Do You Use Tube Dampers

inspiredsports

Naturally this applies only to tube gear.

I'd like to find out if you use tube dampers on tubes in your preamp and amp

I currently use Herbies Ti-9's on Amp Sgnal Tubes and All Preamp Tubes, but am into a big tube rolling fest and am contemplating taking them off if there is a concensus they take something away.

pearsall001

What's the matter don't you like tube dac's? Herbie's & EAT on my "one" tube. I switch depending on what tube I'm using.

inspiredsports

pearsall001 wrote: »

What's the matter don't you like tube dac's? Herbie's & EAT on my "one" tube. I switch depending on what tube I'm using.

Not trying to slight anyone :biggrin:, my pre and amp are just what I'm focusing on, but you are right that I should have included all tube gear and I'm glad you weighed in.

I'm trying to figure out if there is a downside to tube dampers that I haven't discovered with my relatively recent tube addiction / fetish. My rig now induces hallucinations with my recent addition of RCA 6L6GC's. Stuff behind me scares the heck out of me, and then I realize it's in the music!

It's been almost 4 DECADES since I experienced music that sounded like I was high if you get my drift :biggrin:

cnh

Tube Dampers? I must say that I had no idea what that was--but I did search it and, well, you learn something new almost every day. I think I'll retire to my den and read the rest of the info on Herbie's site.

Meanwhile, carry on...I am curious, and though I haven't gone into the fetish mode yet, I have made my first moves into tube gear.

cnh

F1nut

You forgot tube SACD/CD players too.

headrott

Yep, use Herbie's Ultrasonic Rx on pre-amp, Tube CD player and will be using them on my DAC when I get it running in the next day or two, hopefully......

Greg

inspiredsports

F1nut wrote: »

You forgot tube SACD/CD players too.

I did, just being tunnel blind to what's on my mind right now.

I did just roll a quad of (nothing special) tall long gray plate GE JAN 6414W's into the signal tube spots on my VTL just to compare the lower 47mu gain versus the specified 12AT7's (60mu gain).

2 are slightly microphonic (no whine, just on the pencil-tap test) and the Herbies Ti-9s scored almost a 100% cure.

I'm thinking the strongest case for tube dampers may be for long plate or lower quality tubes.

janmike

EVERY tube has one.

thsmith

I said no to amp and preamp. I have tried Herbies ultrasonic to cure a noisy 6SN7 problem but did not like the change in sound. Ended up getting better (teasure) 6SN7s and gave the Herbies away.

chargerman426

I have some the EAT Cool Dampers that I tried on the 12AU7s in my CJ pre and I just thought it made things too SS. It took the life out of the tubes I think. I think dampeners have there place but only on a microphonic tube IMO

Toolfan66

I have wanted to try Herbies for some time now but I always forget about them...

Ern Dog

I use the cheap red rings in my Modwright Tube Oppo and also in the tube rectified power supply. Does the job nicely.

VR3

I used tube dampers in my preamp for a month or so...

It made everything very shrill and was only in my rig for a little bit.

inspiredsports

Thanks for the info.

I now know the group consensus, and that I march to a different drummer (no surprise there!) :biggrin:

All 8 9-pin tubes in my CJ PV-5 preamp are fitted with Herbie's Ti-9 Ultrasonic's

All 4 9-pin tubes in my VTL ST-50 amp are fitted with Herbies Ti-9 Ultrasonic's, and all 4 6L6GC power tubes are fitted with Herbie's UltraSonic Rx-40's

All 6 9-pin tubes in my Fisher KM-60 Tuner are fitted with Herbie's Ti-9 Ultrasonic's, and the 4 6AU6's are fitted with Herbie's Ti-7 Ultrasonic's.

Both tubes in the Musical Fidelity X-10V3 tube buffer in my SS rig are fitted with Herbie's Mini Tube Dampers.

