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Solitaire S 540

Floor-standing speaker

The S 530

The Solitaire S 540 incorporate an unprecedented array of unique top-level technologies. Their In-house Mag850 magnetostat, driven by 64 high-performance magnets, extends over a length of 85 centimetres along the front of the cabinet whilst seven elliptically shaped StarStabilizer mid-range units handle the frequency range from 150 to 2000 Hertz. This system represents the latest iteration of our Cylinder Wave Technology: a revolutionary concept which generates a homogeneous sound field between the loudspeakers, and effectively minimises the disturbing influences of the listening room.

In construction terms the two speakers differ only in their physical size and the bass system employed: the S 540 measures 148 centimetres and has two high-performance bass drivers in a bass reflex system.

Cylinder Wave Technology

We place great faith in proven technologies, but also embrace the advantages of carefully conceived evolution. Our Cylinder Wave Technology was originally developed more than ten years ago for the ground-breaking Solitaire CWT models of that time. Then and now, Cylinder Wave Technology is used to avoid detrimental room reflections and allow for an undisturbed listening experience. The Mag850 and the seven mid-range drivers join forces as a Line Source and Line Array, respectively. As every point on Mag850s diaphragm is moved simultaneously, it constitutes nothing short of a perfect Line Source, creating a planar dispersion characteristic. The oval shape of the seven mid-range units allow the individual units to be positioned much closer to each other. This arrangement creates a flat sound wave whose greatest power is directed forward into the listening area, in front of the loudspeaker. Radiation towards the ceiling and the floor – which generate the major part of harmful reflections – is prevented before it can develop, and in this way the musical reproduction becomes significantly more authentic and pure.

Star Stabilizer Diaphragms

In common with all T+A devices, the Solitaire S 540 is infused with our desire to reproduce the music exactly as it was initially generated. Our StarStabilizer diaphragm system makes a crucial contribution to this aim in two ways: on the one hand the shape of the diaphragm follows an accurately calculated conical arc, and on the other, the centre of the diaphragm below the star is deliberately stiffened. These two features work together to prevent natural resonances and modes, in which the drive units tend to break up by themselves, rather than transmit the actual signal. Our T+A StarStabilizer technology ensures that the diaphragms operate like pistons, without distortion, even under heavy load, and the music remains exactly as it arrives at the loudspeaker from the amplifier.

Mag850 Treble driver

With a system length of 85 centimetres and a rear volume of more than three litres the Mag850 occupies a large part of the front section of the Solitaire loudspeaker. Its design, consisting of 64 magnets arranged in a single line, allows the diaphragm to vibrate unhindered in the room, while a Draft Control System – based on our TPM 3100 headphone transducer – eliminates sonic disturbances. The magnetic field is of identical strength over the entire surface of the diaphragm, and this is only possible through the precisely calculated position and shape of each magnet in the system. The result is a constant, even, powerful force at each individual point of the diaphragm, with its area of more than 200 square centimetres. The diaphragm also operates permanently in the linear part of the field, which means that the Mag850 constitutes a classic line source. Alternative designs are susceptible to partial oscillations and excess travel at particular points, which are harmful to sound quality, but the Mag850 avoids these effects both effectively and efficiently. The result is speed and precision comparable with electrostatic treble units, without having to accept the drawbacks of such systems, such as high operating and power supply voltages.

