tube anti-vibration mounting

[zigzagflux]

I've searched around, and wasn't finding any good ideas on mounting tubes for low vibration. I came up with the following parts for a simple subchassis mounting.

What have you used?

[leadbelly]

Well, I haven't used them on any tube mounts yet, but what I use when I need vibration isolation in any of my DIY stuff is plain old faucet washers (not O rings) from the hardware store.

[KSTR]

These are excellent (CCA series) but one needs some mass to have a benefit -- I've used them (that is, some home made equivalents) in a rough handled guitar amp with a complete sub-assembly including psu choke/caps to get a low resonant frequency.

Regards, Klaus

[cbutterworth]

Klaus,

Take a look at VoltSecond's website. He details a transformer / choke isolation system based on rubber grommits. Could something similar be done with your tube sockets?

Charlie

[planet10]

PEARL makes excellent isosockets -- you can probably get them from Parts Connexion.

Also, almost every portable R-R comes with at least one shock mounted socket. I have a few kicking about if you want to pay post + a token.

dave

[KSTR]

Charlie,

Yes, and I'm tempted to say this wire-rope stuff does way better as it has a lot of travel in any direction and probably has more damping than rubber grommets.

Haven't tried it yet, but I think one could make some good wire-rope isolators for supporting single tube sockets and xformers. Good things about them are that they do not age and are perfectly heat resistant, plus they are fail-safe. With rubber grommets I don't want to think of what they might look like after years of life under high temp conditions. I wouldn't use rubber for that purpose and would prefer silicone (which one could also cast in self-made molds).

Sorbothane grommets might also quite good, there some nice stud+bushing style parts available. Those aren't fail-safe though, they will tear apart if you happen drop the whole amp

- Klaus

[zigzagflux]

Originally posted by planet10
PEARL makes excellent isosockets -- you can probably get them from Parts Connexion.

Niiiiice.

Don't see octals or 4-pin, though?

Is this not a concern with DHT's?

[planet10]

Originally posted by zigzagflux
Don't see octals or 4-pin, though?

Is this not a concern with DHT's? [/B]

I've only touched 9 pin ones....

dave

[Poindexter]

PEARL (Perkins Electro Acoustic Research Lab), Bill Perkins, has tube sockets like this, all iso mounted in rubbery stuff. I frankly don't know where to get them, but if you Google up 'pearl acoustics' and don't get a hit, come talk to me, I know him (ahem) at least well enough to point a potential to him.

Yerz,

Poinz

[kevinkr]

I've used style #2 to mount noisy transformers and this was very effective. Some mass is needed.

For a sub chassis you might want to try some of the very low durometer grommets used for mounting cd mechanisms. I think you might be able to find those in the McMaster-Carr catalog somewhere. They are available in a variety of durometers and you can fine tune your suspension to suit the overall mass of the tubes, subchassis and sockets. This is likely to be much less expensive overall than the socket solutions I've seen.