2. amps-preamps
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Ref 6SE. Tube dampers

Well I first want to say thank you for all those who gave their opinions about my last post about tube micophonics / tube dampers for my Audio Research REF 750s. This question is for my Audio Research REF 6SE about tube dampers. I am looking into purchasing and upgrading the stock dampers with the Herbies tube Ultrasonic RX dampers for my 6 - 6H30 tubes in the gain stage and adding the HALO-111 stabilizer damper to the 6H30 and 6550 for the power supply. My question is would this be beneficial to add tube dampers to the power supply tubes on a pre amp ? I really read a lot of great things about Herbies tube dampers, but nothing really on the power supply tubes. BTW Audio Research does not use dampers on the power supply tubes. Thanks

128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xtattooedtrackman
ghdprentice
6,389 posts
 

@barrysandy ​​@tattooedtrackman 

 

Thanks for your comments. Anyone else. I have all Audio Research components. My attitude to them has been, they supply tube dampeners, so they probably thought it through… but if there is are lots of folks that have experienced improvement I may be enticed into trying them. 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,241 posts
 

@tattooedtrackman best way to find out is to try. When I had ARC preamps I used Herbie’s ultrasonic ss dampers on signal tubes. They didn’t hurt but I don’t recall an improvement either. As long as you have good quality tubes that are low microphonics, I wouldn’t bother with dampers. But… I never tried dampers on power tubes.
I’m also not a fan of vibration control and isolation devices. All I was ever able to achieve with these gadgets in my system was colder and dryer sound with limited dynamics (IsoAcoustics, Herbie’s, Nob Sound springs). Exception was using the springs under the power conditioner
As long as your components are on the solid rack, that’s all that’s needed.
YMMV

barrysandy
192 posts
 

The Ultra sonic Rx are different than the HAL-Os, but I wouldn't recommend them based on your comment..  Hmmm. One of the reasons is you're using Sovtek 6650WEs and I'm using SED winged "C" and KT-88s in the PSs.

I was never fond of the Sovteks which are crystaline and ever so slightly analytical sounding versus the ones I'm using.  The SED 6550 "c" were the originally supplied tube in the REF 10's  predecessor, the Reference 40 Anniversary preamp, but the production quality deteriorated drastically by 2011 and then production ceased, so ARC stopped using them.

Of course, tube rolling has it's own set of challenges, but swapping out the Sovteks for something else will yield a noticeable change in sound. Whether you like it, in your system, is something else again.

Agree with audphile 1 that you just have to experiment. The process is iterative.  I've had good success with vibration control. However, it, power conditioning, and cables are some of the last things I'd focus on.    

 

 

 

 

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