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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
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
@bpoletti, I put Vibrapods back under the preamp, and it sounded warmer, but there was a loss of low-end detail. The Isonodes are superior.

@r_f_sayles, I appreciate your advice. Yes, the sound is new to me and I had a long listening session today. I don't mind the neutral timbre the bamboo brings to my system, but there is a characteristic that is a problem. CD's now have an "edge" in the higher frequencies; eg, cymbol crashes do not sound realistic.

 Trying some wood blocks under the chassis is a good idea. I can say for certain that the change in timbre is due to the wood and not the footers, because I previously tried the Isonodes on the pine shelf and they were completely transparent. In other words, the preamp on pine sounded warm and lush as usual, but with more detail than other footers.
bpoletti
1,554 posts
 
Low - have you tried Vibrapod cones on top of Vibrapod pucks?
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57 OP
5,417 posts
 
Thanks adg101, some good ideas. The bamboo might be too stiff with 6 Moongels.
I'll also try them under the stock feet. They are an amazing invention; when I was playing drums, all we had was duct tape and a wad of paper towel on the skins.

And I have always placed Herbie's tube dampers at the upper third near the top of the plates.
r_f_sayles's avatar
r_f_sayles
872 posts
 
Lowrider57, when you tried the Isonodes on the pine shelf and got the warmer and lusher presentation, what did they come in contact with? The component feet or the chassis?

adg101
1,063 posts
 
Ha... another drummer. 

The myrtle wood blocks work really good and I too use them under most of my gear instead of the stock feet; use three per. I use the stock feet on my table and my preamp I run three Daedalus DiD's. All equipment sits on bamboo w/ the moongels except my amp as it weighs too much for the gels... it also has two stacks off three of the wood blocks. I have to stack them on the amp because the stock feet are tall. I use Ayre myrtle blocks which are the same as the Cardas brand.

The Daedalus DiD's are remarkable and I'll be getting a set for my cd and amp next. The wood blocks are very good but not even close to the DiD's. If you get a chance to try the DiD's you'll be hooked.
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