I have 20 taps and use a home made RO with 1 150gpd membrane and 1 400gpd membrane in series. It goes from about 2.6% to about 5-6% sugar.
The small operations like me also have small evaporators. I have a barrel evaporator that does about 3 gallon per hour on a good day. Without the RO it would take me at least 24 hours to boil that I do in 12 hours now.
I wouldn't think of not using it.
2015 - 8 buckets, 332L sap, 8.5L syrup - Barrel evaporator, 2 steam pans
2016 - 8 buckets, 432L sap
2017 - 10 bags, 470L sap, 9L syrup
2018 - 20 bags, 1050L sap, 17.6L syrup
2019 - 20 bags, 970L sap, 22.2L syrup
2020 - 17 bags, 813L sap, 17L syrup