Forums - Taboo MKII and CSP2+

Don W

Senior Member

Posts: 79

Taboo MKII and CSP2+
08/13/17 at 05:44:24

I have a Taboo MKII / CSP2+ pair for sale, in excellent condition. The CSP2+ was purchased new in March 2012. The Taboo was purchased new in Dec. 2011 with the optional V-Caps and headphone jack. Then in Dec. 2013 I sent it to Decware for the new Lucid Mode upgrade. I will include a set of 1.5 ft. Decware interconnects which is the perfect length for connecting the two when they are sitting side by side. I will also include a Decware power cable for each. Finally, I have a ton of tubes which I will include, including some quite expensive NOS varieties.

$1,800 shipping and PayPal included.

They belong together and I would prefer to sell them that way. See picture below. More pictures available on request.

Here is a rundown of the tubes I have (I have done my best to decipher the markings on the boxes to sort these out.)

For the CSP2+:

1x stock Chineeze rectifier tube
1x Philips 5R4GYS rectifier tube
3 stock 6N1P-EU
2x Zaerix PCC88
1x Philips PCC88

For the TABOO:

1x stock Chineeze rectifier tube
1x Philips 5R4GYS rectifier tube
4x of the Russian 6N15N-EB, also known as 6P15P-EV. These are the stock tubes that go in the two back positions.
The tube in the front position is the one that is fun to experiment with. That position will accept 12AU7 (ECC82), 12AT7 (ECC81) and 12AX7 (ECC83). I have some of each.

12AU7 (ECC82, ECC802):

1x JJ
1x Mullard NOS
1x Siemens AG Munchen
2x Gold Loin (cryoset certified)

12AT7 (ECC81):

2x GE JAN 12AT7WC
2x Gold Lion

12AX7 (ECC83, ECC803):

1x JJ
1x JJ cryoset certified
1x Tung-Sol 12AX7 ECC803S w/ Gold Pins

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Taboo__CSP2.jpg

Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center.

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Don W Senior Member Posts: 79	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #1 - 08/17/17 at 23:15:41 Asking price dropped to $1,300. That's including shipping and PayPal.
Back to top	Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center. IP Logged

bear Verified Member Posts: 2	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #2 - 09/08/17 at 18:51:36 I am interested in CSP2+ alone. I wonder what price you will offer. Thank!
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Don W

Senior Member

Posts: 79

Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+
Reply #3 - 12/19/17 at 22:08:54

bear, sorry for not replying until now. My life got crazy and it kind of fell through the cracks.

I have been holding out because I would really rather sell the two as a pair. But what I'm thinking now is that I'll wait until a few days have gone by after the first of the year and if they haven't sold by then I will sell separately. I will post when I'm ready for that to happen.

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Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center.

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szen Verified Member Posts: 3	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #4 - 12/22/17 at 05:00:29 Does this one have a headphone jack or XLR?
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Don W Senior Member Posts: 79	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #5 - 12/22/17 at 19:10:33 Both the Taboo MKII and the CSP2+ have headphone jacks.
Back to top	Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center. IP Logged

szen Verified Member Posts: 3	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #6 - 12/23/17 at 00:44:50 Can you send me a PM? I don’t have enough posts to send on my own.
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szen Verified Member Posts: 3	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #7 - 12/23/17 at 16:03:33 Ok. Still not enough posts (need 5) to reply to your PM. Can you PM me your email?
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Loplop Verified Member Posts: 5	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #8 - 01/24/18 at 23:59:44 Did these sell? If not, I’m interested.
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Don W Senior Member Posts: 79	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #9 - 01/25/18 at 00:44:41 Still available.
Back to top	Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center. IP Logged

Loplop Verified Member Posts: 5	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #10 - 01/25/18 at 02:04:02 Cool—PM me your email address and let’s see if we can work something out.
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Don W

Senior Member

Posts: 79

Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+
Reply #11 - 02/02/18 at 04:46:27

These are still available, as a pair or I will sell the Taboo separately. There have been lots of inquiries asking if I would sell the CSP2+ separately, but I'm still reluctant to do that because of concern that the Taboo wouldn't be as attractive by itself. The CSP2+ is the perfect companion for the Taboo. The Taboo is the amp for planer magnetic headphones like Audeze LCD2 while the CSP2+ is perfect for OTL headphones like the Senn 650. The Taboo can drive a pair of sensitive speakers by itself but the CSP2+ helps it along nicely, making a fuller richer sound. For headphones the Taboo is perfectly fine by itself however.

