I just discovered that headphones out of the Taboo sound totally different when the speakers are not connected. Much louder for one thing. But also less bass, less fullness, sharper, more "canned" feeling. Interesting.

I don't have a speaker cutoff switch. If speakers are connected, Plugging in headphones has zero effect that I can hear on sould from speakers. Headphones are louder because they are right next to the ear, so speakers end up not being too loud. It didn't come with any instructions for headphones. There is a note on the web page for Mini Torri to disconnect the speakers if you don't want to get the speaker cutoff switch option and are worried about the speakers being too loud. No cutoff switch option is mentioned on the Taboo web page. Is a cutoff switch available for the Taboo?

I'd be interested to hear what he says about it. I don't understand what causes the difference to headphones when unplugging the speakers, but perhaps Steve can make a cutoff switch which makes it so the Amp "sees" the speakers but doesn't actually drive them. I don't know.

Interesting. I don't believe my Taboo has a cutoff switch. From Day One, my Taboo has been a headphone-only amp, except for the period of break-in I did. I did about 120 hours of break-in with a small set of Orb satellites. While listening with the headphones, I did not notice any significant difference between the sound with or without the speakers connected, even with the speakers placed inside a gym bag inside a cabinet drawer. That way, I was pretty sure I had eliminated any possible background effect (the cans are open air on the Taboo).

Where my Taboo is now, unless I turn the rest of the system to zero, there is some inevitable background effect. That effect is very discernible.  But with the Toriis and SE84ZS in the room set to zero (the Ultra sends out signal to all outputs), plugging or unplugging a set of speakers into the Taboo seems to have no effect. I emphasize "seems" because it is very difficult to isolate that very low background volume.

I would be interested in whether Steve thinks there is actually an electrical reason why a cutoff switch should be necessary. If there is, I would probably consider having one put in my Taboo.  

I can imagine that the type of can one is listening to (Audez'e LCD-2 for me and a couple of others) could also make a difference. Different cans present different loads.

But I would like to know the outcome.

Don wrote, among other things:

Quote:


You and me both. I do wonder about the preamp issue, because I  have the Ultra in front of mine. Previously, I had a ZSTAGE in front of my Taboo, but not during break-in.

Rivieraranch are you going to pick up a pair of LCD-2's to go with the Taboo? I ask because I notice that you have Senns right now and you know that the Taboo isn't really meant for higher impedance phones - the CSP2+ is the recommended match for them.

My Taboo was ordered with a headphone jack installed on the front (on the wood- another $100 extra). With only the headphones connected, the Lucid mode switch has a different effect on the phones than on the speaker, turning it off would produce a mono sound. I think Steve mentions this on the product page.
I am mainly using my Taboo now as a speaker amp until my 84c+ arrives.
BTW, my phones are the LCD-2 rev1.

I'm going to have my headphone jack installed out back rather than to poke a hole through the front of the wood base.