will
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Hey HK,
I got mine from Michael Percy, the thicker foiled version of SD-40AL. This was what was recommended by some experienced folks I was following doing DAC modifications, thought to be unusually transparent and neutral sounding damping material. And the thickness and aluminum of the version are bound to effect sound, so I can't say from experience what the others might sound like.
But I can say that the sizes I used on Decware transformers, and low placement, it was not a big visual imposition (to me anyway). On the Torii input transformers, being low and around the sides, it is mostly hidden from sight. And on the outputs, where one damping strip faces front, it is mostly hidden by power tubes. With the CSP3, low and off to the sides, I can see it, but it seems pretty low key, and I was careful to cut and place it to look at least somewhat like it was meant to be there.
In the case of the DAC, it was designed to be pretty solid and vibration/noise free, so I used mostly small pieces sized by sound on caps, diodes, and a few board-to-connectors, and board-to-case. Damping materials usually effecting some frequencies more than others, I agreed the SD-40AL material, if not overdone, can be quite nicely transparent. But I did "keep an ear on it" to keep from overdamping. As I recall, at some point the whole sound has a more refined, smoother feel, while clarifying fine detail top to bottom. And with more damping, it could become overly smooth, unbalanced, and duller, losing the fine stuff.
If you do it something like I did, it may not solve hearing mechanical transformer hum, but I think it might help. And to me sonic improvements from careful treatment on the Torii and CSP3 made a 9 x 12 sheet worth it... I was in highly tuned serious listening mode, in the thick of modifications, so hearing everything, but I was impressed at how much it refined my sound.
And to me it is nice to have it around, over time finding new places to use it.
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