Best tube dampers that you have used

I used some sorbothane-rings as tube dampeners about 20 years ago. 

Almost all tube dampers actually hurt the sound. But we’re so convinced Tube dampers are a good thing we leave them on and don’t think twice about it. Big mistake. Most dampers overdamp or have some odd side effect. Herbies are the only ones that improve the sound imho. With some caveats. The trick is where on the tube to place a Herbies damper. You can’t necessarily go with what people say. The best place is usually - but maybe not always - right where the getter is on the tube. So if it’s a top getter the damper goes near the top of the glass. It’s it’s a bottom getter near the bottom of the glass. For large tubes with bases another Herbies can be placed on the base for further improvement. Obviously, it is possible in many cases to spend more on Herbies Dampers that you did on the tubes. 😀

Have I forgotten anybody? Oh, no!  I forgot the 1/8” Marigo VTS Dot Tube damper that gets stuck on the bottom of the glass tube in the center where all the tube pins come out of the glass.

I stopped using those sorbothane tube dampers because they got gooey with tube heat over time. Total mess! 

I once made the mistake of using hemorrhoid cushions for tube dampers.