The best...

[martyneilan]

This could be an interesting exercise to see what other people write, keeping things generic and not specific to brands/models:

The best...

CC tuba is a BBb
F tuba is a 3/4 CC
6/4 tuba is a 5/4
Lacquer is unlacquered
Bydlo tuba is a euphonium
Sousaphone is a recording bell tuba
Recording bell tuba is a sousaphone

[Mary Ann]

The best F tuba is an Eb

[donn]

I can't easily think of anything that's "the best" - tubas, varieties of avocado, science fiction authors, cities, parcel deliveries, car tires, moscatels de Setúbal, ways to prepare mackerel, ... maybe it's just that my means have been too limited to arrive at that level, but I have a hunch it's a futile pursuit.

[martyneilan]

but I have a hunch it's a futile pursuit.

Ah, now you are getting the point of this post...
Still interesting to see the answers

[Three Valves]

Kenny Bania approves!

[bloke]

Most F tubas sorta or really suck, which is why I don't own most F tubas.

[Casca Grossa]

The best...

CC tuba is a Mirafone 188
BBb tuba is a Mirafone 188
F tuba is a Mirafone 185, 184, 180, or a early 1980's PT-10
6/4 tuba is a Mirafone 188
Nobody can hear the difference between lacquer, unlacquered, or silver-plated
Bydlo tuba is a Cerveny 601 CC just because it was my only horn for a very long time. I won an orchestra audition playing Bydlo on that horn, came in runner-up in another orchestra playing Bydlo on that horn, and was offered a graduate assistantship a very long time ago from a very well-known professor playing all the major F tuba rep on that horn during a masterclass.
All 6/4 tubas are lap Sousaphone
Recording bell tuba is cool and needs to make a comeback in all major symphony orchestras

[GC]

Eb tubas are the best tubas because that's all I own.

My orange cat is a dog because he comes when I call him and plays fetch.

[Bob Kolada]

I was going to say the best small F tuba is a big euph but then I remembered that all the small F tubas I've played have been some of the best playing F tubas I've played. Yamaha 621, Cerveny 653 (awesome tuba!), Rusk York F, both small MWs,...

[andycat]

The best Tuba parts exist in the Brass Band repertoire

[bloke]

This could be an interesting exercise to see what other people write, keeping things generic and not specific to brands/models:

The best...

CC tuba is a BBb
F tuba is a 3/4 CC the original version of one particular make/style
6/4 tuba is a 5/4 BBb
Nitrocellulose Lacquer is eventually unlacquered
Bydlo tuba is a euphonium *(and the smaller the better)
For all practical purposes,
Sousaphone is a recording bell tuba
Recording bell tuba is a sousaphone

_______________________________________
*for clarity out front (So many recordings sound excellent, yet too "covered/dark".)
I own a huge euphonium, but I continue to hold onto my old beat-up bought-for-a-song Yamaha YEP-321 (with a standard-shank Schilke 51 mpc. in the case) for REALLY high stuff OBVIOUSLY written for something smaller than either a contrabass or bass tuba.

[Doc]

This could be an interesting exercise to see what other people write, keeping things generic and not specific to brands/models:

The best...

CC tuba is a BBb
F tuba is a 3/4 CC
6/4 tuba is a 5/4
Lacquer is unlacquered
Bydlo tuba is a euphonium
Sousaphone is a recording bell tuba
Recording bell tuba is a sousaphone

The best...

CC tuba is a BBb - unless it’s the blokespecial 186*

F tuba is a 3/4 CC - unless it’s a really great F (or an Eb, although I think of Eb as mostly its own category depending on application)

6/4 tuba is a 5/4 - often true, but a good 6/4 BBb has its place

Lacquer is unlacquered - lacquer is my first choice, but the finish is not very high (if at all) on my list of priorities when choosing an instrument

Bydlo tuba is a euphonium - No argument, although my preference would be an Alex tenor tuba or rotary oval baritone, as those might be more appropriate regarding the desired sound - euph always has a round, pretty sound. I played it on an Alex F tuba, and that was about as close as I could get. Of course, that was what I had available.

Sousaphone is a recording bell tuba - give me a helicon

Recording bell tuba is a sousaphone - close enough; if I want to stroll, I’ll use the helicon

*Unfortunately, all the work I had for the 186 dried up. And changes in my job almost two years ago has put a serious damper on playing gigs of any kind. I’m not sure I would want to ever sell it, but outside of some home practice, it has been collecting dust. I might, however, consider trading it back to @bloke for both the Holton 345 and Besson comp BBb, for which I might have actual use. Or not.

[donn]

Recording bell tuba is a sousaphone - close enough; if I want to stroll, I’ll use the helicon

Don't you have a problem mowing down the unwary fellow stroller who comes up on your left?

I liked playing a helicon somewhat, particularly the F that was not circular and therefore set in place with no hands, but never had one with a leadpipe such that the mouthpiece naturally reached my mouth, and never heard of a BBb that wasn't circular.

Show me a non-circular kaiser BBb helicon with at least 4 valves and a custom leadpipe, that you can play sitting down in an ordinary chair if necessary, and that doesn't stick out too far on the left (probably, = not a sousaphone with a straight bell grafted on.) Maybe that's the best.

[BRS]

.

[Doc]

Recording bell tuba is a sousaphone - close enough; if I want to stroll, I’ll use the helicon

Don't you have a problem mowing down the unwary fellow stroller who comes up on your left?

Not at all. They should stay in their own lane. I am careful to stay in mine. If they can’t hear me or see me (how could you miss me???), I have no remorse for their dumb ass.

I liked playing a helicon somewhat, particularly the F that was not circular and therefore set in place with no hands, but never had one with a leadpipe such that the mouthpiece naturally reached my mouth, and never heard of a BBb that wasn't circular.

I don’t have much problem with my Eb helicon, but I recently tried the Wessex BBb helicon, and I had real problem getting the leadpipe to reach adequately. I had much greater luck with the Cerveny BBb helicon when I tried one years ago.

Show me a non-circular kaiser BBb helicon with at least 4 valves and a custom leadpipe, that you can play sitting down in an ordinary chair if necessary, and that doesn't stick out too far on the left (probably, = not a sousaphone with a straight bell grafted on.) Maybe that's the best.

I’m not sure that particular set of variables exists in any BBb model (some old German designs come close), but I think you’re onto something.

[hbcrandy]

The best F tuba is an Eb

I agree 100%!!!! I played Eb tuba as my bass tuba for 43 years, ever since Paul Krzywicki brought 3 of Yamaha's early Eb tubas back from a tour of Japan. It sounds more like a tuba than some of the German rotary valved F tubas did and was much less expensive. My contrabass tuba was a CC tuba of one kind or another.