[GDuss]

Hey @chrisdrop ,

I bought some of those springs you have under your GOTL to test out what a low-budget anti-vibration system can do. They seem a bit stiff, but I put in as many springs as each of the pucks holds. Do you use all the available springs in each one or do you use less? Seems like it might be a bit more cushion with less springs in each of the 4 supports. Or maybe it needs more under the transformer, and less on the opposite side?

Maybe this is the start of "spring rolling" . I like spring rolls.

Just so everyone knows what I'm referring to:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9ZYP84/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[maxpudding]

Hey @chrisdrop ,

I bought some of those springs you have under your GOTL to test out what a low-budget anti-vibration system can do. They seem a bit stiff, but I put in as many springs as each of the pucks holds. Do you use all the available springs in each one or do you use less? Seems like it might be a bit more cushion with less springs in each of the 4 supports. Or maybe it needs more under the transformer, and less on the opposite side?

Maybe this is the start of "spring rolling" . I like spring rolls.

Just so everyone knows what I'm referring to:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9ZYP84/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Spring rolls are tasty

 

[mordy]

Hey @chrisdrop ,

I bought some of those springs you have under your GOTL to test out what a low-budget anti-vibration system can do. They seem a bit stiff, but I put in as many springs as each of the pucks holds. Do you use all the available springs in each one or do you use less? Seems like it might be a bit more cushion with less springs in each of the 4 supports. Or maybe it needs more under the transformer, and less on the opposite side?

Maybe this is the start of "spring rolling" . I like spring rolls.

Just so everyone knows what I'm referring to:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9ZYP84/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Can you hear any difference, either when tapping the deck of the amp or when using a microphonic tube? Or just in general?

 

[chrisdrop]

Hey @chrisdrop ,

I bought some of those springs you have under your GOTL to test out what a low-budget anti-vibration system can do. They seem a bit stiff, but I put in as many springs as each of the pucks holds. Do you use all the available springs in each one or do you use less? Seems like it might be a bit more cushion with less springs in each of the 4 supports. Or maybe it needs more under the transformer, and less on the opposite side?

Maybe this is the start of "spring rolling" . I like spring rolls.

Just so everyone knows what I'm referring to:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9ZYP84/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Those are the ones I have exactly. I hope they are doing something for your setup.

I am really big on spring-rolling. There is an entire community here that is into vintage springs. I find that if you understand things like Hooke's Law you can get an optimal acoustic experience. The preference is for pre-war springs is strong. Here is a pair of NOS WW2 springs (LOL - really labelled "NOS"!). Good ones are hard to come by. The eBay market for them has been taking off.

That was fun

I like the idea of using fewer springs as you suggest. I've only done so by accident (they are hard to move around once the amp is on them, as I am sure you will have experienced already!). I've not really experimented much with this as just using them did make a reasonable difference for me.

 

[maxpudding]

Those are the ones I have exactly. I hope they are doing something for your setup.

I am really big on spring-rolling. There is an entire community here that is into vintage springs. I find that if you understand things like Hooke's Law you can get an optimal acoustic experience. The preference is for pre-war springs is strong. Here is a pair of NOS WW2 springs (LOL - really labelled "NOS"!).

Good ones are hard to come by. The eBay market for them has been taking off.

That was fun

I like the idea of using fewer springs as you suggest. I've only done so by accident (they are hard to move around once the amp is on them, as I am sure you will have experienced already!). I've not really experimented much with this as just using them did make a reasonable difference for me.

Thanks for the introduction, this reminds me of “The Detectorists” and its quirky community of metal...detectorists?

 

[GDuss]

Those are the ones I have exactly. I hope they are doing something for your setup.

I am really big on spring-rolling. There is an entire community here that is into vintage springs. I find that if you understand things like Hooke's Law you can get an optimal acoustic experience. The preference is for pre-war springs is strong. Here is a pair of NOS WW2 springs (LOL - really labelled "NOS"!).

Good ones are hard to come by. The eBay market for them has been taking off.

That was fun

I like the idea of using fewer springs as you suggest. I've only done so by accident (they are hard to move around once the amp is on them, as I am sure you will have experienced already!). I've not really experimented much with this as just using them did make a reasonable difference for me.

Great post as always CD!!! And now I am hungry.

This also reminds me of that post from @mordy recently with the metal heat radiator around the tubes. Maybe those can be rolled also?

