@lowrider5710
Looking for advise... I installed new Tung Sol EL34B's in my amp, burned them in, and they sound wonderful. The problem is the soundstage is now forward of the speakers. This has never happened with my system before, even with changes between SS amps, tube and SS preamps, cables. My system has always been laid-back with mid-concert hall seating; now I'm in the first row. Do to room size, I listen from 8 feet away in the near-field.
I would have offered burning in the new tubes was in order, but you say you did that already.
No other chages at all? Now its front row from mid hall.
Initially the thought was most tubes were old or well wron and new fresh ones provided what should have been all along except you said the situation continued even interjecting an SS amp, if I read it correctly. Though, SS amps have quite different dispositions with respect to listening perspectives.
It seems a pretty sure bet the new 34 tubes have rearranged your seating perspective. Or, something else was changed you’ve overlooked or forgotten. Isolation footers for ex.
I had one instance completely opposite of yours wherein I had a front third of hall to mid hall LP and a pair of 4-5 db more eff speakers rearranged it forward to a front row LP.
I changed EL34s to CED ‘winged C’ from JJs. No diff.
Then I changed some 12AT & 12AX to NOS RCAs. No diffs. Later another swap from those same NOS RCA 12AT7s & 12AX7s to Amperex bugle boys in my line stage next, LP remained the samebadnwidth was vastly improved dynamically with great bass improvement. Still a very close perspective of the performance and performers.
In a BAT VK5 line stage I saw Phillips, Telefunkens, and some but not all Amperex’s lay the SS further away from the LP. Installing Amperex PQ US 7308 white lables did edge it closer to the LP.
As I began to enjoy that wrap about the head at times presentation I became very OK with it.
Some pcs later on did migrate it away from my LP but I had been tainted and passed on those more ‘laid back’ sounding power cords as they came and went.
I would tend to agree some things could fix it… maybe. Different EL34s as everything migrated after they were inserted might revert it.
Perhaps too if something akin to Amperex 7308 Orange color only, not white or green, can be had somewhere in the preamp, then maybe that’s a fix. Although a 6DJ8 – 6922 replacement, maybe Amperex made 6SN7s. dunno. Their orange lables had a decidedly laid back presentation. No sonic issues though but subjectively a bit more polite akin to Levinson amps voicing.
70s models NOS Phillips came closest to the Amperex Oranges.
Never cared much for Tunsol input tubes, only 5881s.
Room treatments using absorption about the LP might reduce the ambient cues you are now more aware of since the new ELs arrived. Don’t think diffusion would do the same thing there. But then, maybe. Shouldn’t be too hard to lay up some soft squishy items beside and behind your LP. And or, some at reflection points, even above the speakers or just above and forward of them.
Diff EL 34s, diff Power cord, or room treatment rearranging. Perhaps all of it.
Very good luck. Hope it works out and you come back and state what it took to regain your listening preffs.
