Decware Appreciation Thread (MT review up on first page 2-10-12)

[WNBC]

AiDee is indicating the addition of speakers did not confer an acoustic advantage.
 
Since the resistor is news to a lot of Taboo owners, has anybody else tried A/B'ing efficient speakers + headphones at the same time?
My Taboo is far from being burned in and I don't own efficient speakers.  I suppose any speakers would work but I'll wait until my Taboo has settled which is roughly 400 hours from now (V-Caps)

 

[longbowbbs]

Quote:

AiDee is indicating the addition of speakers did not confer an acoustic advantage.
 
Since the resistor is news to a lot of Taboo owners, has anybody else tried A/B'ing efficient speakers + headphones at the same time?
My Taboo is far from being burned in and I don't own efficient speakers.  I suppose any speakers would work but I'll wait until my Taboo has settled which is roughly 400 hours from now (V-Caps)

 

 

[Argo Duck]

^ Just to clarify, addition of KEF KIT satellites did not confer advantage and possibly disadvantage. I recently thought Taboo sounded slightly less good (slightly muddy, slightly soft). I started changing driver tubes without really figuring it out. In hindsight this could've happened when I switched in the KEF KITs.
 
At the time I spent a week or two listening to just them and they sounded surprisingly ok. During this time I didn't listen to the LCD2s. So of course I wouldn't immediately notice anything wrong, supposing this was the problem.
 
If the KEFs are at fault this might be a complex impedance curve (from the KEF's 2-way + panel-speaker assembly and crossover) interacting with Taboo's HP output. This is surmise but seems implied by Steve's reported statement that hp SQ improves if the speaker outputs are loaded. 
 
Before the KEFs a pair of Joey Roth ceramic speakers were connected - simple one-ways, no crossover. I didn't notice and wasn't looking for improvement, but I didn't notice any reduction in SQ either.
 
When I get time I'll try some careful listening comparisons. Meantime, interested in others' experiences too.
 
ps: My Taboo also VCAP'd and well over its 400 hours.

 

[Argo Duck]

www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1325804911/15
 
Read the first post (from Don W, 10 January 2012) on the page linked above for more reported comments from Steve Deckert. This is one of the Taboo topics in the Decware forums. Here's a summary of what parts I think Steve said directly:
 
"headphones without speakers connected will sound different. Not necessarily worse or better, but different...depend[ing] on the headphones....You can bridge the speaker connectors with a resistor to get the same results .... [use] 4, 8, 10 ohm resistor or just experiment to get the result you want"
 
[Warning: IF you "experiment" I would not advise going lower than Steve's reported 4 ohms on each  speaker output!]
 
It sounds like the OP on this point might have been told something slightly different but going just on Don W's post the take home points for me are:
 
1. Sound different with/without speakers connected
2. May be better, may be worse. Experiment!
3. Can use resistors instead of speakers - one per +/- speaker output
4. Or just don't worry - phones alone is fine too
 
Seems to me this basically is an extra tuning variable - might or might not be an experiment with SQ benefits but not essential.

 

[WNBC]

Agreed.  I sent an email to Steve (probably a lot of people did) and will let you all know what he says.
 
Quote:

Seems to me this basically is an extra tuning variable - might or might not be an experiment with SQ benefits but not essential.

 

[Frank I]

When I owned the Taboo I  used 93DB single drive Omega speakers and mine also had a switch at my request which allowed me to cut off the speakers when I was listening to my Orthos and D7K. I had zero issues with the amp. Not sure if you guys have that switch. I was the first to have the headphone jack and I discussed the switch as I did not want to hear the speakers and the headphones at the same time.  Steve listened to my needs and designed the amp the way I wanted it with the headphone jack in the front and the switch installed. I also would not use less than 93DB 8ohm speakers with the Taboo.

 

[Llloyd]

thanks for the response frank. ill look into some efficient speakers when I get some cash. I do not have a cutoff switch but it's in a convenient location where it's not a huge pain to unplug the speakers if I need. it would be nice though! I might stop in my local audio store and see what kind of efficient speakers they carry

 

[longbowbbs]

Quote:

thanks for the response frank. ill look into some efficient speakers when I get some cash. I do not have a cutoff switch but it's in a convenient location where it's not a huge pain to unplug the speakers if I need. it would be nice though! I might stop in my local audio store and see what kind of efficient speakers they carry

We should do a sub thread on Taboo friendly speaker....

 

[Argo Duck]

Thanks Frank. My Taboo is like yours I believe - a switch (left side at the back, looking from the front) toggles between Phones only or Speakers only.
 
That's what confused me about the original post. "Switched out" usually means just that. But we're talking unusual and ingenious equipment here so I thought maybe...
 
And now @Llloyd tells us he doesn't have the switch?! Is that right Llloyd - you don't have the switch I describe above?
 
Steve explained recently the same four people build these amps as have always done. I wonder if each does it slightly different? If so, I don't mind this in the least. It's like getting an individual masterpiece.
 
I have plans to get an efficient one-way speaker but they're scarce in New Zealand - as in not retailed here at all.
 
So hey @longbowbbs I agree - you gonna start it?

 

[Llloyd]

Quote:

Thanks Frank. My Taboo is like yours I believe - a switch (left side at the back, looking from the front) toggles between Phones only or Speakers only.
 
That's what confused me about the original post. "Switched out" usually means just that. But we're talking unusual and ingenious equipment here so I thought maybe...
 
And now @Llloyd tells us he doesn't have the switch?! Is that right Llloyd - you don't have the switch I describe above?

 
This is correct.  The only switches on my amplifier are on/off and lucid/normal mode.
 
 

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

 
This is correct.  The only switches on my amplifier are on/off and lucid/normal mode.
 
 

You may want to call Steve about that and see why you dont have that switch, I would want it if I were you so you always have the speakers set up. Major pain the the butt to unhook them

 

[WNBC]

I don't have a cut off switch for my Taboo.  I bought one off the forums.  It was a recent build so he received it 2 weeks ago and then I got it last week.  I am fine with no switches because the main goal is to use it for headphones.  And I'm fine unplugging a couple cables if I ever do get some efficient speakers.  
 
Longbowbbs start that thread on efficient speakers for Taboo 

http://www.klipsch.com/rb-51-ii-bookshelf-speakers-pair
How about 92dB as efficient?

 

[Argo Duck]

Nah - Llloyd's Taboo has higher resale value because of the missing switch

 

[Argo Duck]

Et tu WNBC?!
 
Clearly indeed Taboos with HP-outs are built at least two different ways...
 
I don't have a problem with this either, and I think this finally clears the confusion whether you need speakers/resistors:

1. If you have the HP/Speaker switch, you don't need them
2. If you don't have the switch, experiment (or not) by all means

 

[longbowbbs]

Quote:

I don't have a cut off switch for my Taboo.  I bought one off the forums.  It was a recent build so he received it 2 weeks ago and then I got it last week.  I am fine with no switches because the main goal is to use it for headphones.  And I'm fine unplugging a couple cables if I ever do get some efficient speakers.  
 
Longbowbbs start that thread on efficient speakers for Taboo 

http://www.klipsch.com/rb-51-ii-bookshelf-speakers-pair
How about 92dB as efficient?

How would a speaker thread go over at Head-Fi? The Taboo IS a Headphone amp....., hmmmmm.....