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Can anyone please tell me the difference between the EL34B and the regular EL34? I'm curious.....

Joe - From thetubestore.com's page for the Tung-Sol EL34B - "When driven into distortion it starts off a bit crunchy like a 6L6 but as you push it, the sound blooms into that singing EL34 tone with great sustain and modest compression." From the manufacturer: "The Tungsol EL34-B is a higher impedance EL34 tube design with increased touch responsiveness and a unique clipping characteristic with a hint of the 6L6 sound." Hope this helps!

Further comments found on EL34 vs. EL34B comparison: "The Tung-Sol EL34B's have tremendous bass presence compared to the stock EL34. They were noticeably different in the way they sounded. The Tung-Sol EL34'B had better, fuller, brighter, and all around warmer tone. At low volume they sound similar to 6L6 tubes but once you crank them up you get that gooey EL34 tone but with more saturation, presence, and volume. I definitely recommend these tubes. A couple days ago I switched out my EL34B"S and put the stock tubes back in. The sound was subpar and flimsily compared to the EL34'B and very noticeable difference."

Also from thetubestore.com - "They are a direct replacement. They use the plate voltage supplied by the amplifier. They are a slightly higher impedance tube which means they will bias differently that a regular EL34 (but still within the range of the bias pots). They will not damage your preamp tubes.

Review:

The Tungsol EL34B is likely to become the #1 choice of currently produced EL34 tubes. The build construction is great all around and the move to welded plates will likely keep “EL34 rattle” to a minimum over time. The manufacturer claims that this tube has a hint of 6L6 in its tone thanks to manipulating the plate impedance. This is absolutely true, but the effect is most notable when playing clean and to a lesser extent when the tube is driven hard. At lower volume settings you hear a very pure balanced tone with a bit of the 6L6 sparkle in the higher frequencies while providing a midrange that is a little less prominent than most EL34 tubes. The tubes were very open and airy. The bottom end was percussive in the 2x12 open back combo. When driven into distortion it starts off a bit crunchy like a 6L6 but as you push it, the sound blooms into that singing EL34 tone with great sustain and modest compression. I love these tubes. Over the years I’ve tested many tubes but this is the first time I’ve had to tell myself to stop playing and get on to the next set!"

Sounds like these tubes are preferred in the pro audio setting, to be utilized in a guitar amp! There the ability to fall into distortion quicker would be a value. The exact opposite of what we want in the audio world.
As a guitar player, that's the kind of tube I would search out for my amp, something that can add some distortion and tone without me having to push it too hard. May explain the OP's findings in his system!