Tube Damping Rings

[MylesBAstor]

In the process of experimenting with some simple silicon tube damping rings on the Doshi tapestage. Now damped all eight tubes so can't say if ECC99s or 12AT7s or both tube types that are at fault. Have to say at first blush is a big improvement. Better mids, depth, imaging and harmonic overtones. Still neutral with a side order of soul. Maybe a smidge softer.

Obviously results are variable depending on tube type, manufacturer, tube sockets and treatment, circuit board isolation, etc and I've had many tube dampers destroy the sound. Take the Duende. Made everything sound like bad transistor design.

Next to experiment with phonostage.

[Guest]

Some vendors, eg C-J and ARC, supply them with their products. I use Herbies on the solo tube in each of my Lamm monoblocks. And yes I've found it is possible to overdamp leading to less clarity, and less energy/enthusiasm that rounds off leading edges and dulls higher frequencies.

[Bill Hart]

At one point, when I was still using the ARC SP-10 mk ii, which was notorious for bringing out the worst in the tubes, crazy microphonics, I gave up on the tube rings and as an experiment, bought a whole set of those soft gel type tube mounts-- this was so long ago, I can't remember the brand. (I think they were pretty new as a concept at the time, but may be wrong). ARC at that time was happy to install them for me- but they didn't cure the problem as I recall, so I sent the unit back to ARC again, and had them reinstall factory tube mounts. That preamp, glorious in its day, was very tricky to get right.
Allnic appears to have perfected the gel mount-- I did get some microphonics early on, but the combo of the gel mounts, plus the rings, and some judicious tube swapping, has made it a non-issue. I should try it at some point without the factory rings, i think they are still on the tubes.

[JCOConnell]

what about tube shields (cans) ? I put a set of these, all connected to chassis ground on my preamp tubes. Thought it might lower noise, didn't seem to do any harm although I cant really hear any improvement either.

[MylesBAstor]

what about tube shields (cans) ? I put a set of these, all connected to chassis ground on my preamp tubes. Thought it might lower noise, didn't seem to do any harm although I cant really hear any improvement either.

Years ago tried as suggested by Ken Steven to make Al foil "tents" around the small signal tubes in the amplifier. That seemed to make a small difference but always worried that it also cooked the tubes at the same time. Companies such as Bottlehead still use tube cans. The rationale is that the tubes can act as antennas and pick up RFI.

[MylesBAstor]

At one point, when I was still using the ARC SP-10 mk ii, which was notorious for bringing out the worst in the tubes, crazy microphonics, I gave up on the tube rings and as an experiment, bought a whole set of those soft gel type tube mounts-- this was so long ago, I can't remember the brand. (I think they were pretty new as a concept at the time, but may be wrong). ARC at that time was happy to install them for me- but they didn't cure the problem as I recall, so I sent the unit back to ARC again, and had them reinstall factory tube mounts. That preamp, glorious in its day, was very tricky to get right.
Allnic appears to have perfected the gel mount-- I did get some microphonics early on, but the combo of the gel mounts, plus the rings, and some judicious tube swapping, has made it a non-issue. I should try it at some point without the factory rings, i think they are still on the tubes.

Yes everybody that I knew with the old SP10 had nightmares about tubes in that unit. They were 6DJ8s IIRC?

[MylesBAstor]

Some vendors, eg C-J and ARC, supply them with their products. I use Herbies on the solo tube in each of my Lamm monoblocks. And yes I've found it is possible to overdamp leading to less clarity, and less energy/enthusiasm that rounds off leading edges and dulls higher frequencies.

I've tried a lot of different tube dampers over the years. So many can't remember them old. The old Sicomin (wish still had them because would like to try again). AudioQuest sorbothane. Tube sox. The metal pieces from Andy Bowman that glued on top of the small signal tubes. The Shun Mook wood resonators. The newer Duende. EAT tube coolers. The Pearl Tube coolers (one of the worst sounding).

