AVA Vision Set 400 v Belles SA-100

@gryphongryph 

If you cannot turn one of the outputs down to zero (back toggle flipped toward the rear) then your preamp is not functioning as it should and you need to contact Mick.  If the adjustment is on the 300B output and you are trying to use the full 26db gain output on the 6SN7  output with the Belles then even with the Rothwell's you are still getting 16db gain which is to much for that amp.  There are plenty of amps on the market that will work with your preamp/speaker combo but if the Cabernet Dual is not operating as advertised then you need to contact Mick or at least reach out to Johnny @jslateiv and see if he has any suggestions. 

jackd is correct..   the gain adj. knob, when activated with the toggle switch,  will reduce the gain to zero,.  ie, mute.   it shunts all the output to grd.    something is amiss if you are if you turn it fully counterclockwise and still get output.  You should confirm this with Mick as there is some very remote possibility he wired this particular unit differently but I doubt it.   He's pretty consistent with that aspect of the builds.   Also make sure the rear (back panel/jack) toggle is towards the RCA's if you are using RCA's,..   positioned away from the RCA's if you are running balanced.

If you decide to change preamps, I believe that some of the current AVA preamp offering have a high and low gain switch so they can work with a wider range of amplifiers and sensitive speakers. 

Sorry guys I made a mistake in my last post, too much red vine, the gain is too high on the 6SN7 output, the adjustment works on the 300B, but unfortunately I loose the right channel when activating the gain switch, have sent pictures to Mick of the inside of the pre, but have not heard back from him, I could see nothing wrong inside, but I am no expert.

I have had problems with this pre since I got it, it was also shipped back to Mick because of hum, unfortunately getting it back it still hums and when using the gain switch on the 300B output I loose one channel !!

Feel like I have moved the discussion on to Supratek, which was not my intention, please let us go back to AVA and Belles.

Be interesting how the new 400 will look.