Mark Levinson 5909 vs T+A Solitaire T headphones

[@deanmcpherson]

Good review. i have the 5909 and agree with everything you said. One correction...the 5909 has a built in DAC as well. As another said...the Bathys which I tested against the 5909 is more open with it's soundstage. But I found the overall performance of the 5909 better with enough soundstage. I am also really impressed with the 5909 sound when you use it in wired mode with the headphone powered off...in this mode it compared to my mid tier wired headphones like DCA Aeon 2. Very impressive. It's the best premium headphone in this category imo. Bathys looks way better though.

[@ValdemarDeMatos]

How are the 5909 compared with the Bathys when both are wired?

[@MrJ.31]

Personally for me I didn't really care for the Bathys too much even though I really wanted to. I loved the look, they did feel comfortable, great transparency and call quality but I didn't feel the sound quality was as good as other headphones in its price range. In fact I preferred the B&O H95, M&D MW75, B&W PX8, and 5909 (favorite) over it. DAC mode on the Bathys is where it shines. It definitely improved the sound quality and gave it a slightly warmer and more pleasing tone. It also fixes a weird volume glitch when the Bathys is on BT which jumps from 40% to 60% volume. On the Bathys 60% volume for me is pretty loud. Just going back to the 5909 vs Bathys wired they both sound very good with the 5909 being more detailed and the Bathys being more spacious. I still say the 5909 sounds a little better than the Bathys even in DAC mode. Now if you have a DAC/DAP and run the 5909 from that it sounds even better. I didn't run it from anything super powerful, just an IFI Go Bar and a Chord Mojo but the 5909 kinda reminded me of a mix between a Focal Radiance and Audeze LCD-X. Just an incredibly clear and very accurate reference type sound with a smooth warm tone. It may not make sense to go out and buy a separate DAC to run a wireless headphone but if you do or you happen to have one it really makes the 5909 stand out

[@mikewyatt7075]

5909s all day long- the best cans ever

[@joshuaedwards3522]

Do you have the 5909? Just curious because I’m thinking about getting it in ice pewter. I’m looking at getting the best audio quality possible was well as great bass, anc, and comfort possible. So far I think this ticks all the boxes (although some say there are better options just for anc and comfort) what do you think of the 5909 if you have it? Any negatives or things I should be aware of? (I will also be looking at using Apple Music from my iPhone 13 to play songs)

[@mikewyatt7075]

@@joshuaedwards3522 hi Josh - yes I got them after trying all the others on the market - in my opinion the best our there - I have a large head and really comfortable- especially now you can get them cheaper - good luck

[@MaxMustermannXXL]

Very accurate review. I really hope that you get more views on this💯😁

[@step0251]

This is one of the best and most objective reviews on headphones I have heard. I find Teoh's take on both headphones very accurate. I have both headphones. The 5909 are remarkably clear and neutral. I think they are the benchmark in terms of clarity and articulation for any wireless headphone. As Teoh said, the Solitaire seem to be about 5 to 10% warmer, and the clarity is terrific for a wireless headphone. I don't believe they match the crispness and detail of the 5909. I do find the Solitaire to be a tad bit more comfortable, but this will depend on the person. Finally, I'm disappointed at the Solitaire's price. They are not a better headphone than the 5909 in terms of sound quality, yet they are $600 more. Behind these two, my third pick would be the Focal Bathys. They have better spaciousness and separation in my opinion than either of these headphones.

[@CaiCrisis]

Do you believe the bathys are better than the 5909?

[@Jeremy88888888]

@@CaiCrisis Can you listen long with the Bathy ?

[@Mr.Banter]

With a doubt both are fantastic headphones and the best when come to sound quality, I do have both headphones, though I'd give the slight advantage to the Solitaire T when Hi Quality is switched on definitely takes the headphone to another level, whether that justifies the extra $600 is questionable

[@jyexe525]

What about the Beoplay H95 ?

[@mobill49]

Just received my T&A following my research and comparisons.

[@GEFELICITEERD45]

And ? Are the good ?

[@Daausby]

Nice comprehensive review 👍🏾

[@f1fanatic710]

I have been an audiophile for 30 yrs I regret to this day not purchasing any Levinson equipment. Instead I put my money into meridian and krell gear. Levinson attention to detail has always been there so for my money I would put into levinson.

[@jonathanbarnes7641]

Can you please 🙏🏾 do a head to head vs comparison and review of the EDIFIER STAX SPIRIT S3 vs Mark Levinson No. 5909? 🎉 thanks ☺️

[@ymmp30]

The T+A is out of my reach, but I'm considering the 5909 and Bathys. As for sound, I had the XM4 and thought they were muddy. Bought Technics and Momentum 4. Improvement but still lacking. The funny thing is I enjoy my Buds2 Pro and MW08 a lot more. With the B2P I add a bit of mids. Though the MW08's are warmer, I like the way they both have good bass without affecting the mids and treble. And their soundstage is good. (that's the best I can do as non audiophile) Which of the 2 - 5909 or Bathys - fit more with those buds? In terms of comfort, I'm under the impression the Bathys are 10-15 grams heavier, but the gap might feel wider, is that accurate? Finally, do you know (or can direct me to a source) the earcup sizes of the 5909 and Bathys (especially inner)? Thanks!