The AQ were the worst but not necessarily because of the sound. The suckers melted and dripped down the tube. It was a beast then getting that melted sorbothane off the tube! Ughhh!

[timztunz]

Myles, can you comment on the Shun Mook tube resonators? I'm tempted and curious about them.

[MylesBAstor]

It's been a long time. Long time. My general memory with this SM accessory as with their other products is they are great if you like that sound. I don't consider them neutral devices. They have a flavor. But who knows nowadays?

[MylesBAstor]

Another short update. Did a little listening to tape last night and have to say that the tube dampers truly elevated the sound of the front-end. Listened to the AS Scheherazade again for the review I'm doing and it's almost a totally different tape. Take what was a good tape to a reference tape. Violin solo tone is now simply mouth watering (before was just a little edgy like heard on the reissued LP) but not syrupy sweet. Dimensionality and separation of instruments are markedly improved, and low end is more extended and tighter. There's also just a little bit more low level information coming through the speakers too. The violin/harp duet = Scheherazade has never been better. Each instrument really occupies their own space and the two just sing to each other. What a wonderful performance and recording.

[Alrainbow]

While I don't have any where the tube experience as most here do. I do have a perspective I think most don't.
One is the many tube rolls of my dac and the other is headphones. While speakers do give the ultimate sound , great headphones yield details that one must look for in speakers while headphones scream at you this change.
Tube microphones I think come from three places
one is room sounds if loud enough it can degrade the sound

tube rings help or even an open top heaven glass does.
the metal ones never helped in microphonics but do lower noise floor in shielding

next is the tube itself creating the vibrations inside
this tube rings help but a globe design seems a best fix for both issues above and putting rings can help further

lastly what I don't see posted is gain having more stages of less gain helps. I don't design and don't know why
but owning many lampi dacs some tubes are much more louder in this than others. The cure for me is a passive preamp after the dac. I don't know why but it fixes it.
I guess it's an imp matching thing.
My woo WA5 has three imp output settings on it.
Pick the wrong one for a set of headphones makes for extreme microphonics. Like just one finger gently closing accross the amp is loud.

[MylesBAstor]

Thanks Al for the different perspective. Agree on metal ones.

[jcmusic]

While I don't have any where the tube experience as most here do. I do have a perspective I think most don't.
One is the many tube rolls of my dac and the other is headphones. While speakers do give the ultimate sound , great headphones yield details that one must look for in speakers while headphones scream at you this change.
Tube microphones I think come from three places
one is room sounds if loud enough it can degrade the sound

tube rings help or even an open top heaven glass does.
the metal ones never helped in microphonics but do lower noise floor in shielding

next is the tube itself creating the vibrations inside
this tube rings help but a globe design seems a best fix for both issues above and putting rings can help further

lastly what I don't see posted is gain having more stages of less gain helps. I don't design and don't know why
but owning many lampi dacs some tubes are much more louder in this than others. The cure for me is a passive preamp after the dac. I don't know why but it fixes it.
I guess it's an imp matching thing.
My woo WA5 has three imp output settings on it.
Pick the wrong one for a set of headphones makes for extreme microphonics. Like just one finger gently closing accross the amp is loud.

Alrainbow,
I am trying to get in touch with you please check your messages and get back to me...

[Alrainbow]

Hahaha I see that. You can email me at [email protected]

[Steve Palmai]

I use Herbie's tube dampers. I fit them high on the tube on the getter line. Can overdamp if fitted lower on the body. I think they lower the noise floor allowing for a better sense of resolution. I have used them for more than 10,000 hours even on TFK ECC801S & ECC803S without any adversities.

[Alrainbow]

Does anyone have experience on globes over bottles in sound ?

[Dave Clark]

I recall someone making a sleeve of sorts that slide over tubes... Ensemble?

[Dave Clark]

http://herbiesaudiolab.net/compare.htm