will
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I agree with RR.
And finally, this is all so personal and system based it is hard to sort out. Where you start is a really good basis. Are those Decware Monos? If I recall correctly, don't two 2 watt Decware amps bridged add up to about 8 watts...Compared to the Taboo MkIII, with 4ohm speakers, I doubt you would get more than 3 watts from the new Taboo, but you would have to check with someone more knowledgable about resistance than me. If no one chimes in here, maybe call Steve.
But the thing is this. If you are reducing your power by half or more, this could be pretty serious depending on how much you need to push your current setup.
I think you can get a little more volume using a gain stage by compressing the signals from your source before they get to the amp...in the case of the CSP3, turn it way up, and it will compress the sound while also doing all the other stuff it does at higher gain....more body and weight while amazingly, keeping great openness, definition and resolution.
But you can still only push the amp so far before distortion, so I am guessing that the volume you can add with the pre is not a huge amount with the TabooMkIII.
The other consideration with a gain stage is that a big part of what makes them so cool is you can ride the gain with your amp gain, adjusting the weight, body, and tonal characteristics...with the amp higher, more amp sound, with the pre higher, more compression and more pre sound signature.
I have tried lower power amps, and after the headroom of the Torii, I guess I found myself wanting to drive the SET amps to distortion too much of the time. But some of my music is demanding, I have a sort of bigger room, and I like my speakers sound with a bit of power to push the drivers.
With very efficient speakers, I bet I would LOVE the Taboo MkIII, or the Rachel, especially with the brilliant body and resolution the CSP3 brings. And maybe the monos at 8 watts would be just enough for me here (with these speakers), but the Torii MkIV, though more money for sure, with its taste of Taboo feedback, and with the two power tube choices making for basically two amps...I just decided I must be a power head.
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