Opinions & experiences with tube coolers


Over the years, I have used products from Mapleshade Audio and other sources for conducting heat away from the tube envelope. Their full-length brass body placed over the tube and then adjusted, claims to have damped vibration as well as cool the tube surface directly. Pearl tube coolers are inexpensive, and I wonder if they do any sort of shielding as well. Taking unneeded heat away from the tube makes good sense to me, but does it provide other benefits?

128x1284krowme
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I wouldn’t attempt to cool tubes, not even a fan. They are quite happy little munchkins just sittin there being hot. What is the "good sense" to cooling them? Don’t.

Anything else may re-distribute the heat unevenly.’ Those rings I’ve sometimes seen? Wow, what??

If they are heating up excessively (no, I’m not sure what that means, either - I’ve seen some running white hot, and that’s extreme with the volume on 11, but within design tolerances, sort of), chuck out your amp and get one which is designed properly.

As for vibration - microphonics. Big topic. Some types of tubes are prone to that, and I’m not sure if there is an easy answer.

I wouldn't bother. Tubes are designed to work without them.

      I agree!

This does nothing but take away from good sound,Get Herbies RX tube dampers to improve sound.

No to tube coolers and dampers.

No point. IMHO.

I am an Analog Tube Bot.