[Nick Dangerous]

No Lucid with EL84's according to Steve. Even so, it's worth hearing the difference with/without. Some prefer the EL84 sound regardless.
 
oops... see below

 

[negura]

Quote:

If you swap out the SV83's with something else can you still use the Lucid modes?
 

 
Quote:

No Lucid with EL84's according to Steve. Even so, it's worth hearing the difference with/without. Some prefer the EL84 sound regardless.

 
Would it also depend on which headphones we're tuning for here? I am much looking forward to check out the Lucid modes with the LCD-2s, but not sure if we need to soundstage expand anything for the HD800s. At least based on the description.

 

[V-Duh]

Quote:

No Lucid with EL84's according to Steve. Even so, it's worth hearing the difference with/without. Some prefer the EL84 sound regardless.

 
I understood the "Hazen Grid Technology," not the Lucid modes, required the SV83.  I believe they are independent of one another.

 

[dminches]

Quote:

No Lucid with EL84's according to Steve. Even so, it's worth hearing the difference with/without. Some prefer the EL84 sound regardless.

 
That is not true.  I have been using EL84s exclusively and lucid works. (Unless that switch is doing something else.
 
Frank, can you comment on this?

 

[Nick Dangerous]

I am confused. Hazen <> Lucid? 

 

[Argo Duck]

V-Duh and dminches are exactly right. The Hazen-grid mod (see the decware forum thread and/or white paper 'christmas comes early' - ill post link if i can find it) only works with SV83. And may only be needed by this tube. It's purely to do with SQ.

Lucid mode is a unique product of taboo's floating topology. It's the circuit design, not an aspect of any one tube. There are two white papers about this, narrating taboo's design process. An interesting read. These were linked in the previous taboo page...not sure about the new one.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Aha! So it is...
 
Hazen = SQ improvement = only heard via SV83
Lucid = Soundstage improvement = any tube complement via the Taboo
 
Well then... I guess that makes the decision to roll EL84's a bit easier, since it's a matter of sound quality preference either way.

 

[Argo Duck]

Here we go: http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1243915681
This is the hazen mod. One sceptic, but everyone else heard a large difference. Hey, life is illusion right?

(Sorry for posting the link raw - mobile mode is good for tracking subscriptions but clunky for editing I find)

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

 
That is not true.  I have been using EL84s exclusively and lucid works. (Unless that switch is doing something else.
 
Frank, can you comment on this?

The lucid mode works with the  EL 84 tubes . Both the original  and the new lucid mode both operate with the El84 tubes. The  Hazen mod does not work with the EL84 but does with the SV83. I like the SV 83 but much  prefer the  ehtreal sound of the EL84 and they are my preference for using the Taboo MK111. I hear not large differences with the Hazen mod and the SV83 to make me want to abandon what I hear in transparency with the EL84 tubes.

 

[Landmantx]

To all of you HD800 users out there..... Does the analaxis mod (I believe that's what its called) make the cans sound better over the Taboo. I am trying to determine if I need to go to the craft store and buy the felt before my phones ship on the 5th.

Let me know.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

To all of you HD800 users out there..... Does the analaxis mod (I believe that's what its called) make the cans sound better over the Taboo. I am trying to determine if I need to go to the craft store and buy the felt before my phones ship on the 5th.

Let me know.

I personally would not mod the hD800 I own. Sennheiser created a reference headphone and with a good aftermarket balanced cable I have been very happy. I don't hear any bright treble in my unit. Modded headphones also voids your warranty,

 

[Landmantx]

I hear you Frank. I just read all of Tyll's blog about how this mod helps with a resonance that happens in the headphone that causes a ringing and makes the headphone come off as too bright to many. I probably will just go stock for a while as I have a lot of work to do to dial it all in.

If anyone has any experience here, I would love to hear thoughts. Otherwise, I will probably wait on it.

 

[jazzerdave]

Quote:

I hear you Frank. I just read all of Tyll's blog about how this mod helps with a resonance that happens in the headphone that causes a ringing and makes the headphone come off as too bright to many. I probably will just go stock for a while as I have a lot of work to do to dial it all in.

If anyone has any experience here, I would love to hear thoughts. Otherwise, I will probably wait on it.

 
Danny might still have his pair of Anax modded HD800's.  We could try to get him to bring his to the Dallas meet (or just another mini-meet) and compare them in person.

 

[negura]

Quote:

To all of you HD800 users out there..... Does the analaxis mod (I believe that's what its called) make the cans sound better over the Taboo. I am trying to determine if I need to go to the craft store and buy the felt before my phones ship on the 5th.

Let me know.

 
I have crafted Tyll's mod version a while ago and once I got it in, I never wanted to remove it. It's subtle but very effective for sorting out the brightness. Adds a bit of overall body too, very subtle. My ears are very sensitive to treble and thus love this mod.  A couple of friends modded theirs and have very similar findings.
 
That said my Taboo is a couple of months away so I can't comment on this directly. My main gear is a Burson Conductor, which is an excellent match for the HD800, but it's a very neutral device with plenty of treble detail. No rolloffs and stuff, what is there is what you hear. And I do have many sibilant recordings.

 

[djtw345]

I just received my Cherry Base Taboo III today, and it is a beauty. This is the first Decware amp I've owned and I am very impressed. First class workmanship.
 
It sounds just fine with my LCD-2's, although it is only a few hours old.
 
Does anyone know what happens when both LUCID mode switches are on? Didn't read anything about this in the instruction manual.
 
Van Halen has never sounded this good....
 
Regards, TW.