[jhljhl]

  If anyone could give me a tube recommendation I would be grateful.  I'm a fan of the signature of the stock tube.  My dac (concero hd) is very analytical so something too sharp will likely fatigue my ears very quickly.  
 
Looking for something that will give me a similar sound to the stock tube or even just a touch warmer but with a step up in detail.
 
I don't like the 'tubey' sound which I'm sure most people don't if they own a taboo.  As I said I find the concero very dry and analytical (it's too much with my bakoon amp and he-500).  Thanks for the help.

I think you'd want to stick with the Russian tube and use a gz32/37 or 596 rectifier.  You might like the mullard gz37 skinny bottle.  Cifte gz32.

 

[longbowbbs]

I swapped the L/R for Genalex Golden Lion 6922's. It was a nice change and one that Steve said he enjoyed as well. Tightened up the bass and gave a bit more top end sparkle.

 

[mmlogic]

I got a Genalex Golden Lion 6922, but it makes huge, I mean really huge hum when using on Taboo III, maybe I should buy a new one, now settle with a 7.6V EDISWAN PCC88.
as to the power tube, I suggest stick to the original.
and the rectifier, I've tried OTK 5U3C, RCA double D-getter 5R4GY, EMI 5U4GM, and settle with USAF 596.
BTW, HE-560 is fantastic with Taboo III.

 

[ToTje]

Hey, very simple question: when you have speakers connected to the Taboo, do they switch off when you plug a headphone in? Or can you switch the speakers off in another way?

 

[Argo Duck]

IDK about the mk III. With the mk II there's a switch to select speakers or hp.

 

[ToTje]

IDK about the mk III. With the mk II there's a switch to select speakers or hp.

Thanks! Then I'm sure it will be the same with the MK III.

 

[Rizlaw]

ToTje,
 
Unlike the Taboo II, the Taboo III amp does not have a speaker switch. Nor, does it automatically cut out the speakers when a headphone is plugged in. It would be nice if it did. I imagine Steve may have felt that the switch was no longer needed or that it sonically degraded the sound via headphones in some way.  I'm sure Steve could/would add a switch if you requested the mod. Steve designed the Taboo III as a headphone amp for the LCD-2 that also works extremely well as a speaker amp with high efficiency speakers (>94db). I've never owned a Taboo II which, I believe, had 6w/ch output as opposed to the Taboo III which has 4.5 w/ch output.

 

[ToTje]

  Unlike the Taboo II, the Taboo III amp does not have a speaker switch. Nor, does it automatically cut out the speakers when a headphone is plugged in. It would be nice if it did.  I'm sure Steve could add one if you requested the mod. Steve designed the Taboo III as a headphone amp for the LCD-2 that also works extremely well as a speaker amp with high efficiency speakers (>94db). I've never owned a Taboo II which, I believe, had 6w/ch output as opposed to the Taboo III which has 4.5 w/ch output.

Oh, that is a big disappointment then. I am buying a pre-owned taboo, so a modification would be rather hard to add.
Then I should perhaps add some plugs in the speakercables so I can plug and unplug them easilly.
 
Thx for your answer! 

 

[Rizlaw]

  Oh, that is a big disappointment then. I am buying a pre-owned taboo, so a modification would be rather hard to add.
Then I should perhaps add some plugs in the speakercables so I can plug and unplug them easilly.
 
Thx for your answer! 

I don't think the problem is that it would be "hard to add", just expensive since you would have pay for shipping both ways. From the Netherlands, I imagine that would be a hefty sum in addition to the mod. BTW, just to give you my experiences with the Taboo III:
 
1. When listening via headphones (in my case LCD-2 or Beyer DT990) I have to turn the attenuator down quite a bit, so the sound coming out of my connected Omega 3E speakers drops to a point where they are almost inaudible through the open back headphones. In addition, Steve feels that the low output of the speakers add to the headphone listening experience; I tend to agree.
 
2. If you elect to disconnect your speakers while headphone listening, Steve recommends putting an 8 ohm resistor on each of the speaker terminal outputs. It improves the headphone sound.
 
3. Down the road you should also consider adding a CSP2+ or CSP3 preamp. It will substantially improve the sound. Alternatively, you can also consider the less expensive Decware ZBIT if your DAC has a true balanced analog output. Connect your DAC to the ZBIT and the ZBIT to the Taboo III. You can read my post about the ZBIT here: http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1415411351. You can read Steve's post about the new ZBIT here: http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1406321627. It's about $600.00.

 

[ToTje]

Ahh he called it Zbit? I already was looking for it; I had read about him planning to make this, but hadn't seen of it was released yet.
I was planning to get a CSP3 some time. Would adding a Zbit to a CSP3 improve the sound even further? dit:  I now read that you get an even better sound with the Zbit but without the CSP3. I have a Parasound Zdac; I think that the Zbit should work well with that, right?
 
About adding a resistor to the speaker terminal outputs: I fear that goes a bit beyond my knowledge (unless you mean just connecting the + with the -, with that resistor?) , but I could ask the person who's selling me the Taboo.
 
Thx for the info! 

 

 

[Rizlaw]

  Ahh he called it Zbit? I already was looking for it; I had read about him planning to make this, but hadn't seen of it was released yet.
I was planning to get a CSP3 some time. Would adding a Zbit to a CSP3 improve the sound even further? dit:  I now read that you get an even better sound with the Zbit but without the CSP3. I have a Parasound Zdac; I think that the Zbit should work well with that, right?
 
About adding a resistor to the speaker terminal outputs: I fear that goes a bit beyond my knowledge (unless you mean just connecting the + with the -, with that resistor?) , but I could ask the person who's selling me the Taboo.
 