Yes, it is a bit tricky to remove the springs while they are under the amp. Like you, I think there is a difference with the springs vs without (this will take more time to evaluate as I just got them yesterday but it seems like imaging and sound localization is improved). It would be very difficult to switch with and without them back and forth rapidly to compare. Either way, this is one of the less expensive tweaks I've tried.

All this said, the efficacy probably depends heavily on how much vibration is present before the springs are added. If someone has their amp on a very heavy/stable platform with no vibration, these springs would likely do nothing.

 

[GDuss]

Can you hear any difference, either when tapping the deck of the amp or when using a microphonic tube? Or just in general?

I don't have any highly microphonic tubes in the amp right now, but I would think you can still hear sounds when tapping the deck of the amp, even with the springs. I think this would be more a solution for low-level continual or variable vibration that is present in the platform that the amp sits on, and how this influences vibration of the tubes during listening. Whether any changes are audible probably depends on a list of things, tubes used and background vibration being major factors. Like I mentioned above, it's relatively cheap to use either way.

 

[chrisdrop]

Odd one... I have an RCA 6N7G that has been working 100% fine. It, however, has been occasionally just "fading out". If I reseat the valve, it is fine. I have a matching 2nd one and it is fine, i.e. it is certainly "this tube" (not the socket, etc). Is it dying? It is NOS and works fine when it works. I guess the usual tricks apply (sandpaper the pins, soldering iron, etc?). Any thoughts on what it might actually be?

 

[mordy]

Odd one... I have an RCA 6N7G that has been working 100% fine. It, however, has been occasionally just "fading out". If I reseat the valve, it is fine. I have a matching 2nd one and it is fine, i.e. it is certainly "this tube" (not the socket, etc). Is it dying? It is NOS and works fine when it works. I guess the usual tricks apply (sandpaper the pins, soldering iron, etc?). Any thoughts on what it might actually be?

It sounds to me that the pins are not making good contact so first check for oxidation and corrosion on the pins.
Unless a tube abruptly blows up it takes a very long time for a tube to wear out - most of the old big ones should last 5000 -10,000 hours.
I have yet to wear out a tube; those that died were due to accidents such as dropping them.
A telltale sign of a bad tube losing vacuum is that the getter flash (silver coating) turns white.
You can try to jiggle the tube in the adapter-even if it is mounted a little slanted it will work just fine.
If a tube is really dying the output will diminish and you may have to turn up the volume, but it may still be perfectly usable with 65% or less of it’s life remaining.

 

[2359glenn]

Back from a week in Pennsylvania buying used machines from company's that closed down. And dismantling them so they can fit in a truck.
Feel like a scavenger buying up machines that were peoples lively hood a couple of months ago.
A long 12hr drive back yesterday.
Did get to buy some good food to bring back though.
The first one will get to were I work tomorrow morning. Will start to put it back together no fun hundreds of wires to hook back up.

 

[2359glenn]

Odd one... I have an RCA 6N7G that has been working 100% fine. It, however, has been occasionally just "fading out". If I reseat the valve, it is fine. I have a matching 2nd one and it is fine, i.e. it is certainly "this tube" (not the socket, etc). Is it dying? It is NOS and works fine when it works. I guess the usual tricks apply (sandpaper the pins, soldering iron, etc?). Any thoughts on what it might actually be?

Bad solder connection in one of the pins is most likely the cause

 

[chrisdrop]

Back from a week in Pennsylvania buying used machines from company's that closed down. And dismantling them so they can fit in a truck.
Feel like a scavenger buying up machines that were peoples lively hood a couple of months ago.
A long 12hr drive back yesterday.
Did get to buy some good food to bring back though.
The first one will get to were I work tomorrow morning. Will start to put it back together no fun hundreds of wires to hook back up.

Notwithstanding the hard work, very glad to hear you are alive and well (enough) in the mayhem!

 

[chrisdrop]

Bad solder connection in one of the pins is most likely the cause

I guess that supports the "take a soldering iron to each pin for 15 secs" potential solution?

 

[mordy]

I guess that supports the "take a soldering iron to each pin for 15 secs" potential solution?

Make it 30-45 seconds - (if you can se the solder flowing stop).

 

[chrisdrop]

Make it 30-45 seconds - (if you can se the solder flowing stop).

Tx @mordy. Others have had success doing this. I've not yet had a solid success where I've "fixed" a tube. The valve is NOS, perfectly functioning (aside from fading dark sometimes!), beautiful and sounds great (it isn't "noisy"). I think this is my moment to shine with the iron to the pins!