Do tube dampers really work?


Tube dampers are relatively cheap; but will they REALLY improve the sound of my Audible Illusions preamp?
rockyboy
Yes, I know that tapping tubes is a much more severe G load than typical air loads can impart. However, it is significantly closer in magnitude to conceivable chassis-borne vibrations. (Have you ever put your hand on your preamp's chassis while loud music is playing?) Still higher, I grant you, but this is really a matter of simple physics. In fact, one of the simplest of all physical equations. Namely, that a specific force will cause an acceleration (and yes, a subsequent ringing) that is exactly proportional to the magnitude of that force. Moreover, a simple fingernail tap is about as close to a step function as you can get in a no-cost test, which has all kinds of benefits in analyzing how a tube (or any other physical/electrical system) reacts to transient perturbations (which is about as close to a general definition of a musical signal as you can get). So yes, the test I proposed is more severe than the tubes are going to see in normal service, but it is nevertheless a totally valid way of easily demonstrating that tubes are indeed sensitive to vibration. Anyone who denies this as an absolute impossibility has their head in the sand. (And I'm being polite here.) Go reread Hee's post above and then tell me that this problem doesn't exist.
The Hal-O tube dampers work good for me. It's a sultle improvement but worth doing! One thing I have noticed is you can fine tune your system some what by moving them up or down the tube, I have the Hal-O about 1/3 down from the top as this gives me the most improvement. Happy Listening!
I don't know what the theory is but I have 8 Hal-O in my BAT VK-50SE and they really work wonders.
Hee....

What was the reading with the same tubes prior to fitting them with the Halo dampers? That would make this a meaningful comparison..
Like others above, I also use the Herbie Hal-Os in my pre-amp-- very nice improvement, and like Jswhitlock, I found the Hal-Os able to change the sound as they were moved up or down the tube. Mine worked best about 1/2 way down. Cheers. Craig.