Vibration Control for Lightweight Tube Components

Vibrapods.

Lowrider57, I would caution that the sound is new to you, give it a while. That’s not to say ultimately that it may not need adjusting to suit your tastes. I’ve found when smearing and distortions or confusion are first removed, there is a sense that things went leaner because so much more is resolved and no longer a fuzzy clutter. You should not have to have vibration in your gear and what comes with it to have the midrange warmth you desire. Yet, here is where Hi-Fi gets tricky. When you change one thing, it may well cause you to have to tweak others to get the balance or Gestalt of your sound back where you want it.

Before calling the bamboo the issue of leanness though I would suggest that you try some small wood blocks contacting between the bamboo and the chassis of your components. This will prove out if dampening the component box gives you back some of that midrange body, but it will also drain of cabinet bound energy as well.

Try anything, whatever you have on hand. I like myrtle wood blocks but, any wood will sound somewhat the same. I also like the bamboo yet, some like the maple ( many have only tried maple), though I tried both and went back to bamboo. But that’s me, and my kit, I can’t say it will ultimately work for you. Thickness also has an effect on the tone, so I’m afraid you may have to experiment there as well. A strategy might be to buy or borrow a marble wood board and try it under different components. Different gear may well like different isolation boards. My two turntables like thin (5/8-3/4") bamboo, my mono block amps prefer heavy (2 1/2") maple or bamboo, and my CD player seems to prefer a BDR Black Diamond Racing Reference board to perform best, so go figure.

At this point the good news is, you have successfully acquired isolation from the vibration, so that’s one step in the right direction. Now, don’t be afraid to just experiment.

I only use four of the moongels at the corners. Try it that way and see if it changes. You mentioned earlier you use the Herbie tube dampers I believe. I use them too and prefer them. I run my dampers all the way to the top. If you have them in the middle try moving them up if there's room or completely off.

Maple is definitely a softer wood and just like drums it will be a little warmer sound. Bamboo is very rigid and dense. The moongel pads are doing the fix more than the bamboo shelf I suspect. Try the moongels only; directly under the stock feet or your preamp taking the shelf out of the mix. Try the other tweaks noted above first.

Definitely agree with r_f_sayles last post. Give it some time. 

Lowrider, I really don’t know the answer to that question in terms of  the dissipation of vibration stemming form floor to equipment via a rack. The bamboo platers have greater density and are thinner. The maple shelves I use are much thicker, though less dense. Those more knowledgable in mechanical impedance might shed a light on this. I believe we are asking, can a mechanical ‘ring’ be translated to an electrical one by the forces generating the mechanical one.

It is a good thing I only think of these things when on computer, not when listening to my system. Need to spend more time with system, not computer. 

Still enjoy this thread!