JADIS DEFY7, can not get it to sing


Hi
I hope some of you old pros can help answer my,,well lets say help me figure out how to get my Jadis defy 7 to sing. I purchased the amp used (like new, as the seller had a  Jadis JA200 mono blocks laready and the Defy sat quiet, So I bought it in 2008. Months later i purchased a  MINGDA tube pre amp, sounded AWEFUL, Not even close to my jadis Orch reference, KT90's EI tubes, that intergrtaed was really all I needed, i made a  huge costly mistake selling and buying the  DEFY 7, I do believe that w/o a  powerful pre, to DRIVE the FQ's into the Defy, the Defy will not respo9nd. 
The sound is flat, lifeless, no dynamics, The Orch Refer had HUGE sound stage, bass, GORGEOUS life like mids, nice sweet highs. 
I wanted more and bought the Defy,. 
I just had the Defy cked in Baton Rouge, had the KT90's brand new EH tuibes biased . 
I have a  ONKYO preamp arriving next week and am about to buy a  Mitshibushi Pre amp, 
I have a  LITE LS9 , chinese tube preamp, and that pre sounds like the,,no worse than the heftier Ming Da. 
This Lite LS9 is suppose to be a copy of the Jadis 200 pre, It weighs only 7 lbs, the trans is light weight.
I get  the idea the jadis Defy needs a  great hefty powerful prem, which is what folks told me back when i bought it, I did not believe them. 

I am low on  cash and will list the Defy for $3500 and i will pay shipping. 
I will then wait fora  great used Jadis intergrated, say a  DA50.

But I 1st want to try the 2 solid state pres to see if i can get the Defy to wake up.
It I can get some better respose , i may keep it and look for a  good used Audio reserach or a  macnintosh.
I do not have $6K for a jadis pre used. 
My budget is $1K
any help is greatly appreacitaed.
I have the uncredibly  SEAS Thor MTM speakser along with the CAYIN tube cd player with upgraded opamps .
As I say I am very close to selling the hge, hardly used (Like New) amp, due to my doubts that I can get the amp to respond like its tiny brother , The Orch Reference. 
btw I am the one who coined the tag *shootout* wayyyy back in 2000, or 2001 
I stared a  thread of speaker shootouts,,,and based on that long thread, i bought the SEAS THor kits. 
I now see *shoot out* is now the common tag for speaker and stereo components comparison.
My old login was Bartokfan.
Look forward to any suggestions in my dilemma.
paul
new orleans
mozartfan
Here's a thought, 
If the Leaf performs <<OK>>> = Not too shabby sound,,,I may keep this Feal+ Defy7 Set up as 
1 system and add,,,yep,,,I'm moving into the audiophile big leagues,,,,adding a ~~~ SECOND SYSTEM~~~, 
Never ever thought I'd go that route,,,but i just might...why?
Because I noted the CAYIN 845 intergrated (can be useda   power amp as well).
Yes I know the bass might not be there, But remember I am addinga  DAYTON 70 watt RMS sub amp, with the Cerwin Vega 10 inch as a  sub (Leaf has dual outs),,ahhh but the intergrated function of the cayin 845 has only 1 out,,oh well, give up some bass, but the mids are to die for...
This could get interesting,,,but also expenisve. 

Just a  thought,,,or maybe a  ~~~dream~~~~
Here is another option open as a  possibility, 
Sell the Defy and put that cash into a  cayin 845, the Pro model, not the Limited Edition.
This is a  very likely senario to this journey.
Good thing is the Jadis was not the cause the hum in start up, it was the Lite LS9 chinese preamp, Clone of the Jadis $15K preamp,,,,???,,,,anyway. 
Considering i listen to only classical muisc, , i think the 845 tube will offer the finest voicing of orchestra/vocals/chorus.
Over the Jadis's KT90;s. 
I would like imput on what price to set for the Defy, as it does have 15 yrs, but almost no usegae, . I'm thinking $3000, $200 ship/FEDEX.  and add Best offer. 
The EH KT90's alone is $800. + amperex Bugle Boys add another $300. ,,,I might start at $3500, based on new tubes/very low hours on amp = no abuse from R&R, high vol, 
If you are a believer in *break in time* which i am not a  believer,,,its barely broke in. 
any ideas greatly appreciated. 

@mozartfan, you asked, so here it goes....I have kinda supported you throughout your journey, but I have to say ( and I do not mean any harm ), that, you are all over the place. Take a deep breath, relax, wait for the Leaf, as you did order it, and see ( hear ) where that combo takes you. You are making it impossible for me to continue reading your thread, as you are " jumpy ". This is not a life or death situation, but I am seeing you as a very uptight individual, concerned over one of the greatest and enjoyable pass times we all share; music, and the listening joy it brings us. As to the others ( you people ) here, who do not like the Chinese products, I do not know what to tell you. This is life. You would rather spend $3500. on a handbag, so be it. Not everyone has that kind of cash, so, good for you folks who do. You likely have no issues with the ridiculous cost of medications the pharma companies are presenting to us, and I hope you people never need them........Everybody....relax.....and ENJOY ! MrD.
The Leaf + Defy deserves a  audition. 
The thought occured to me as i watch a  845 demo on YT, the mids are liquid gold, , yet as you know orchestras are multi layered/very complex interaction of countless FQ's/HZ's. The 845 may meld/= blend>>> all into a  gorgeous delicious <<soup>>, = the details in the orch sections get lost. which will not work for me. My 1st priority in a  stereo is that it offers distinct, separation of the instruments. 
The Defy's inner dysnamics may offer this <,separation>> in FQ's, which the 845's offer as a  <<blend>>.
Won;t work for me. 
I can not stand a  *warm* sound = lacks crystalization of the FQ's. 
I must have a  COLD crystalization, where  voice/chorus is heard as  above (sound stage)  and aprt from the orchestra.
I am almost positive the 300B and 845, although world class amps, are designed specially for jazz.
I'm guessing.
The Leaf will have its fair chance. 
If I think there is more to the Defy (= Leaf is holding Defy back) I will save up for the new cayin SC6LS Mark 2 preamp. @ $1300+ ship/china.

Glad i did not pull the triger on the Cayin SC6 Mk1 on Ebay for $1900...I thought cayin was dead,,,it is this thread which gave me the bump to look into Cayin on google. 
I was very surprised cayin is alive and doing very well.
I heard the Cayin Mk1 on youtube, she 's a  winner, crisp highs, gorgeous mids, + bass. 
Mk2 is a  new redesign. 
1st I have to sell off the LiteLS9 Pre and the cayin MT35. 
With that cash, I can get the SC6LS Mk2. 

I do not understand one thing you say. " I can not stand a warm sound ". Tubes add warmth. Yes, some designs, some tubes, more than others, but, they all, do, add warmth, even the mega dollar units. I choose to not use tubes, for that very reason. I understand those that do use tubes. But they do not make this statement as you. I think I will leave this thread for a while............Enjoy ! MrD.