One of mine, after ten years useage by me, remains in service with an apprentice. The anvil should be solidly mounted, most preferring a stump of oak or other hardwood. Pine and fir will work, but will quickly split and crush beneath the anvil. The rule of thumb for anvil face height is- even with your knuckles, your arm hanging straight down at your side. I have found a very good way to stop the ringing of an anvil.
Magnets cause scale to stick to the anvil.
Hardy tools left in place usually get in the way when not needed. Put a thick coat of silicone between the anvil and the base and let it cure over night. This will stop most if not all of the ringing. Before adding the silicone it had a loud ring. Any color silicone will work, I used clear on my anvil.