Opinions & experiences with tube coolers


Over the years, I have used products from Mapleshade Audio and other sources for conducting heat away from the tube envelope. Their full-length brass body placed over the tube and then adjusted, claims to have damped vibration as well as cool the tube surface directly. Pearl tube coolers are inexpensive, and I wonder if they do any sort of shielding as well. Taking unneeded heat away from the tube makes good sense to me, but does it provide other benefits?

128x1284krowme

I DO appreciate the responses. Actually, I thought that there would be an abundance of those who felt that cooler is better, at least in the longevity of the tube itself. Of course, I also want to ask about the older tube shields back in the day. I know that they are not common as they seemed to be back then, but would they have an effect on tube life, keeping heat in? I value your responses and look forward to them. 

 

 Merry Christmas ALL!

The ribbon on the Mapleshade thingies make good IC's. A little funky looking with their crude connectors, but competitive with pricier offerings.

Tube add-ons? If one's ears hear benefits...it works-YMMV

I have a few of the Mapleshade planks. Pricey

No to tube coolers and dampers.

No point. IMHO.

I am an Analog Tube Bot.

This does nothing but take away from good sound,Get Herbies RX tube dampers to improve sound.

I wouldn't bother. Tubes are designed to work without them.

      I agree!

I wouldn’t attempt to cool tubes, not even a fan. They are quite happy little munchkins just sittin there being hot. What is the "good sense" to cooling them? Don’t.

Anything else may re-distribute the heat unevenly.’ Those rings I’ve sometimes seen? Wow, what??

If they are heating up excessively (no, I’m not sure what that means, either - I’ve seen some running white hot, and that’s extreme with the volume on 11, but within design tolerances, sort of), chuck out your amp and get one which is designed properly.

As for vibration - microphonics. Big topic. Some types of tubes are prone to that, and I’m not sure if there is an easy answer.

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