[@teohontech7141]

I have not tested the Bathys so I can't say much. I did test the Buds2 Pro and it's real good. The 5909 has more definition and clarity than the Buds2 Pro. 10-15g difference isn't much. But 5909 is more bulky that's for sure. Not sure if companies provide ear cup sizes. 5909's are comfortably big but not too big. Other than ear cup size, you'll also need to know your ear size.

[@ymmp30]

@@teohontech7141 Thanks for the response. As to earcup sizes, I found a lot of information at Crutchfield. I have an interesting question. I've been reading that the Master & Dynamic MW75 use the same driver as the 5909, yet it's $400 cheaper. I'm also reading that they have similiar sound quality with different signatures. Does that sound right to you? If I spend so much on the 5909 I want to feel I'm getting a quality of sound that I can't get at a much lower price.

[@teohontech7141]

@@ymmp30 I've not tried Master & Dynamic MW75 but based on the specs and features listed, the MD MW75 seems pretty good. It even has Bluetooth multipoint which is very convenient. If it sounds similar to 5909 or anywhere near, it's a good deal simply because the price point is much lower.

[@ddlo1001]

i got both 5909 and bathys and also got buds 2 pro with my phone. i believe both 5909 and buds 2 pro are mostly tuned according with the harmon curve and shared some similarities in sound signature despite the big difference in physical form. btw, bathys could go much louder than 5909 and sounds more expansive as @step0251 remarked. the driver is tilted forward like ATH's cans (5909 is flat as seen from the grille) - probably helps contributing the expansive sound. the bluetooth connection range is better on 5909 with my zfold4. 5909 got ldac and aptx adaptive but bathys only aptx adaptive. i think i could be 100% satisfied with either one. however, considering the price gap, maybe it's a better bargain to go for bathys - the LED logo looks very sexy too. the cup size is similar externally but the bathys has thinner (and deeper) earpads. i got big ears so both touches my ears in most wearing positions. maybe to help the portability, i have yet to find a ANC wireless headphone that got big cup similar to HD800s or D8000 . . . . hope this helps

[@MrJ.31]

MW75 is one of the best headphones I've listened to but even though they're very similar and both were made in the same factory I believe, I still preferred the 5909 as it's more detailed, tighter and fuller, plus more comfortable for me. Even though I loved the look and feel of the Bathys I only loved the sound in DAC mode. BT sound quality was good but not great to me and didn't sound as good as some of the others like 5909, MW75, H95, or PX8

[@gdemirjian]

The 5909 has a very good internal DAC.

[@universe616]

awesome review. I use Sony XM3 and they work well.

[@andrew2272kag]

I love the 5909, sound brilliant. It is a shame about the hiss though. ANC off and it's there, noticeable with soft speech like this video, but I don't hear it when music is playing. ANC on it's a little louder but I think that's the digital hiss + some ANC noise. Overall, I am still keeping them as the sound vs WHXMs is much higher. I think some of the hiss is the internal DAC, as when I stop music, I can hear the hiss then after a few seconds there's an audible cut out. It is a shame that this occurs on a device of this price.

[@paulbradshaw736]

Great review… I am 99% certain I will opt for the Solitaire T. My 1% uncertainty is the Dali io-12… any views on the Dali? Thanks in advance.

[@teohontech7141]

I've not tried Dali so I can't say much. It would be best if you can test them out in person. It's difficult to explain accurately how sound and music feels since it's so subjective.

[@MrJ.31]

Hey Teoh how would you compare the sound quality of these two wired vs wired? Does any one stand out as noticeably better than the other?

[@teohontech7141]

Wired or not, these two will sound different slightly due to how they were tuned. ML has very slight electric static In wireless mode, but clean when wired. I can’t remember if TAST has that because I don’t have the headphones anymore.

[@BudgieFan101]

Any issues with the ML5909 Headband? I heard it falls apart at the stitching. It may stop me buying. Thankyou

[@teohontech7141]

Mine still looks alright from Jul 2022. The stitching looks good to me.

[@BudgieFan101]

​@teohontech7141 Thankyou

[@BudgieFan101]

Thankyou

[@Mark_Levinson_5909]

My story is I bought Mark Levinson 5909 headphones. Very careful home use 1-2 times during the week. After 6 months, the leather parts around the head came off. The glue is bad. Now I have to look for a solution to this problem. Hey guys from Mark Levinson, how do you like this quality of headphones for over 1000 USD. The headphones sound great. The quality of the construction is terrible. I do not recommend it.

[@teohontech7141]

That should be covered under warranty. No headphones should come apart under a year, especially for such an expensive one. I'm still using mine and it's still in good condition.

[@greatestsportslegends]

I wonder how you would compare these to the Dali IO-12s...

[@teohontech7141]

I have not tried those so I can’t say much

[@johnhaydock1577]

Which headphone has the best active noise cancelling out of these two? Thanks.

