Audio Research VT100 MK1 and LS15 HELP!!!


I recently bought this set VT100MK1 and preamp LS15 and while I was at this seller house he demonstrated the sound from his online Tidal on TV connect optical to the DAC Luxman DA - 06 then this go to the preamp LS15 and out into the VT100. This set up sounds amazing at his house. However, when I came home play CD from the Sony X1100ES Blu-ray player RCA output into the LS15 and out to the VT100 and it sound horrible - no bass at all in any type of music.  The sound sometime muffle and not clear and most importantly the bass missing tremendously. Im using a pair of KEF R900 Speakers. What is wrong here? can anyone help me correct the sounds? it is because I didn’t have the Luxman DA - 06 DAC? or it is because I don’t have those fancy hundred - thousands of dollars cable?  or the CD source is playin at 41khz /16 bit not high enough signal?  

This is my first system and I don’t know why I can’t get that high fidelity sound from the ARC equipments.  I'm waiting for the Audioengine B1 to arrive so I can stream Spotify into the LS15.   What is wrong with my set up?  Thank you in advance for helping me solve this.
kentrent
Jumpers are used in the amp XLR inputs when you are using RCA cables. But you're using XLR between amp and preamp, correct?

Have you been interrupting power to the preamp, eg, pulling out the AC cable, powering the preamp or amp on, off quickly?
There is a safety mode on the preamp if power is interrupted.


http://vpiforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8590




@lowrider57 from preamp to amp is XLR cable.   Everytime i turn on the preamp one of the tubes sparks.  That seems like one of the tube is defect? 
Yes. Do you have a spare of the same tube type? If you replace the tube and it sparks again, you need service.