Tube Amplifier Isolation

zingo
Posts: 11,258
What specific products have people used to isolate their amplifiers? Tubes in my opinion can always use a little vibration isolation, but I'm trying to figure out what specific product I want to use the first time and be done. Luckily I have the ability to use whatever product with or without the original feet; i.e. I could swap on better feet or add a product under the current feet. The amp weighs 60lbs and is 17"x17", and any suggestions would be very helpful!
Post edited by zingo on
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Have no experience but I have been thinking dynamat, brass spikes and some sort of hardwood. I will be watching with great interest.Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs -
Anyone tried the Herbie Tenderfoot? I know a number of guys around here love his tube dampers.
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I had mine on a granite stone that had spiked feet. Never any issues with harmonics on that platform.
It also depends on the rack you place them on. -
I use Herbie's Tenderfoot and solid maple amps stands on brass spikes. The isolation is excellent.
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I'm using Pearl tube dampers with my CJ PV-10A (admittedly smaller tubes than a power amp section), they are inexpensive (~$10 each), help eliminate high frequency edge and give you a more solid low base. The dampers helped specifically to reduce airborne sympathetic tube vibration at moderate to loud levels. More expensive varieties exist with better tube contact properties but the Pearl's low price will permit anyone to experiment and prove to themselves a correctly designed tube damper makes a difference.
For amp stands, the physics of this is simple but some are unaware. Amps in general are heavy
so you don't need/want a lot more weight in the stand. What you need is a rigid stand that has point/spike floor contacts so that base waves can't easily transmit from floor to amp. Massive objects are more prone to low base vibration transmission than lighter ones and flat floor contacts provide a larger surface interface making low base isolation harder