with two separate toroidal power transformers to separate the analogue and digital circuits.

The HA 200 has some eight inputs, with twin optical and coaxial digital inputs, plus AES/EBU and BNC options, and balanced and unbalanced analogue connections. There's also the option to add an HDMI board with twin inputs and an ARC output.

The T+A HA 200 is due on sale in April, costing £6600 (€6600, $8900).

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Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).