Tube microphonics

     Keep in mind: parked next to your speaker systems, your amp's entire chassis will be boogieing, in tune with the music.

    How much time, effort and dinero, have many of us spent, in an effort to eliminate undesirable vibes, from our components' (passive/active) electronics?

          Of course: one's listening habits (ie: SPLs) would be a major variable.

                                               Happy listening!

Arc puts damping rings only on the smaller tubes  (In my case they’re 6922’s.) for a reason.  They are the most sensitive to microphonics. Having said that,  all tubes are subject and it can’t hurt to try tube dampers on your other tubes.

All the best.

@curiousjim

yes

in the amps i have had that run them in the input and driver stages, arc put dampers on 6n1p as well as 6h30p tubes as well... and of course on older models, the 6dj8's

people posting their experience with microphonics.  The worst offender in my experience is OS (they are never really New) 6SN7.

Jerry

A thought I have *may* reduce the cost of fighting microphonics. And ChatGPT seems to agree -- to an extent:

Is there such a thing as high-temperature O-rings, and could they be put around vacuum tubes in HiFi equipment, to suppress microphonics?

ChatGPT

Yes, high-temperature O-rings exist. They're often made from materials like Viton or silicone that can withstand higher temperatures. However, their use in HiFi equipment to suppress microphonics might not be entirely straightforward.

Microphonics in vacuum tubes refers to the phenomenon where mechanical vibrations within the equipment can modulate the signals passing through the tubes and create noise or sound distortions. These can be caused by various factors such as transformer vibrations, loudspeakers, or even sound waves in the air.

Theoretically, using O-rings as a dampening material around vacuum tubes could help reduce these vibrations. However, this might not be advisable in practice for several reasons:

1. Heat Dissipation: Vacuum tubes can get extremely hot during operation. An O-ring might inhibit the necessary heat dissipation, potentially leading to damage or reduced lifespan of the tube.

2. Material Compatibility: While high-temperature O-rings can withstand heat, they may still degrade over time due to prolonged exposure to the high temperatures of vacuum tubes.

Therefore, while it's possible that high-temperature O-rings could help dampen microphonics, it's important to consider potential problems. There are dedicated tube dampers available on the market that are specifically designed for this purpose and may offer a more reliable solution.