I have a bunch of those in 2 rivet and 3 rivet versions. Indeed the Bad Boy is by definition the 3 rivet tube and those vendors that call the 2 rivet tube a Bad Boy are either uneducated/unaware at best and deceptive etc. at worst. The VT231 is a military part number but does not confer any...

I realize this is 7 year old dead thread but I own an extreme which has developed a problem in one channel. It might just be the ceramic tube socket in need of tensioning but I can't figure out how to tension such a socket. Therefore does anyone know of a person who knows and repairs these...

Yes Grant Fidelity is a genuine importer distributor and retail vendor.  They are reliable and will only sell you the real thing. Most of the people who buy from them are happy with their tubes but I don't know about the grading or selection process..  I don't know of any other seller of Psvane...

I am partial to Sylvania 6SN7s in general but own ECC32s33s and even a single B65. The other Englich tubes of note are CV 1988s made by Brimar which come in black and gray glass if you like that. I really like them but fear the market is"now flooded with counterfeits, thus in this case I...

If you are bent on getting real Shuguang they imported by Grant Fidelity, based in Canada, but sell to USA direct. I was too lazy to see if they are still around. I have been no personal experience with the CV-181s but a very good friend whose opinion I trust, sold them shortly after they were...

In reference to the Hytron variatIons. My experience is that the Hytron Hytron original and the CBS Hytron are about the same in sound. These are the tubes with the high mounted plates, (sorry no pic to insert). You can find examples all over. Indeed the CBS tubes dreived from there regardless...

I am confused or being foolish answering this. You have diagnosed your problem.You have a circuit issue with weak tubes. The 10M were made as long life 10,000 hour tubes. I have seen my share of old Mullards, they can be very good sounding despite their low output. The sound most want with a...

I reread the ad for the GEC 188s. I am always curious when something is vanishingly "rare". One would think that you would have seen or at least heard of a tube. MOV GEC tubes had thejr own numbering system. Does this tube have such a numerical designation. I'm sure there's a lot of wishful...

You might see/hear the JAN WGTA as fast and clean The tube you may find that best meets your criteria is the Sylvania GTB , I would not ignore these. The RCAs really need to be the grey glass not graphite nor the billions of clear glass examples. There is a special 5692 red base you might like...

I am using this in case you never found the synergy you sought. For about 6 or 7 years I couldn't get a pair of Focal Electras a hich retailed for 6 kil0 bucks to sound the way I wanted. It took Cardas gold reference ICs Jena speaker cables an AE 3 ,Cary preamp with Sylvania Ws and the final...

Yes the aforementioned grey glass RCAs if you can get them at that price, are often described as lush, whatever that sounds like. More commonly at that price Sylvania GTBs, green lettering if possible which I find sound full rich and mellow. Trailing but really not as bad as one might think for...

The GEC tubes shown look a lot like Mullards with pretty blue stickers on them. I would not be surprised if they were not even Mullards, my eyes are not that good with photos and I would need a loupe to look them over in person, to best ID them. The bottle looks wrong, but I often find photos...

AH. the upside down flying saucer getter, a little Russian certainty.

I don't know which tubes the LD uses but trust that they are not the usual audio choices. As an inveterate tube roller collector hoarder you are also quite correct about the demand for and high prices that certain commonly used audio tubes realize. But and you knew a but was coming, you can...

Indeed they are pretty ugly, however for a price, if good sonically, it can be tolerated. I assume you are not wearing them as a fashion accessory, out in public. To labor the point , if you can truly get $200 sound for 36 bucks it may be a sacrifice worth taking. A sacrifice for yourself...

Yes those the price of Telefunken 188CCs are disproportionate to the price of the amp.  A slightly less expensive but similar style of tube is the Siemens.  If you want to go with current production probably the best but non German sounding tube is the Gold Lion 6922.  I really don't like the...

What sound are you trying to find?  I'm guessing from your liking the Ken Rads that you like a full rich sound.  Many of the best tubes in the pre-amp arsenal are usually discussed  with  regard to frequency range  extension balance, imaging ,clarity and tone. Which of the other characteristics...

I am answering in public for the edification of those who may be interested I am not selling.  When you say dark in a 6DJ8 my answer went to the English tubes .  This time however you don't have to search all over the "Tubi-verse"  in order to find a good pair of NOS Mullards etc. ( I don't...

Nonetheless  you might want to try a search in the Tubes Asylum of Audio Asylum.

My understanding is that the ECC 32 draws more amperage than a 6SN7, I don't recall what the ECC33 draws.  I am fortunate to have very good examples of both.  The 32s have more gain which sort cheats,  you might conclude it has a bigger slamming tube, but actually hasn't made me think so.  The...

I have used ECC32s in there but I hate to be the bad news bore.  I really think that Garage 1217 is a very talented duo that can do even better.  I read somewhere in this thread an output transformerphobic sound loving listener/audiophile that he didn't want tube outputs but was happy using and...

It is more expensive but a copper cage is best. Since whatever the fencing material is worked, and tin foil, sort of worked, there is no obvious need.  However compared with the cost of just one really good rare old tube it may not be all that bad.  I had an audio buddy who lived near a large...

faraday cages deter RFI RMI  these are ususally heard when a tube has a receptive circuitry for a certain combination of site specific energy frequency.  Tube that are noisy for other reasons should not usually benefit from these cages.I find it difficult to think that tube circuitry buzz or hum...

The Sylvania 6SN7 VT-231 made in 1945 is not known to have a different frequency balance i.e.  range or emphasis than the 1943 tube.  As you pointed out the  "Bad Boys" of 1952 and BTW  later1951and mid to late 1953s.   As you know it is very easy to distinguish what is a Bad Boy by simply...