Most beneficial change .

B 4 I made any major move, and the sound you have now is good, I'd go back and re-examine the tube selection in the Int.

I've found a mix of tubes whose properties are dissimilar in the preamp section, and/or amp section makes a great diff in the involvment of the sound.

Perhaps in de-detailing or smoothing off the rough spots as you alluded too with previous tube rolling, you went a touch too far... or didn't get the combo of tubes just right, and settled.

ON my tube preamp I have smooth NOS RCA on the input (rectifier) side, and and dynamic NOS Amperex Bugle Boys on the output.... on my tube monos I keep the detailed dynamic thing going with NOS Tungsol input tubes, but go to Winged C EL34 on the output sides.

Try some Amperex whites, Tungsols, Sylvania, or some other snappy dynamic tubes in there somewhere but not in place of those which eased up the presentation and see what happens.

Then... look to amps or speakers.... it's easier and cheaper to do tubes first
.

Saki70

Sure... as best I can... you can pm me and we could talk ph to ph live too.

With respect to Upscale Audio's recs, BTW, did they sell these to you or tell you to go find them?

What I posted previously is how I go about things that I've found which have continued to work with various tube items. I am certain it ain't the only way either.

It pretty much keeps to my ideas on system building, but I never really put it into that context till now. Hyper resolving source (signal input), ease off the hard edges with smoother tubes there, then pick up that signal and exploit it downstream. Fatten it, emphasize it, exaggerate it, or maintain it's ease thereafter, DEPENDING on the needs of me... and the speakers/room.

I'm not all about which tubes replace which tubes as substitutes but know those who do. one lives in my area, two others do not.

In thinking about this and considering doign some tube tweaking of my own I've contacted my closest new tube source so I can point you in his direction if needs be.

I've found some tube makes have certain characteristics. RCA are IMO very nice, easy, tubes, like Matsushitas and the Green Amperex. The Amperex whites are far more bold. tungsols are akin to them. other's possess a more dynamic visage too. I don't knowe much at all about 88s. I'd think there might be some major strengths they carry, but some could well be marginally disimilar enough to solve the riddle. Beats me.

I did also run across a review in passing I wanted to investigate on the Gallo speakers. they have a new set forthcoming soon retialing for $6K or so... and read the 3.1 refs review in 6 Moons. John Podis did the account & you can Google for it. If tubes aren't the key, though I think that will surely help, there's them Gallos.

it was clearly stated how well they worked in smaller rooms and bettered most monitors using one ex of some $8K sorts for comparisons sake.

Saki70

Which 34's did you try? CED Winged C? JJ?

I found I liked what I got from the CED Winged C EL34's which came with my amp. So I just bought another set for each amp. The 3 mini tubes in fromt allowed me a wider variety of sonic changes by rolling them... so I got some of those two and found running Tungsol 5687 all around with the Winged C suited me best.

I've asked - posted threads here on EL34s, in the past, so you might search the archives for the various EL34 threads.

Another avenue is to Google EL34s, and read the guitar ampheads thoughts on the various 34s out there... NIB & NOS.

Some of the larger tube vendors post notes on the sound of their tubes too... like "The Tube Store" and others.

If I remember any or run acorss any I'll email you the link to them.

They ain't way 'spensive so trying out some shouldn't be to troubling. I had to get two sets of four. I'd think you would need less. The 'funny' cool thing is I've paid more for one little bitty tube than I did for all 8 of those Winged C's. lol

G' luck.