Tube dampener questions


I bought some tube dampeners and on when I put them on the tubes on the amp and DAC it seemed to suck the life out of the sound so I removed them.

Doing some tube rolling and while the new tubes sounded good the vocals were disconnected somehow.  They seemed to distort during dynamics so I put a dampener on the input tube and it seemed to help at the cost of a little bit of life.

What is the correct way to use tube dampeners?
As vibration control are they like a guitar string and where they rest on the tube changes the frequency of the vibration?

Several burns later I think I got it right but I'm sure someone out there knows how to do this correctly.
128x128danager
When you say "new tubes sounded good..."
why not give them a few hundred hours to break in,
before you start evaluating dampers seriously?
sgordon1 

I couldn't stand it.  I'll defiantly keep that in mind and remove the dampener after a couple of hundred and give it listen.  I really hope beyond hope it's just a burn in issue because everything except voice was spot on but I'm a vocals guy and it was really irritating.
I'm listening now with the dampener about 1/3 way down the tube and I can live with it so I'll give it some time.
Thanks
@tomic601,
I don’t question your outcome using tube dampers in the least. My experience with their use years ago was different and is not a blanket condemnation covering all manner of tubes in any number of situations. It sure appears to be an individual case by case scenario influenced by numerous variables.

Here’s another example of outcome variance. My use of upgraded fuses has been positive. No doubt that this is not the case for everyone who’s tried them.
Charles
My experience with tube dampers echoes many others here.  They snuffed the life out of the system.  I spent a couple of weeks bemoaning why the system didn't sound right.  Then I remembered those darn dampers and tossed them.  Life is good again!
@charles1dad - there you go acting rational vs a blanket condemnation… I believe the fuse community loves to say and i paraphrase: If you haven’t listened you don’t have a valid input. 

My reaction after listening twelve hours strait yesterday could have been summed up - keep trying and listening….

i don’t have dampers on the 4 tubes in my Aesthetix DAC or my Herron or Croft phono preamps because in that circuit of Jim Whites / Keith Herron / Glen Croft, they don’t help, even prove detrimental.. But as described they do benefit other components in the chain..

Although, i need to back and put the ADC damper on just the Mullard Neon in the regulator circuit…..

Best to those w open ears, minds…