Bass System

Like few other loudspeaker drive units, the design of bass systems suffers from a paradoxical problem: the higher their performance, the greater their potential to transmit vibration to the cabinet as a whole. Bass drivers are usually positioned on the front of the cabinet, but the Solitaire S 530 and S 540 feature two opposed long-throw bass drivers installed in the solid side panels of the cabinet. The cabinet sides are coupled to each other at this point by additional braces. This form of installation allows the drivers to balance each other out exactly, thereby eliminating vibration and resonances: the cabinet itself remains totally unmoved at all times, and exhibits no tendency to resonate even at extremely high sound pressures. Thanks to these characteristics the speakers form a harmonious unit, delivering an unbelievably dry, clean, high-pressure bass combined with mid and treble ranges utterly devoid of interference. High sound pressures not only make very special demands on the cabinet, but also on the drivers themselves: if they are not designed from the outset to satisfy these requirements one hundred percent, harsh non-linearities can easily occur very quickly. That is why our drivers are equipped with the StarStabilizer principle, as well as a new high-performance suspension which allows enormous travels. The reward for this additional refinement is apparent above all when the speakers are driven very hard: they are much more stable, and any non-linearities occur with far softer transitions.
Like the Solitaire S 430, the S 530 is equipped with two newly developed long-throw bass units with a diameter of 22 centimetres. The large cross-section bass reflex system, calculated precisely to match the cabinet volume and the driver parameters, provides superb deep bass reproduction as well as a highly dynamic bass range overall, harmonising superbly with the ultra-agile mid-range system. The relatively large internal volume of the S 540 has allowed us to fit no fewer than four long-throw bass units of 22 centimetre diameter, whose parameters are optimised for the closed cabinet principle. The transient response of an enclosed system is superior, and permits an extremely clean, highly dynamic bass response, capable of handling ultra-high levels. The S 540 demonstrates the limit of what can be achieved with a passive system.

Cross Over Unit

The Solitaire S speakers are equipped with very complex, double-sided Fast Signal Response (FSR) three-way crossover units. These extraordinary crossovers play a crucial part in the outstanding imaging and dispersion characteristics of the system as a whole. The earth has a dedicated layer in order to ensure that even very high currents and large signals can be processed without distortion. Accurately calculated and optimised for superb transient and transmission behaviour, they effortlessly process even extremely high levels, and ensure that all three frequency ranges are correctly driven. The filter stages and bandpasses are optimised for phase and group timing. We even employ special cable for the internal speaker drive unit connections. Since the magnetostats are capable of handling more than 50 kHz, we use our own co-axial cable which can reproduce even the highest frequencies without losses. Bass, mid and treble ranges can be fine-tuned by means of switches. Since the circuit boards for the bass and mid-range areas are completely separate from each other, the Solitaire S is ideal for use in bi-amping arrangements.

REVIEW & AWARDS

The Absolute Sound 11/2023 – Read More

“A Radically Different Approach to Loudspeaker Design

The T+A Solitaire S 540 isnt another minor variation on the three-way dynamic loudspeaker. Rather, it is a radically different approach with is 33.5″ planar-magnetic tweeter and line array of seven tiny oval midrange drivers. The resulting cylindrical radiation pattern significantly reduces sidewall and ceiling reflections and their deleterious effects. The S 540s timbral purity and ultra-precise soundstaging are likely the result of this design approach.
The T+A Solitaire S 540 injects some new ideas into the loudspeaker category, delivering a combination of virtues you simply dont hear in conventional box speakers. If youre in the market for a speaker in this price range, I encourage you to audition the S 540. You may find it as musically compelling as I did.” – ROBERT HARLEY

Theory + Application elektroakustik Solitaire S 540 Loudspeaker – Read More

“The T+A Solitaire S 540 injects some new ideas into the loudspeaker category, delivering a combination of virtues you simply dont hear in conventional box speakers. If youre in the market for a speaker in this price range, I encourage you to audition the S 540. You may find it as musically compelling as I did..” – ROBERT HARLEY

Audio+Stereoplay 10/2023 – Read More

“Magic without hocus-pocus

This loudspeaker is demanding. It costs 45,000, needs a powerful, stable power amplifier and a listening distance of around 3.5 meters. If the conditions are right, it creates sound images that are unparalleled in terms of spaciousness and precision of detail, presents all facets of the sound and demonstrates the advantages of controlled, primal power in the bass. If you give the T+A Solitaire S 540 the right environment, it is not just a sound transducer, but pure magic.”

SPECIFICATIONS