Help with hookup

As the meters on the mc352 are responding to the signal from the preamp, I suspect " it " is at the amp end. What are the speaker wire connections you are using, both at the amp end and the speaker end ? If you are using bare wire, make sure enough insulation has been removed from the cable ends to make contact, but not so much, that the positive and negative wires are touching ( I am sorry, I have seen this a few times in my lifetime ). This scenario will short the output ( no sound ). Was the equipment working properly, as far as you know, before you acquired the pieces ? Sorry for the questions......just part of trying to help.....

Here is what I checked-
Set on balanced and stereo.
Speaker cable is a u shaped audio zen cable, not bare wires.
Input is Dvd on preamp and selected that input.
Tried pushing tape moniter button several times. 
It did work very well, but he had been sick for about a year and didn't use it then. 
Using with CD player. Maybe it doesn't like The Temptations? 
Mute button not pushed on. 
I appreciate so much all the help and ideas!  We will keep trying .

 P.s.- you guys and girls are truly the best!

It's getting to the point when you really need to try to borrow from someone or somewhere a power amp, to swop into the system.  If it works with the replacement, then the guilty party is likely the power amp you have; if it still doesn't work, then that points to the preamp.