"Tube Dampers for 12AX7/12AU7/EL84"

[Mike]

I used the Pearl corrogatory rubbery things on eight 6550 tubes in my Lumley M120 monoblocks. Not cheap - and a total waste of money as far as I was concerned.

Have also used smaller rubber ring tube dampers on input valves - to the same devastating lack of effectiveness.

And those ceramic rings from Golden Dragon (?).



I must get my hearing aid looked at ...

I tried those too for a while on the KT88's. They went on to pastures new via fleabay. Didn't do anything really.

I don't think you need dampers if your rack does a good isolating job, I like them on my phono stage for the screening effect though. There's that much gain there that they seem to pick up RF very easily.

[Ali Tait]

Jerry I think these things would make a difference far more on things like a valve phono stage with it's huge step-up in amplification,where very low-level noise is a substantial consideration,rather than a power amp.May benefit on a valve pre though.YMMV.I've not tried them myself.Not felt the need.

[Audiocom AV]

Hi

I think the effectiveness of tube damping is going to vary from amp to amp and as rightly pointed out is likely to be more pronounced on a pre-amp or phono stage.

I have used various tube dampers on older Audio Research and Conrad Johnson pre-amps, I used an LS5 for a while which sounder far more focused, tighter bass, clearer mids to highs with Ensemble Tubesox on every valve.

I noticed how important they were on the LS5 when I removed them; they were promptly put back

Best Wishes
Mark Bartlett

[The Grand Wazoo]

I once had some Audioquest tube dampers made from Sorbothane.

I proceeded to discover that the melting point of sorbothane is below the envelope temperature of a GE 12BH7 !!

Big, big, big, mistake

Moral in plain English: keep such things away from the hot bits - even some of those little valves get really, really hot.

Repair bill received, lesson learnt!

[jandl100]

Hokey-Dokey .... I'm using a Pro-Ject Tube Box valve phono stage at the mo', perhaps I'll see if some damper things can be made to fit. Anyone with any loaners?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I just revisited this thread & while reading it remembered something I once read to illustrate that there's nothing new under the sun.

Apparently, years ago in the Forces, the signal guys used to put condoms on low level signal valves to cut down microphony.

True?

[The Grand Wazoo]

From The Grave

[MartinT]

I used tube dampers to great effect when I was running an EAR 834P valve phono stage many years ago. The aural effect was a little more clarity and insight throughout the frequency range.

[John]

On my SAC Glowmaster they seemed to help give bit more focus to the sound

[Spectral Morn]

I used tube dampers to great effect when I was running an EAR 834P valve phono stage many years ago. The aural effect was a little more clarity and insight throughout the frequency range.

I use them on all my valve gear on signal, regulator and power valves and the above is what I hear too.



Regards D S D L