HELP Digital bad, vinyl good???

Swampwalker, do you notice if the distortion is in one channel or both? if it's in both channels, it would indicate to me something other than the linestage tubes since it's unlikely two tubes...left channel and right channel...would go bad simultaneously.

It is in both channels, and it is significant. You would have to be deaf not to hear it. Seems to be mostly in the mid-range (I'm running Merlins and they are 2 ways). But my new Teres still sounds fantastic. Perhaps the line stage of the VAC uses each half of a dual triode somewhere for each channel, before the phono stage feeds in? Nope, just checked web site
Tube complement: Line stage, 2 x 8416, 2 x 12AX7; Phono stage, 3 x 12AX7.
Still wrapping gifts, will check by removing phono and then tubes, when this is done. Many thanks to all, and to all.... nahh, too corny even for me.

Line stage almost never provides voltage gain; under most circumstances, attenuates signal. The voltage coming out of a linestage source component, if plugged dirtectly inot your amp, would be terribly loud, and therefore needs to be attenuated. I think the preamp may provide current gain (my term, probably not a correct electrical term), which is to say that if the amp requires more current than the source is capable of providing, the preamp will be able to provide it.

OK, there is a 0dB point in most pre attentuators, and attentuation below that point and gain above. the 0 dB pt IS pretty loud, so at most normal listening volumes, you are right, it is attentuation. However, the point is if the phono stage output feeds the line stage, just like any line level component, then a bad tube in the line stage should affect the phono and the cdp. I unplugged the phono as suggested and it cdp problem is the same, but it is intermittent in nature. Worked fine for an hour last night, then went sour. This am, bot about 15 minutes out of it. Will have to test the tubes, next.

Yours is an interesting puzzle. Keep us posted.