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EQUIPMENT FORUMS >> TABOO MK IV >> Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
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Message started by Lon on 02/02/19 at 20:13:32

Title: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 02/02/19 at 20:13:32

Yesterday my Taboo Mk IV arrived back from Decware with the 25th Anniversary Mods installed.

Wow. The Mods have moved the amp right up into the territory of my 25th Anniversary Modded SE84UFO3 Monoblocks, which is to say into the realm of audio playback that is hard to be beat at less than stratospheric price points. (My guess, I haven't heard everything but I've heard enough to know I don't need to seek elsewhere!)

I've about eleven hours of use in now. Same set up as was used with the Monoblocks. There's a bit more center-fill with the Taboo, which is expected, it's a single chassis, and that's not a bad thing for my room and lots of the material I listen to. It's a bit more "rough and ready" than the Monoblocks, but just a slight bit in comparison. It's also a bit more powerful, which doesn't hurt with the HR-1s.

Bottom line: these mods are really worth it. I know the amp will sound better day by day for the next months. I know this amp will be a great heartbeat for one of my systems. These "Anniversary Mods" are level-lifting for the components. I'm so happy I sent the Taboo in for the mods.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by johnny_boy on 03/25/19 at 08:23:28

Lon,

Do you know what is being upgraded on Taboo for anniversary mod? It is like the SE84** models where it gets Type II Beeswax caps and voltage regulator tubes?

I have a Taboo III and I wonder if it can be upgraded to Anniversary mod, or only Taboo IV can be upgraded? I am not sure how different the internals are between the III and IV to make the upgrade not too expensive for my III?

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 03/25/19 at 08:32:04

The Taboo Mk III is on the price list for the mods, so I would say yes, it can be upgraded. The mod is listed as a Beeswax capacitor bypass upgrade for 400 dollars. There's no voltage tube regulation to either of these Taboo mods to my knowledge.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 09/26/19 at 22:43:18

I've been using my Taboo Mk IV with the Anniversary mods with my CSP3 with the Anniversary mods and with a ZBIT and a ZROCK2 in my audio/visual system. Fantastic sound!

Recently I removed the CSP3 from the chain and have my Oppo UDP-205 to ZBIT to ZROCK2 to Taboo Mk IV chain in use now. Wow. This is a very fast and dynamic and clear presentation. I had one less stellar interconnect in the previous chain (between CSP3 and Taboo Mk IV) and part of the great sound is removing that weaker link. I'm leaving this as the configuration for a while, and move the CSP3 to take the place of the CSP2+ with the Anniversary modish my headphones only system. Both the CSP3 and the CSP2+ with the mods are fantastic headphone amplifiers. The CSP2+ may be redundant soon and I may sell it as well as the Taboo Mk III which is not in use at the moment.

I now have three systems that I never believed I would own, that are dishing out sound that seems almost too amazing to believe. Decware is really something.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 11/22/19 at 13:39:52

I just wanted to add to this thread that the Taboo is a wonderful amplifier for a video based system with reasonably efficient speakers. With or without the mods it has a "grunt" that is a bit bigger than the other Zen amps that really does well with audio from these sources. Deailed and dynamic sound. And add a little "Lucid Mode" to have even more atmospheric and interesting listens. I've recently really begun to enjoy experimenting with Lucid Mode. With or without a preamp in the chain (my CSP3 with the mods is back in--I missed it as a headphone amp!) I have really loved this system for TV and discs, AND music.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 12/22/19 at 13:52:16

I'm breaking in an interesting pair of rectifiers in my Taboo Mk IV and CSP3 (both with the Anniversary mods) here in my second/video-centric system. They are Amperex 5U4G and that's all the info on them, no country of origin or date codes etc.

They were a bit crispy at first in the not so good way, but with about 30 hours on them now they have become nicely detailed and dynamic and very open sounding. I'm a big fan of Amperex so nice to have these on hand. When I have some more hours on them I'll try them in the SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with the Anniversary mods where there are a lot of Amperex tubes in the components!

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by doukhobar on 05/20/20 at 17:55:18

Can the Taboo 4 be ordered new with the Anniversary mod? It is simply additional Cu Foil by pass caps? Sounds worthwhile.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 05/20/20 at 18:03:34

I am sure you can. Place a note with your order and I would recommend emailing and/or calling Sarah to be sure it is added to your order.