[@teohontech7141]

They are kinda on par. One is not significantly better than the other and hence ANC is not something I recommend using to decide which to get.

[@johnhaydock1577]

@@teohontech7141 thanks very much. I have the 5909s just wondering whether the solitaire were better in that regard. seems not. thank you.

[@Mogyipapazuglo]

Hi wirelessly with AAC, is the max volume satisfactory?

[@teohontech7141]

It is loud. I never go beyond 50%

[@Mogyipapazuglo]

@@teohontech7141 do you think it is worth changing from h95 to t+a?

[@teohyc]

@@MogyipapazugloDifficult to say because they sound slightly different. ML5090 has higher definition at treble and TA sound slightly warmer. It is something you have to listen to compare because describing in words is not accurate

[@Mogyipapazuglo]

@@teohyc thank you

[@GEFELICITEERD45]

The Mark levinson black pearl looks better than Red and ice versions ! Bulky ? The Dali IO-12 are bulky i returned them

[@teohontech7141]

ML 5909 weigh 340g and are still manageable. The Dali is 370g. After having the ML5909, I definitely won't be getting heavier earphones.

[@RX-rd4sc]

How they compare in sound ?

[@KamuiSarotobi]

No battery replacement for the ML5909... So if the battery is dead, you have 999 Dollar Brick, which can only be used passive with headphone amp... No way mr. levinson...Its just a joke to bring an anc bluetooth headphone, where the battery cannot be replaced...

[@teohontech7141]

Yeah, that's the one thing I don't like about this: the non-removable battery. And battery will deteriorate eventually.

[@joshuaedwards3522]

How long do you think it will take to deteriorate? Also, when do you think the ‘new’ updated version of this headset will come out? Do you think I should just buy the 5909 or wait for the next gen

[@teohontech7141]

@@joshuaedwards3522 Not sure about the how long it will take the battery to deteriorate. Mine's still working fine today. The thing is, most wireless headphones are made with non-user replaceable batteries unfortunately. If you want something to last, get wired headphones.

[@joshuaedwards3522]

Thanks for the reply, I’m looking for a ‘fairly’ low cost option for a headsphone/headphone set up (the most I will spend is $AUD 1,500. I found the 5909 on the market for $AUd1,399) what would you recommend for a wireled set up then, because would I then need a dac? I’m thinking about getting the 5909 with Apple Music for the hi res 24bit but what for you think will be better if that’s alright

[@teohontech7141]

@@joshuaedwards3522 For wired setup, I would go with Sennheiser because that's the only big brand I know and I don't follow news of audio equipment. If you're going for wireless setup, the ML5909 is indeed a really good choice. There should be other high end headphones released since my review so you may want to research those too. www.youtube.com/@TheHEADPHONEShow/videos

[@GEFELICITEERD45]

Dont like the T&A solitaire earcups are so small the sounds so low

[@susieroberts8175]

Disappointed to find out these, and the Sonos Ace and Focal Bathys are all made in China. I was hoping to support European or American Industry. People keep telling me it doesn't matter where they are made, but it matters to me.

[@teohontech7141]

Look around your house and see which electronics are made in China, eg your phone, tablet

[@susieroberts8175]

@@teohontech7141 We are actively minimising what we buy from China, hence this research. Look at what China is doing to in terms of human rights and environmental impact. Shame on these headphone companies for pretending they're manufacturing the products in the US or the EU. Your call if you want just to shrug your shoulders and turn a blind eye. THIS MATTERS.

[@deividrafaelgoncalvesramos2141]

please i need your help

[@deividrafaelgoncalvesramos2141]

I have a huion kamvas 13 tablet and an iPad air 5 , would I be able to use the tablet on the iPad ? Because I connected it here and the only thing it does is mirror the screen, Do you have any solution?

[@teohontech7141]

Huion does not work with iPad

[@anncleverley4721]

Excellent and engaging review. I have the Bathys but will now sell them for the 5909. The Solitaire's are ugly looking and look like a pair of old Bower and Wilkins, they should look expensive but they don’t to me.

[@orangedan5424]

Bro, good comparison, BUT I think you miss the most important part...the Solitaire has a feature that NONE of the bluetooth headphones so far has. That is regardless IF the battery is dead, it can work wired perfectly fine. We both know battery degrade overtime, so IF for some unlucky reason your battery dead after warranty you won't have expensive brick.

[@teohontech7141]

The Mark Levinson can do that too

[@orangedan5424]

@@teohontech7141 nope it can't...when the battery died...that's it, its useless brick. At least thats what their support told me.

[@teohyc]

@@orangedan5424 Where did you find that info?

[@orangedan5424]

@@teohyc email their support. I was concern about the battery and IF they are replaceable. I want to make sure they have parts and continue to support. But they said it's irreplaceable. They will only replaced the whole headphones within the warranty period.

[@teohyc]

@@orangedan5424 The batteries are not replaceable. But the headphones will still work in wired mode with 3.5mm even without battery.

[@Saturn-Matrix]

Fake leather, cheap build quality from the solitaire contrasts the love the engineers put in the 5909s