All of my tubes are NOS and not one is even a hint microphonic. I've listened extensively with and without dampers, and find I prefer the resolution, soundstage and sound quality with dampers on every tube.

dorokusai

I use them on signal tubes only since I use vibration/isolation platforms as well.

inspiredsports

dorokusai wrote: »

I use them on signal tubes only since I use vibration/isolation platforms as well.

I use isolation also on all but the amplifier. Sometimes, I think I'm just too involved in worrying about these details, but I also think it ultimately improves things.

I have dozens of Vibrapods I may be putting up for sale soon as I am now looking hard at the http://herbiesaudiolab.net Tenderfoot series.

inspiredsports

inspiredsports wrote: »

I should qualify that in a post above I both said, "2 are slightly microphonic (no whine, just on the pencil-tap test) and the Herbies Ti-9s scored almost a 100% cure." and "all of my tubes are NOS and not one is even a hint microphonic"

The tubes in question were tubes billed on eBay as "Matched Quad of NOS GE 6414W Tubes for David Manley VTL Audio Amps" by "39redfern" in "metro NYC".

They were finally returned for a full refund including return shipping so I can't give him bad feedback, but here's what happened.

As a heads up, I had to file an eBay claim to get the seller to make good on 3 false claims within the auction. He listed them as black plates and they arrived with gray, he listed them as "not microphonic" and 2 of the 4 turned out to have problems, and last his readings claimed all NOS and within 10% on the triodes. While all testers vary, the percentage variance from triode to triode is usually similar. When I asked for his specific measurements well before the auction closed, he was elusive and said he didn't want to share his measurements unless I was the winning bidder. Strange. I should have known . . . these tubes were a nightmare, barely good on merit tests, and severely mismatched from triode to triode.

This may have been a once in a lifetime event, but I won't be buying from this seller ever again.

dorokusai

inspiredsports wrote: »

I use isolation also on all but the amplifier. Sometimes, I think I'm just too involved in worrying about these details, but I also think it ultimately improves things.

I have dozens of Vibrapods I may be putting up for sale soon as I am now looking hard at the http://herbiesaudiolab.net Tenderfoot series.

I'm not a Vibrapod fan as they're too loose and flimsy for me and I've never found any benefit from them.

I like dedicated plates and platforms in conjunction with points and brass stuff, for example.

I use Bright Star Audio exclusively but the same idea is done by other manufacturers and even DIY. As far as points and pads....a combination of BSA, Mapleshade and others for under the equipment.

inspiredsports

One thing I've been curious about concerning component isolation is how to manage the the weight of heavy power and interconnect cables.

On some of my lighter components, my cables are comparitively heavy enough to put down pressure on the back feet to the point where the front feet are nearly weightless, especially when built up high with platforms and points.

Cable management is one of my last frontiers to conquer.

soundfreak1

Am failey new to tubes (preamp) not sure if I understand "dampeners" what exctly do they do? And y do u "need them? Thanks for the education in advance!

inspiredsports

soundfreak1 wrote: »

Am failey new to tubes (preamp) not sure if I understand "dampeners" what exctly do they do? And y do u "need them? Thanks for the education in advance!

I'll oversimplify with a bad analogy, but have you ever driven your speakers so hard the glass in a window/door or something on a shelf in your room starts to vibrate, adding an annoying sound to the room?

If you gently clamped a sound-absorbing polymer to the vibrating item, it would stop interrupting.

Some tubes (generally long-plate or lower quality tubes) "vibrate" in an annoying fashion and tube dampers solve the problem.

On the other hand, (in my humble opinion) I also think tube dampers improve sound-stage and focus with even the the best tubes. When I'm totally lit up, I have 29 tubes glowing with 29 Herbie's dampers keeping everything tight.

I have no affiliation with, but just like the way Herbie's products peform . . . you can read about them at http://herbiesaudiolab.net/.

soundfreak1

Hmmmmm interresting more to learn! Thanks!