Tubes, to damp or not to damp?

Hi,
silicon or rubber is a no for two reasons, the crack over time due to heat and loose their grip and overdamp but are cheap. I found herbies to be a much better solution, they come in different configurations they are nice with the less signature but all of them make tubes sound more or less linear if you like that. If you want to go extreme, damping at certain points the pcb will bring the best results.

silicon or rubber is a no for two reasons, the crack over time due to heat and loose their grip and overdamp but are cheap.

Sorry you’ve got that wrong the red silicon are very high temperature industrial silicon rubber, made for extreme temps and don’t stretch or crack over time. The black ones are not high temp and may sag.

Cheers George

OP, do you think your tubes need damping or are you experimenting?

I’ve used Herbies dampers in the past on various components but I don’t seem to need them in my latest system. Currently there isn’t any benefit to damping.

@ hiendmmoe

Another vote for the Herbie’s tube dampers.

I purchased several pairs of the Herbie’s HAL O dampers back in 2005. I use them on 6922 signal tubes. The Herbie’s still look like new to this day. (Tubes are various manufacturers pairs of early to middle 1960s 6922/E88CC and 7308/E188CC tubes.)


As for placement of the Herbie’s on the tube. I first installed them where the general consensus, back then, was to install tube dampers at the top mica support or slightly above. I like you found it sucked some of the air/life from the music. I then experimented adjusting the placement of the Herbie’s on the glass envelope of the tube. The best place I found, for me, my system, was at the of the tube just before the fold of the tube.

Jim

George, that Silicone-Mouth-Gag looks pretty kinky!

Years ago I bought silicone O-rings at a marine supply store.  They are red and look just like those in your link.

They worked fine on driver tubes in a amp (open air, not enclosed) as well as tubes in preamps.