Dampers for tubes

joe long · From: San Antonio, Texas

What's the best way to apply dampers to tubes?I have dampers for my Milkman but they seem to be a tight fit. I'm afraid of breaking the tubes.

Michael Butler · From: California, USA

tubes. i use orings from autozone or pep boys.

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Jon Voth · From: Virginia, USA

I got those & wondered the same if & when I need new tubes (& want to save the dampers).

I moved one a touch just to see if you can-I'd just go for it. He puts them on somehow. I would try a teeny bit of soapy water if I ever do it.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I take those dampers on and off the tubes in my Milkman. Itâ€™s not a problem.
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ajm · From: Los Angeles

If you search back a month or two I started a topic on tube dampers, wondering if they worked, etc etc etc.

I ordered some of them from two different sources, for both pre and power tubes.
I kept meaning to post my findings and opinions about them, but now I'm finally getting around to it.

They look like they are made from the same source, but are sold by two different vendors. They might not be made in the same "factory", but they sure look like it.
I measured them and they are identical.
You can't tell one vendor from another.

Do they work for rattles, etc?
Well, it's hard to say.
They seem like they would, but it's possible that like with all things tubes/guitars/electronics/ etc, the problem *could* have fixed itself.

Would I recommend the ones that I bought from the vendors? Well, now we have the subject of this topic post.

No, probably not.
If I did, I would wave a red caution flag the size of your house about them. IMO, they could be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS for exactly the reason that started this: They fit on the tubes EXTREMELY TIGHT. This goes for both the pre and power tubes.
They are made from rubber that does not have a lot of stretch built in, if that makes any sense.
The center cutouts are not "round" vertically if that makes any sense. Therefore, they are not like an O-ring. This means that you need to slide them on, and can't "roll" them on, if that makes any sense.

I tried them first on a couple of 6L6 tubes. I feel lucky that I did not shatter a tube and run the glass through my hands. Think about what that could do to your playing future, slicing through nerves and muscles and tendons and such.

If for some reason I ever decided to remove them, I'd think seriously about removing the tubes and shattering the tubes with a hammer, as opposed to trying to peel/slide them off. They fit on THAT TIGHT.

I should say that I tried them with 3-4 different 6L6 tubes, and 3-4 12A** preamp tubes. They fit extremely tight on either.
I tried the power dampers for fit on a couple of 6V6 tubes as well. IMO these fit WAY better. There was not nearly the force required to put them on, since the 6V6 tubes are a smaller diameter.

Bob Hoffnar wrote: "I take those dampers on and off the tubes in my Milkman."
I'm not sure what is exactly meant by his statement.
However, I cannot imagine someone putting on these dampers while the tubes are installed in the amp.
That goes for the pre, or power, dampers.
For starters, you'd be putting a lot of force on the tube sockets by pushing on the tubes.

Since I got these I've found a bunch of O-rings at an online vendor that I think might go on much easier.
It's McMaster Carr. I tried Grainger but didn't find anything.
I have the part numbers and prices, but have not ordered them yet.
I keep meaning to order them as an experiment but haven't gotten around to it.

If someone has found some off the shelf and over the counter at an auto supply store or whatever, if you have it, please post where you bought them and the MANUFACTURER AND EXACT PART NUMBER.
I have scoured Kragen/AutoZone/Pep Boys/etc on line.
Nothing comes up immediately, and I'm not going to go through a bazillion searches on their web sites.

Once again, these seem like they would work for some tube rattle cases, but BE VERY CAREFUL.

Carl Gallagher · From: New York, USA

All preamp tubes are microphonic to some degree.Even a brand new,seemingly quiet tube will respond when you tap on it.As they age this becomes worse and worse til it begins to make noise even when you dont tap on them.I have had an active repair shop going since the early 80's, been working with tube circuits since 1969 and have never had a problem tube that was fixed with these tube dampers, to me they are snake oil.They may work to a small degree with low volume but once you crank that amp the ringing will still be there.If a power tube becomes microphonic I would not even think about putting these things on it.If a power tube starts making noises just change it, a power tube failure can take out other costlier components.There is a "quick fix" for noisy tubes....new tubes.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Even though I did just fall out of a turnip truck,

yesterday is the first time I had ever heard of these things. Am I fortunate that in over 50 years of playing electric instruments through tube amps that I've never experienced a need for 'em, or are they merely a solution looking for a problem?

Gabriel Edell · From: Hamilton, Ontario

As others have said, dampers should be unnecessary. None of the classic Fenders and Marshalls had them. I guess I can see some of the crappier modern tubes being microphonic but the best way to deal with that is to get better quality tubes.
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ajm · From: Los Angeles

5-18-2021
Update on the Tube damper/dampener topic

Some people have mentioned using O-rings from auto parts stores or elsewhere, but have never supplied any specific sources, part numbers, etc etc etc.