I had the Mk IV for a while, then sent it in to have the mods done. I'm glad I did, this is definitely an improvement.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by piezoman on 05/21/20 at 15:39:59

Indeed, the 25th anniversary mod is available for the Taboo MK IV.

I have one on order.

Its the beeswax bypass, $450.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by diptanuc on 03/22/21 at 04:38:32

I am trying to put an order in for the Taboo MK4 and the upgrades choices I have on the website are -
* Poly Bypass Mod $150
* Copper Bypass Mod $260

Are there other upgrades available, and if so how do I get them? I don't see the beeswax cap upgrade on the list of choices.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 03/22/21 at 13:12:09

I would call Sarah for the most recent scoop and availability. Steve has posted on the forum that he has moved from Beeswax caps to Miflex caps, both are copper foil, so my guess is that the current option is for Miflex caps. It's possible that he can provide Beeswax caps--Sarah would have the answer for that and for any other quesions about further options. I have a Taboo Mk IV with the bypass option--I'm listening to it right now as a matter of fact--and I LOVE it. Good choice and welcome to the "family."

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 05/05/21 at 17:08:05

You know I loved my Torris but man, the Taboo with the Anniversary mods and the SE84UFO3 with the Anniversary mods are just, for me, the cat's meow. I definitely prefer the single-ended sound of these amps to the push pull. And what Steve has developed for these amps over two decades is incredible.

I continue to be amazed at the sound I get from my Taboo Mk IV and if I had a druthers for another amp it would be a Taboo Mk IV with the Anniversary mods AND voltage regulation for the input tube and the output 6P15-EV tubes. . . . Having these voltage regulation tubes gives an exciting new layer to tailoring the sound and adding texture and depth. I'd love to have that with the Taboo. . .I'd sacrifice the Lucid mode(s) if I had to.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by diptanuc on 05/05/21 at 20:24:01

I am glad you are enjoying the amp! The build times are so long these days, so I imagine a lot more people are getting it too :)

What is "voltage regulation for the input tube and the output 6P15-EV tubes" ? I didn't realize this was an option too?

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 05/05/21 at 23:46:18

No, that's NOT an option. I wish there was a Taboo model that had this configuration, as my Monoblocks have and makes them my first choice of an amp, but there is not--that was what I was trying to say in the post. If there were such an amp I believe it would have to be in Monoblock form or in a larger chassis. But it would be a fantastic amp that I would probably buy.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 07/01/21 at 13:23:30

Ah the under-talked-of under-rated Taboo Mk IV.

A few little changes to the audio/video system and the Taboo Mk IV with the Anniversary Mods is really shining. The CSP2+ with the Anniversary Mods and the ZBIT and ZROCK2 are contributing strongly to the sound as well. 24/96 via the DVR/Wyred 4 Sound Remedy up-sampler and 24/48 from the AppleTV both through the DAC in the Oppo UDP-205 is sounding better than ever.

The Taboo has an amazing clarity now where voices and instruments are delineated in an uncomplicated way and presented as if free from coloration, and man I enjoy being in front of this system. Lucy is enjoying it more now as well, which is nice.

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Steve Deckert on 07/01/21 at 16:50:04

Lon, that's good news! I agree and find the same to be true whenever I listen to a Taboo on loudspeakers. It would certainly be more talked about if I were positioning it as a speaker amp, but we simply had too many speaker amps and were in desperate need of a headphone amp capable of handling planar headphones, so I listed it as a headphone amplifier.

Steve

Title: Re: Taboo Mk IV with Anniversary Mods
Post by Lon on 07/01/21 at 16:59:19

It certainly is a fantastic headphone amp, but ironically I don't use it that way, in the system it is in I would have to disconnect the speaker cabling every time I listen to headphones as I listen to those when my wife is sleeping not too far away. In that system I use the CSP2+ that you recently upgraded with the 25th Anniversary Mods for headphones, planar and dynamic, and it is excellent as well.

The Taboo as a speaker amp is amazing. As I wrote above I daydream sometimes about the amp with voltage regulation for input and output. . . but the truth is the size of the current amp is a perfect fit to house behind the cadenza my wife loves in the living room. I don't get to look at the Taboo or CSP2+ much but I sure love listening to them.