The asking price of $1,300 for both still stands and that includes shipping and PayPal. It also includes a pair of Decware interconnects that are perfect length for connecting the CSP2+ to the Taboo, 2 Decware power cables, and several hundred dollars worth of tubes, as listed in the original post. Both the Taboo and the CSP2+ have headphone jacks. The Taboo also has the $200 V-cap upgrade and the $150 lucid mode upgrade. The lucid mode upgrade adds the lucid mode from Taboo MKIII.

Because some people might not need or want the extras, I'm now adding the option to purchase the two amps alone, with only the stock set of tubes - for $1000 PLUS shipping and PayPal. I expect shipping with insurance to be around $100, for 3 boxes, and PayPal is 2.9%. You could save money by selecting to ship without insurance, if you wanted to risk that, and paying from friend to friend via PayPal, which is free if the funds come out of your PayPal account or a linked bank account. But you don't get the PayPal buyer protection if you do that.

The other items would then be available selectively: tubes for $150, interconnects for $75 and power cables for $100.

Asking price for the Taboo alone is $600 plus shipping and PayPal. Or $800 with the extra tubes, a power cable, and shipping / PayPal included.

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Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center.

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Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23678	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #12 - 02/02/18 at 13:57:43 Wow. This is an excellent offer for the whole shebang. I'm surprised no one has snapped it up. I'm tempted and already am swimming in Decware components! This combo is perfect for almost any headphones you throw at it. And will drive the right speaker with great sound. Hope it sells soon.
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

joespride Senior Member Posts: 70	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #13 - 04/08/18 at 22:06:50 Hello I am new to the forum been lurking forever, could you please email me joespunk66@outlook.com I have been looking for decware for a bit and have excellent feedback on several sites
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joespride Senior Member Posts: 70	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #14 - 04/08/18 at 22:07:02 Hello I am new to the forum been lurking forever, could you please email me joespunk66@outlook.com I have been looking for decware for a bit and have excellent feedback on several sites
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metropolis7 Seasoned Member Posts: 179	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #15 - 04/08/18 at 23:04:05 This combo makes magic for me. Versatile too.
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Don W Senior Member Posts: 79	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #16 - 04/27/18 at 02:51:54 Still available.
Back to top	Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center. IP Logged

doukhobar Seasoned Member Posts: 139	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #17 - 04/29/18 at 04:03:17 You should considering posting this ad on Headfi.com - I've seen other Decware gear posted and sell. I have a Taboo III that is awesome. Sounds nearly as good from speakers as the SE84CKC, and I never used a pre-amp. The Taboo is enjoyed on it's own by many users.
Back to top	Torii Jr, Taboo III, Dennis Had Firebottle amp & LP2 pre, ERR speakers, Omega 3XRS, Omega Super Alnico XRS, Bryston BDP-1, Kora Hermes DAC, Pear Audio Robin Hood TT w/Cornet 1 tonearm & Hana SL cart, ZP3 Cryo Beeswax caps, Bob's Devices SUT, HD800, LCD2, Zenwave IP Logged

Don W Senior Member Posts: 79	Re: Taboo MKII and CSP2+ Reply #18 - 05/04/18 at 00:56:26 Sold!!
Back to top	Decware: Taboo, CSP2+, Mini-Torii, MG944, ERR, Zen Styx, DSR-II interconnects, DHC-1 power cables. Other: Audeze LCD-3 w/ Q cables, EE Mini-Max DAC Plus, Audio-gd SA-1 DAC, Audio-gd DI-DSP USB to Coaxial converter. Homemade PC with JRiver Media Center. IP Logged