Tube rings

stefanher

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I've seen these mentioned as "tweaks" in the hifi press & Golden Dragon produce a range that seem to be able to fit any valve currently used. They are anything but cheap- eg to treat my Quad monoblocks will cost me over £400. Has anybody any experience with them?

 

AmDismal

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I have some of the cooler/damper things that are meant to be even better than the Golden Dragon things. I hear no difference.

I suspect that the pain when you burn yourself taking them off to A/B them makes you less able to listen to the music.

Spend the £400 on music
smile.png


Naturally, YMMV!

Adam

 
E

earl of sodbury

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If it was me I'd use delicious crispy squid rings - just popa coupleon your tubes and you add chewiness and bite to the sound, plus after a while you'll have a delicious piping-hot snack! Yum!

Wts___Giant_Squid_Rings__Dosidicus_Gigas_.jpg


 

rabski

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earl of sodbury wrote:

If it was me I'd use delicious crispy squid rings - just popa coupleon your tubes and you add chewiness and bite to the sound, plus after a while you'll have a delicious piping-hot snack! Yum!
Wts___Giant_Squid_Rings__Dosidicus_Gigas_.jpg
By far the best idea.

Tube rings are supposed to act as dampers to kill effects of microphony and in fairness, could, I suppose have an effect. However, there have to be some DIY alternatives. 400 smackers is an awful lot....

 

mrwippy

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If you want to try damper then go for these as a cost effective option. This guy has loads of different sizes as well.

 

DB

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EofS,

you are a truly wonderfully sick man!

cheers

Dave

ps the aroma from those squid rings as the valves warm them might be somewhat....... evocative ???

 

JANDL100

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I've used Golden Dragon rings &rubberised concertina fin things ... none of them made the slightest difference to the sound.

Total waste of money sound quality-wise - I guess the fin things might have increased cooling and so prolonged tube life .... but then again maybe not.

Save your money and buy some more music !

 
E

earl of sodbury

Guest
DB wrote:

EofS,you are a truly wonderfully sick man!

cheers

Dave

ps the aroma from those squid rings as the valves warm them might be somewhat....... evocative ???
TA!
biggrin.png


yeah the great smell of well-battered fadge! :raoflmfao:

YUM!

 

Davewhityetagain

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stefanher wrote:

I've seen these mentioned as "tweaks" in the hifi press & Golden Dragon produce a range that seem to be able to fit any valve currently used. They are anything but cheap- eg to treat my Quad monoblocks will cost me over £400. Has anybody any experience with them?
Waste of money, amplifiers have managed for years without them
smile.png


 

mrwippy

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stefanher wrote:

mrwippy wrote:
If you want to try damper then go for these as a cost effective option. This guy has loads of different sizes as well.
He'll put Golden dragon out of business! Anyway the consensus seems to be that I should save my money.
Depends on the tube and the application - I use them all the time on my 2A3's. But I would make the point that they will not make an inherentlymicro-phonic tube any less micro-phonic! Also, in some instances the excessive use of tube damping can make the amps sound worse. The reason I use dampers on the 2A3's is due to their large envelope and that they ring like a miniature bell with the slightest touch.

 
G

geofff

Guest
I have always been rather dubious, having tried silicone (?) dampers without any obvious effect. But I read great things about Herbie's tube rings (http://herbiesaudiolab.home.att.net/) and decided to try them. They are relatively cheap and come with a 90-day trial period. The downside is that they come from the USA - but shipping is not expensive.

I bought them for all the valves in my system (phono stage, preamp and 2A3 amp) and I am very impressed. They do the "make the blacks blacker" thing, so that the music pops out from a quieter place and has more impact. Also, noise that you weren't aware of is reduced.

I am very happy and won't go back to being without them.

There are dozens and dozens of endorsements on Herbie's web page. He is also discussed a lot in Audio Asylum and he seems like a really decent bloke.

 

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