Tube Preamp Is Effecting The "S" Sound (I Think)

Hello Everyone,
 
I was hoping someone with fresh ears could help me out.   It seems to me that once I introduced a tube pre-amp into my vocal chain, my "S" sounds seemed to have gotten a little less bright/sharp.
 
I have an AKG C214 mic, Steinberg UR22 audio interface and a Presonus TubPre V2.
 
I recorded 2 vocal takes here seperated by a short piano note.  The first one is the mic right into the audio interface followed by a piano note, then followed by a vocal take going into the tube preamp and then the audio interface.
 
I think the 2nd take isn't as bright on the "S" sounds.  Can anyone help confirm?  If so, I think i might ditch the pre-amp all together as the tonality seems almost the same between the two.
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s...7ldelsz7/test.wav?dl=0
 
 
Thanks for helping me out here.
 
Adam

so, is this typical tube behaviour?  Muffling up the "S" sound?

The Starved-plate design ART MP3 gets pillowy on bass, so maybe it is rolling off some highs - but I didn't use it that much on anything other than bass (it is in my live bag now as a splitter).  Other than the tube, it is a basic $10 preamp design like all the cheaper units and interfaces.  If you hear a difference in the recording, it could be doing something you like.  Or, something that doesn't get much press - hearing your voice through the unit "helps" your singing through the magic of a feedback loop.  It adds something to the sound, which you pick up on and change your performance (around the edges) that gets heard, and so on.

SilverBlueMedallion
so, is this typical tube behaviour?  Muffling up the "S" sound?

No... a quality tube mic preamp will not muffle the sound.
 
FWIW, I wouldn't bother with inexpensive mic preamps (tube or otherwise).  
You've already got those on your audio interface.  
 
GAP Pre-73 and Warm Audio Tone Beast are two relatively inexpensive mic preamps that are a significant step up from onboard preamps.
 
NOTE:
Guitar Center has the GAP Pre-73 mkII on sale today for $249 ($100 off).

TRS and XLR do the exact same thing. They are both balanced lines. The only difference is the connector. Changing from XLR to TRS will do nothing for you.

I have to use a pre amp as the built in pre amps on my audio device are very poor so i understand your situation.  I use an ART tube amp and to date hasn't caused any issue with sibilants.  But...and I could be way off the mark here.    I was having trouble too MUCH sibilants and no de-esser could help.  I spoke to an engineer at the Taxi road rally and he said it could be the mic.
I was using an inexpensive T Bone wide diaphragm and bought myself a Shure SM57 instead.  
I haven't looked back.   Could it be the frequency response of your mic not behaving?   Could you even borrow another mic to test?   Just a thought guys.  I'm by no means an expert on this.