Hm, here's another source for prolly a better o'ring. This one is sold by eurotubes.com. The cool thing here is they have the large ones for EL34s, etc.
I run the large ones on my KT77s and they do the job.
Most people stall out when fixing a mistake that they've made. Why?
I've been mounting my preamp tube sockets with tiny O-rings for several years (probably saw that in an old amp during my repair days). That pretty much eliminates vibration noise. I've never thought about grounding the socket like on the Matchless, but I've never had a problem with preamp tubes picking up hum, with or without a cover.
I just bought on of this tritonaudio tube ring, but I have a question regarding his installation.
I do not understand why you have mounted it inside the chassis. Logically, the tube would be "suspended" by the rubber ring between the 2 washer only if it is mounted outside...
Any though about that?
OK. let me try to answer. The silicone piece is the center of a sandwich, sitting between the tube socket and the chassis. The mass part of the dampener needs to contact the chassis for it to work, both for some type of sheilding and then for the vibrational control.
If you put the socket to the chassis (touching it), as in your idea, you haven't really done anything to isolate the tube. So you have to isolate/cushion the tube, then put a mass of something near it. It takes the two things to work.
Hypothetically, I suppose you could cushion the socket and screw a 2 oz. brass circle onto the chassis, surrounding the tube. The idea is that the metal of the chassis - that supports the tube - is not moving.
Does this help?
Most people stall out when fixing a mistake that they've made. Why?
In the mean time I have received an answer from TrintonAudio as well. Here it is: The spacer and washers go on the inside, only the aluminum ring goes on
the outside/top the extra washers can be left out if you have a thick
mounting plate.
In fact I have'nt understand that the spacers have to be placed inside the chassis. This picture is also helpful for me:
still looks bizarre to me.
The socket, through the 2 spacers, is in direct contact with the chassis, and I do not understand how the silicone ring could damp the tube...