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Vibration Control for Lightweight Tube Components

I'm looking for suggestions to isolate a lightweight tube preamp from vibration and resonance. Not acoustic vibration, but physical vibration from the stereo rack. When I touch the shelf the preamp sits upon, the sound can be heard thru the speakers.

I am using a heavy furniture grade stereo rack for my components, all using Herbie's Tenderfeet for isolation, including my TT. The preamp only weighs 7 lbs. and has Herbie's tube dampers applied, but needs to be decoupled from the heavy wood shelf. I've tried the Tenderfeet and Vibrapods under the preamp, but neither provided isolation from vibration.

So, what are owners of lightweight tube preamps and amps using for vibration control? (there is a limited amount of space between the shelves).
128x128lowrider57
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Mesch wrote,

Geoffkait, My preamp has those metal cylinders over the tubes. Can tube dampers be used in this case? Also, I have some of the red and what I will call “o-ring’ dampers. What do you think of those?

Don't know if the tube dampers can be used on metal type tubes, but maybe.  Check with Herbies Lab to see what he says.  Might be worth a shot. I don't actually like those elastomer o rings, actually I never found anything other than Herbies dampers to do anything except hurt the sound. 

mesch
3,481 posts
 
Geoffkait, thanks for that. I think I will check out Herbies and also the mu metal wrap. What do you use to physically damp the transformers?
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
Tube shields can be removed and Herbies dampers used instead for better sonics, less microphonics. Tube shields are used for RF Interference. Are you using a Jolida? 

http://m.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-tube-shield.htm
mesch
3,481 posts
 
Lowrider, Yes I am using the Jolida Fusion w/out any mods. Was thinking that as well as I haven’t heard a problem with RF in my system, and also thinking  I may wrap the transformers with the mu metal as Geoffkait recommends. Will depend on the cost of the Herbies as I have 4  tubes to treat.

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
mesch, if you're using short runs of cables, separate your components from power supplies and avoid coiling power cables, etc., you most likely wouldn't experience a EMF/RFI problem. Do you use any conditioning or a surge protector with filters?

For $15 per tube damper, you could get tighter bass and possibly a more focused image. It's a great tweak.
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