OWNERS MANUAL MANUAL NO. 02 REV. DATE: 3/20/2013 The Zen Taboo MK III P l a n a r H e a d p h o n e A m p l i f i e r MODEL TABOOMKIII Decware High Fidelity Engineering Co., East Peoria IL, USA www.decware.
OWNERS MANUAL INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing the Zen TABOO MKIII headphone/speaker amplifier. Before we get started, let’s introduce you to the fundamental part of the Taboo we call “Lucid Mode” OFF OFF ON ON NEW LUCID MODE ORIGINAL LUCID MODE Note the lucid mode switches to the right and left of the large black transformer. Lucid mode is an optional imaging enhancer that can be turned on and off via the two switches shown above. There are actually two lucid modes, hence the two switches.
OWNERS MANUAL When using balanced XLR headphone cables, you may turn original lucid mode on or off at will without the rather odd results described above. This is because original lucid mode was designed for speakers, not headphones - where the ground wire of each channel is shared. LUCID MODE WITH SPEAKERS Since the original lucid mode was designed for speakers, there are no issues using it with speakers.
OWNERS MANUAL Hidden information is possible by simply having the information 180 degrees out of phase between the two channels so it cancels. Tweaking the phase angle by even a few degrees on either channel would suddenly make this information audible. It is not uncommon for recordings to have tons of out of phase information in the channels that would normally never be heard. It's a pretty wild ride. New Lucid mode is designed for recreational use only.
OWNERS MANUAL START UP Install the tubes into the correct locations using the diagram on the following page. You have four tubes. The largest is an 8-pin tube also known as an octal tube. This is your rectifier. There is a centering pin with a locator on this tube so that the tube isn’t rotated out of position. The centering pin is longer than the tube pins so use it to locate the correct rotation of the tube and then insert the tube into the socket.
OWNERS MANUAL Left Speaker jacks Power ON/OFF Right Speaker jacks Left Input B Left Input A Right Input A Left Input A level adjust Right Input A level adjust New Lucid Mode switch Headphone jack Original Lucid Mode switch Right Input B Headphone jack Right Input B level adjust Left Input B level adjust Input tube for L/R channel Rectifier tube 5U4GA Left output tube 6P15P Left channel bias meter good tubes read between 20~40 ma BALANCED HEADPHONE OUTPUT Right output tube 6P15P 6922 Input
OWNERS MANUAL OPERATION You may use this Taboo MKIII to power a pair of desktop monitors, planar headphones, and many regular headphones will also work. If you plan to use this as an amplifier to power speakers in a room, be aware that this amp has limited power, therefor the speakers should be very efficient. We recommend 96dB minimum. You can use 4, 8 or 16 ohm speakers. 8 ohm speakers will have the best matching with the amplifier. You can use speakers at the same time you use headphones if you want.
OWNERS MANUAL HEAT / SAFETY The taboo consumes 75 watts from the wall outlet so it puts out less heat than a 75 watt light bulb and should have no problems on a shelf in an equipment rack. If the shelves of your rack are wood, allow 4 to 6 inches above the tallest tube in the amp. If you don’t have that much space there is a danger of the wood drying out over time and eventually cracking. This can be avoided by adhering a piece of aluminum foil to the bottom side of the shelf above the amplifier.
OWNERS MANUAL BIAS METERS There is a bias meter for each output tube. There is no way to adjust the bias on the Taboo MKIII because it employes auto bias. This less efficient biasing method is chosen because it sounds better than an adjustable bias, plus who want’s to worry about bias adjustments if you don’t have to! The output tubes should be purchased in matched pairs. If they match, the bias meters will match. If they don’t exactly match, the bias meters won’t exactly match.
OWNERS MANUAL FEATURES The Zen TABOO MK III has several features that combine to make it one of the very best quality headphone amplifiers in the world. SINGLE ENDED DESIGN - One output tube per channel running in class A. The benefit of this is in the detail. Multiple tube designs are never quite as transparent as a single tube. NO CIRCUIT BOARDS - Wired point-to-point with parts leads and no hookup wire.
OWNERS MANUAL SELF BIASING - That's right, you never have to adjust the bias of the tubes. The benefit is that it takes all the hassle out of owning a tube amp, and allows you to run non-matched tubes not to mention ensures the best possible sound quality throughout the life of the tubes. TUBE RECTIFIED - Designed around the 5Y3GT rectifier and similar types. The benefit is reliability. With solid state rectification voltage spikes can damage the diodes ensuring an eventual trip back to the shop for repair.
OWNERS MANUAL MULTIPLE SIGNATURES - Like having two or three different amplifiers at the flip of a switch. Go between "Standard" and "Lucid" modes, balanced and unbalanced, and even roll tubes SPECIFICATIONS Weight Dimensions Chassis Finish Base Circuit type Power output Input voltage SNR Response Rectification Output tubes Signal tube Transformers Biasing Resistors Signal Cap Filter Caps AC cord Consumption Input jacks Output jacks Warranty 17 lbs. ea. 8.5" H x 7.25" W x 14..
