Thanks OP. Joe E.
Tube dampeners on ARC gear ... FREE TWEAK
Here's a cheap (free) tweak for owners of ARC gear using the black tube dampeners. If you move both dampeners as far up toward the top of the tube as possible without having the top one fall off, taking care that both dampeners are solidly touching each other, you will get better dynamics, bass, mids, highs and a lower noise floor. Try it ... you'll like it.
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georgelofi 1,520 posts 06-01-2016 5:40pm "If going down this path, don't buy "audiophile" ones that rip you a new one with pricing. Just pick your poison from here. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC2.A0.H0.Xsilicon+O+r... Cheers George" Sure, you can use the inexpensive ones, that is if you're enamored of that rolled off closed in sound. Like everything else in audio and life sometimes you get what you pay for. |
Hey it's not voodoo, all they do is to damp the cheap thin glass of todays new tubes from ringing, nothing else. Nothing inside of the metal tube structure itself anodes, cathodes, grids, getters, heaters ect, as that stuff is all bonded to the base material. If you want dead thick glass you have to look at NOS tubes. And no, any type of tube damper will not stop a tube from being microphonic. Cheers George |
georgelofi 1,525 posts 06-03-2016 5:34am "Hey it’s not voodoo, all they do is to damp the cheap thin glass of todays new tubes from ringing, nothing else. Nothing inside of the metal tube structure itself anodes, cathodes, grids, getters, heaters ect, as that stuff is all bonded to the base material. If you want dead thick glass you have to look at NOS tubes. And no, any type of tube damper will not stop a tube from being microphonic." All tubes are microphonic, even NOS tubes. Even "low-microphonic" NOS tubes. As I said previously even the base suffers vibration. If it was only the glass that vibrated as you say there wouldn’t be an issue since the glass doesn't carry the signal at least the last time I looked. The internal parts must be subject to vibration, too, obviously. Furthermore, the ideal location for the damper is usually next to the getter, whether it’s a top getter or bottom getter. So it appears your theory probably needs some adjustment. Tootles |
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