Thx for the info! 

 

Steven doesn't appear to be actively advertising the Zbit. I'm not sure why. I stumbled upon it from his post about why many of his smaller amps don't have balanced inputs.
 
If you read my posts on the Zbit, you will note I mentioned that I felt the sound of the Zbit directly into the Taboo III resulted in a slightly more detailed sound. So, yes, IMO, the Zbit is going to provide a slight improvement over using a CSP3 at about half the cost of the CSP3. When I spoke to Steve about it, he agreed with my assessment and said that he uses the Zbit the same way. That's not to say that the CSP3 doesn't offer other benefits, but it is one more device in the audio chain. Simpler is often better. If I hadn't already owned the CSP3 and didn't need a preamp, I would be very happy to go with the Zbit and Taboo III. Also, if you need more inputs/outputs you could always get Steve's ZSB (Zen Switching Box). I'm not familiar with the Parasound Zdac you have, but according to Steve, if the DAC has TRUE balanced circuitry (not all do), the Zbit should provide a sonic improvement.
 
About the resistors, all you need are two 8 ohm resistors ( I used two: Mills MRA12 8 ohm 1% M1324). Each resistor has a fairly long bendable metal wire coming out of each end. For the left channel speaker output: place the wire end of one resistor into the minus (-) output terminal and the other wire end of that resistor into the plus (+) output terminal. Repeat for the right channel. Don't worry about orientation of the resistor between the plus and minus terminals. You could also mount the resistors on a dual banana jack to make it easier to add and remove. Of course, if you keep the speakers connected, you don't need the resistors at all.  You don't have to do this, you can leave the resistors off and still enjoy the headphones.

 

[jhljhl]

IDK about the mk III. With the mk II there's a switch to select speakers or hp.

I have a MKII without a switch.  I don't think the speakercut off switch is standard.
 
 
Also, I tried a 7ohm 5watt resistor on hand on my Taboo MKIII - it does tighten up the sound.  Trying different resistors works well with the MKII as well.

 

[Argo Duck]

^ Now you mention yours not having one I do have a vague recollection some mkIIs came with and some without, even when built in the same year.

I didn't ask for a hp/speaker switch but I got one on mine. Possibly to do with who happened to build it?

 

[ToTje]

  Steven doesn't appear to be actively advertising the Zbit. I'm not sure why. I stumbled upon it from his post about why many of his smaller amps don't have balanced inputs.
 
If you read my posts on the Zbit, you will note I mentioned that I felt the sound of the Zbit directly into the Taboo III resulted in a slightly more detailed sound. So, yes, IMO, the Zbit is going to provide a slight improvement over using a CSP3 at about half the cost of the CSP3. When I spoke to Steve about it, he agreed with my assessment and said that he uses the Zbit the same way. That's not to say that the CSP3 doesn't offer other benefits, but it is one more device in the audio chain. Simpler is often better. If I hadn't already owned the CSP3 and didn't need a preamp, I would be very happy to go with the Zbit and Taboo III. Also, if you need more inputs/outputs you could always get Steve's ZSB (Zen Switching Box). I'm not familiar with the Parasound Zdac you have, but according to Steve, if the DAC has TRUE balanced circuitry (not all do), the Zbit should provide a sonic improvement.
 
About the resistors, all you need are two 8 ohm resistors ( I used two: Mills MRA12 8 ohm 1% M1324). Each resistor has a fairly long bendable metal wire coming out of each end. For the left channel speaker output: place the wire end of one resistor into the minus (-) output terminal and the other wire end of that resistor into the plus (+) output terminal. Repeat for the right channel. Don't worry about orientation of the resistor between the plus and minus terminals. You could also mount the resistors on a dual banana jack to make it easier to add and remove. Of course, if you keep the speakers connected, you don't need the resistors at all.  You don't have to do this, you can leave the resistors off and still enjoy the headphones.

 
Thanks for all this info! 

 Yeah I've read the rest of your posts later last evening and things got a bit clearer to me.
Could you tell me what 'other' benefits does a CSP3 have over a Zbit? I'll look into that ZSB; perhaps that might solve things. I'll also e-mail Parasound about of it has true balaned circuitry. It does have balanced outputs though, but I guess that doesn't always guarantee things?

 

[Rizlaw]

   
Thanks for all this info! 

 Yeah I've read the rest of your posts later last evening and things got a bit clearer to me.
Could you tell me what 'other' benefits does a CSP3 have over a Zbit? I'll look into that ZSB; perhaps that might solve things. I'll also e-mail Parasound about of it has true balaned circuitry. It does have balanced outputs though, but I guess that doesn't always guarantee things?

 
If your listening includes analog sources (LPs, tape or FM radio), I feel the CSP3 is an invaluable addition because of the added weight and authority it adds to the music through the Taboo III. There is a synergistic interaction between the two pieces. Also, the CSP3 has an adjust-ability factor that most other pre-amps don't provide. Read more here: http://www.decware.com/newsite/CSP3.html  If you are so inclined, you can read more about my CSP2+/CSP3 impressions here: http://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1377038564
 
On the other hand, if you are listening to all digital (PCM/DSD hi-rez downloads, SACD, CD, mp3) and using the ZBIT, I think you might safely skip the CSP3. While I found the Zbit/Taboo III set-up slightly more resolving, I also think that the Zbit/CSP3/Taboo III is more musical sounding to my ears. But, I'm talking personal taste here and each audiophile has to make these sonic judgements for him or herself. I use all three pieces because I have a fairly large LP collection and, in the end, I preferred the more musical sound of all three pieces in the musical chain.