[Isaacc7]

Didn't realize we were talking specifically about Tung Sols. I bought his TS BGRP's about 2 months ago. Paid full price for them, too. Boxes are immaculate, tubes are as well!

I haven't bought anything from him though I have looked at his listings. Always wonder where he gets his stuff, and that guy in India too! I bought a quad of 6c8g Tungsols from the Indian seller. Same deal, immaculate tubes, boxes, and amazing packaging. Not a great deal but sometimes it's worth paying the going rate for certainty.

 

[jbua5150]

Any help as to manufacturer of this? Labeled RCA but those plates look like Tung Sol to me……Clear glass??

 

[TLO]

Any help as to manufacturer of this? Labeled RCA but those plates look like Tung Sol to me……Clear glass??

Ken-Rad 6F8G RP

 

[Contrails]

Any 6SN7 that sound the same as the Sylvania Badboys? Looking for a pair of badboys, don't have to be matched.

 

[Isaacc7]

The TSBGRP really are special. Just got my preamp back from repair. I've been using a passive preamp in the meantime and had been getting some great sounds. Put the active back in and was immediately dissatisfied. Started with a pair of 12sx7 which I had always found clear and open. Now the preamp just seemed to add a layer of haze and made everything kind of the same. Switched to some 14n7 tubes. They were the same but with a different flavor.

Did I just get used to the clarity of the passive and the active was just adding distortions? I mean, that's essentially all it can do if I had enough gain without it. I usually did, but once in a while I didn't so I need an active! Was starting to wonder why I had spent so much on the preamp, decided to break out the big guns. Put the TS black glass round plate 12sn7 in and oooh... The clarity is back! As is the bass. I also get the added lushness and increased size of the soundstage that the preamp can give.

Mick says that the tubes in the Supratek should be able to go 10,000 hours. I better hope so, these things aren't easy to replace! Still, those tubes really are special, there's a reason they have the reputation they do. It's nice when things live up to the hype

 

[Erwinatm]

Any 6SN7 that sound the same as the Sylvania Badboys? Looking for a pair of badboys, don't have to be matched.

Are these the bad boys?

 

[Ripper2860]

No. Bad Boys have 3x downward facing spikes on each short side of the top mica. Can't see the plates to see if it has 2 or 3 hole plates, which is also a requirement for "Bad Boys".

Some folks call VT-231s 2 hole bad boys, but the BB moniker is reserved for pretty specific characteristics and years. THe VT-231s are pretty good tubes in their own right, but they're technically not BBs.

 

[Erwinatm]

No. Bad Boys have 3x downward facing spikes on each short side of the top mica. Can't see the plates to see if it has 2 or 3 hole plates, which is also a requirement for "Bad Boys".

Some folks call VT-231s 2 hole bad boys, but the BB moniker is reserved for pretty specific characteristics and years. THe VT-231s are pretty good tubes in their own right, but they're technically not BBs.

 

[Ripper2860]

Not a Bad Boy. It must have a rectangle bottom mica (this is what I call a racetrack shape), rectangle top mica with 3 downward spikes on each short side of the top mica, and 3- hole plates. MFG date should be late 1951 to early 1953. No legit Bad Boys were ever labeled VT-231, IIRC.

Note: I have 3 legit Bad Boys and while they are good tubes, they tend to be a bit over-rated and certainly not worth some of today's prices, IMHO. Saying any one tube is the best is a bit unrealistic as synergy with your equipment is key along with one's sonic preference. There are lot of good tubes out there and some may rank even or above the BB. The 40's Sylvania VT-231s, CBS/Hytron or RCA 5692, legit Sylvania Chrome Domes, Ken-Rad VT-231s, and a favorite of mine, Westinghouse GTB with rectangle getter and offset black ladder plates. Several come in at less than what the legit Bad Boys can be found.

 

[Contrails]

Not a Bad Boy. It must have a rectangle bottom mica (this is what I call a racetrack shape), rectangle top mica with 3 downward spikes on each short side of the top mica, and 3- hole plates. MFG date should be late 1951 to early 1953. No legit Bad Boys were ever labeled VT-231, IIRC.

Thanks mate.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304511922556. The seller needs to put better pics but I am happy to go halves if someone else is interested?

 

[Ripper2860]

Those are not Bad Boys, either. They could be legit Chrome Domes, but not Bad Boys. Legit Bad Boys do not have top getter holder and top chrome flashing. They had bottom foil rectangular getter holder and bottom chrome flashing extending up 1/3 - 1/2 of the way up the tube (similar to the VT-231 pictured previously). Bad Boy is used incorrectly a lot on eBay with sellers either not knowing how to correctly identify one or in hopes that buyers do not know how to correctly identify one. Be careful as Bad Boy is the most over and incorrectly used term in tubedom.

This image appears to be of legit Bad Boys...

 

[Isaacc7]

Are there 12sn7 Bad Boys? I have a slew of tubes that match the description but I'm having trouble finding date codes. Is that usually on the base or on the glass?

 

[DenverW]

As stated above, you're looking for a bottom getter, 3 holes in the plates, green labels, and a "claw" mica on the top. Dates are going to be from late 1951 to early 1953, with the majority of the tubes you see being 1952 (if I'm remembering the date properly). I do enjoy the tube, it has a good warmth and clarity to it, and it's one of the tubes that survived my last tube purge.

Edit: After going to ebay for a quick look, I'm going to edit this a bit, because there is a LOT of absolute mislabeled junk there. You're looking for black base, green letters. Discard anything with 2 rivet holes, brown bases, top getter, outside the date range, things like that. Those aren't bad tubes, but they aren't what you're looking for.

A couple pages back someone was singing the praises of the mullard cv6 and adapter. I would agree, this is my favorite of this tube type, with my 2nd favorite being the e1148. A very good tube to get on the cheap with an adapter. I've been using xulingmrs on ebay with good success for adapters. I'm sure the woo ones are good quality, but that price is ridiculous in my eyes.

 

[Erwinatm]

Not a Bad Boy. It must have a rectangle bottom mica (this is what I call a racetrack shape), rectangle top mica with 3 downward spikes on each short side of the top mica, and 3- hole plates. MFG date should be late 1951 to early 1953. No legit Bad Boys were ever labeled VT-231, IIRC.

Note: I have 3 legit Bad Boys and while they are good tubes, they tend to be a bit over-rated and certainly not worth some of today's prices, IMHO. Saying any one tube is the best is a bit unrealistic as synergy with your equipment is key along with one's sonic preference. There are lot of good tubes out there that some may rank even or above the BB. The 40's Sylvania VT-231s, CBS/Hytron or RCA 5692, legit Sylvania Chrome Domes, Ken-Rad VT-231s, and a favorite of mine, Westinghouse GTB with rectangle getter and offset black ladder plates. Several come in at less than what the legit Bad Boys can be found.

Thanks mate. Which Sylvania are they? In my Cayin, they are at warm side, sweet bloom mids, not too heavy bass compare to TS 6sn7GTB new production.

 

[Ripper2860]

Are there 12sn7 Bad Boys? I have a slew of tubes that match the description but I'm having trouble finding date codes. Is that usually on the base or on the glass?

Not sure about 12SN7s. For Bad Boys, dates are on the base. in Y-WEEK format. 3 1 3 would be 1953, 13th week. You have to know about difference in 40s and 50s tube characteristics to identify whether the first 3 is from 43 or 53. Bad Boys must meet ALL of the criteria and 1943 Sylvania tubes typically had rectangle non-spiked top micas.