recommendations for tube dampers???

Upscale's comment about covers it. OTOH, for a couple of bucks, you can pick up three "O" rings for each tube at your local Home Depot. Get 'em slightly undersized and slip 'em on. Vary the number and position and listen. I've found them effective, sometimes not. As for Hats, Pearls and Sox, I've tried them all with varying or no success and, frankly, I don't think they're worth the expense. As for Herbie's, no experience with them, but they look interesting.

Hi. The above link to Herbie's Audio Lab is no longer valid. Herbie's new website address is:

http://herbiesaudiolab.net

Thanks!

Steve Herbelin
Herbie's Audio Lab

Herbie's Audio Lab Ultrasonic tube dampers

I concur with Gino. Silicone O-rings are dirt cheap and may be all you need. If you're not satisfied with the results, you can then move on to the more involved/expensive solutions. Upscaleaudio is also correct that a little bit of microphony can be a good thing, and is probably one of the reasons we all like tubes.

David

"...a little bit of microphony can be a good thing, and is probably one of the reasons we all like tubes"

Re-reading my post from eight years ago in light of the above-referenced comment, I feel compelled to say that for precisely that reason, among others, I don't use tubes anymore (for hifi that is -- guitar amps, always). After several years I grew tired of usually being able to "hear the tubes" to some degree when listening to recorded music, especially at realistic volumes. And I found that tubes are no longer necessary (in addition to putting up with their waste heat, replacement costs, inconvenient and occasionally catastrophic failures, and higher noise) in order to get lively, flowing, open, naturally consonant sound, including musically convincing bass. On top of its inherent advantages over tubes, good solid-state achieved parity in those regards a while ago IMO.