A month or so ago I got a newsletter from Antique Electronic Supply. (I am not affiliated with them in any way.)
It looks like they heard us talking.
They now offer tube dampers/dampeners.
They appear to be O-rings that will easily "roll" on to the tubes, minimizing the probability of slicing your hand open.
They come in several sizes which they state dimensions for on their web site, so you can measure your tubes and see if they have a size that will fit (they probably do).
And they are CHEAP, the most expensive being less than a couple of bucks.

Since they are so inexpensive (and I needed something else from they anyway), I ordered a couple of each size for the tubes that I have laying around.
Since I don't have them yet I don't know how well they'll work.
They are O-rings, so they are not as "massive" as some of the other dampers out there.
I'll report back when I get them.

Do an internet search for their web site if you're interested.

Michael Butler · From: California, USA

Carl Gallagher · From: New York, USA

"to get the correct size oring you have to take the tube, whether 6v6, 6550, el84, 6l6, etc. to the store since tubes are different sizes".
Dont have to take them to the store.The o-rings are rubber and will stretch some,just order the approximate size,same o-ring will probably fit all the tubes you list except the el84, which will use the same size as an AX7 type.

Tim Marcus · From: San Francisco, CA

The Milkman rings I make are tight - they better be tight! Otherwise they don't work very well.

just be careful when you take them off and put them onto the tubes. You won't break anything if you are careful - I put dampers on tubes with my Milkman rings all day every day

you will not find dampers like this at an auto store or from AES or on eBay - these rings work well, but nothing is perfect. The other options are much further from perfect (without this much mass, you are just decorating your tubes)

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Cartwright Thompson · Posted 18 May 2021 2:33 pm

Dampers donâ€™t help with microphonics, but theyâ€™re great for keeping the tubes nice and hot!
Pure ðŸ oil.

Carl Gallagher · From: New York, USA

David Ball · From: North Carolina High Country

I've had good luck with tube dampers on power tubes in combo amps--seems like the vibrations from the speakers like to pick up in the glass bottles and then make noise. The dampers have helped me a lot with this situation.

On preamp tubes, I've not seen any improvement at all. Likewise, in non-combo power amps, I've not seen any improvement. Preamp tubes have always been a crap shoot for microphonics--especially octals. But it's worse now with fewer companies making tubes,and the overall quality being much lower than back in the golden age of tubes...

Dave

ajm · From: Los Angeles

27 May 2021
Updating............

I received the dampers from Antique Electronics Supply/Tubes and More.
They are just as pictured on their site, basically O-rings.
They are inexpensive, so I bought 4 different sizes.
- 2 sizes for 6L6 etc tubes
- 1 size for 6V6
- 1 size for 12A** tubes.

The only sizes that I bought were for 6L6, 6V6 and 12A** tubes.
Those are the only tubes that I have, so if you have some EL34 or 6550 or EL84 or whatever tubes, you're on your own.

The power tubes sizes: All 3 sizes fit on both the 6L6 and 6V6 tubes that I have.
The 6L6 sizes are too big for the 6V6, as you might expect.
IMO you could buy the 6V6 size and it would fit your 6L6 and 6V6 tubes.

Preamp tubes: Fit the 12A** tubes I have.

Granted, they are not as massive as the other common dampers offered by other vendors. So, as to how well one design works over another, I can't say. Since I'm not having a problem right now, there's nothing to try out.
I did this mainly as an experiment to see what is out there since all of the items are fairly inexpensive.

The main difference with the AES/T&M O-ring dampers: Since they are O-rings, they "roll" right on to the tubes without a lot of pressure/force.
At no time when trying them out did I ever feel like a tube could shatter and make its way into my hand/fingers.
Since they go on so easy, and are so cheap, you could increase the mass by putting more than one on a tube.

I can tell you from personal experience that I had a power tube go wonky once.
It vibrated/resonated at a certain frequency.
Grabbing the tube (with gloves) lightly and immobilizing it stopped the noise.

Peavey Classic 30 amps (among probably others) are notorious for this problem.
I have first hand experience with this as well.
Aftermarket rings and cages for the power tubes for the Classic 30 are all over the internet.

Hopefully, that problem will not occur again in my amps.
If it does, then I'll break out these do-hickeys and experiment.

Are there similar cases that might occur where these may not be the solution?
Of course. Very few things are 100% perfect.

I'm just posting this for information purposes, and hopefully it might benefit someone.
YMMV.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

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