No not really, it's the overall efficiency of the complete speaker system. Some materials like the Be tweeter on the Carerra can make you want to turn things down unless you design the rest of the system with it in mind.For example I could only enjoy mine with an all tube front end to dull it down.

Quote from: Jack on May 19, 2026, 10:25:31 AMCombination of preamp gain and amplifier input sensitivity.  Your Hattor has a low ouput gain of 0,3,or 6db and both of your amps have input sensitivities over 2 volts.

Jack,
Can speaker materials ever play a role? IOW, are certain materials a bit harder to drive?
It seems I have usually had systems that require me to crank up the volume, which I enjoy doing anyway.
But because of the excellent sound nowadays, I pay more attention to that type of thing.

Combination of preamp gain and amplifier input sensitivity.  Your Hattor has a low ouput gain of 0,3,or 6db and both of your amps have input sensitivities over 2 volts.

Ming-Da MC-7 Linestage
Heavily modified unit by Response Audio. Dead quiet with tube, solid state and Hybrid amplifiers.
Does not come supplied with tubes.
Signal path capacitors replaced with combination of SoniCap, V-Cap and AudioCap.
Power supply filter capacitors replaced with proper value for rectifier. Then bypasses with film cap.
Input signal wire replaced.
V-Cap OIMP output capacitors with film bypass.
All filter caps replaced/upgraded and bypassed with SoniCap.
9 pieces SoniCap, 2 pieces Theta AudioCap, 2 pieces V-Cap OIMP, 5 pieces power supply capacitors

Asking $650

OBO

Good question. Could it be gain issues?

Good to hear from you, Michael. That is quite a transition and hope it all goes well in the move and health wise too.

Scott, glad Rene is doing so well. The ladies are tougher sometimes than we are.

Getting old sucks. Glad I had my back fusion last July. It feels great not to be so limited.

Quote from: S Clark on May 18, 2026, 01:57:47 PM

Quote from: mresseguie on May 04, 2026, 04:37:53 PM

Quote from: S Clark on May 04, 2026, 06:28:46 AMGlad to hear your past most of the discomfort from surgery. 
My better half, Rene'e, will have an up close with Da Vinci in about 2 weeks. Truly amazing technology.

Scott,
Melody will also meet Da Vinci hands in about 3-plus weeks to have the kind of removal that only women can have. After watching my post op pain and suffering, she's damned near terrified of her post op experience. Her pain tolerance is much lower than mine.

Rene'e had her hysterectomy surgery Thursday and by Friday she has not had anything for pain... amazing.  She's taken it easy for the past several days, but we are going to dinner with friends this evening.   Hope Melody has an easy time of it as well. 

Great news! 👍🏼

Quote from: mresseguie on May 04, 2026, 04:37:53 PM

Quote from: S Clark on May 04, 2026, 06:28:46 AMGlad to hear your past most of the discomfort from surgery. 
My better half, Rene'e, will have an up close with Da Vinci in about 2 weeks. Truly amazing technology.

Scott,
Melody will also meet Da Vinci hands in about 3-plus weeks to have the kind of removal that only women can have. After watching my post op pain and suffering, she's damned near terrified of her post op experience. Her pain tolerance is much lower than mine.

Rene'e had her hysterectomy surgery Thursday and by Friday she has not had anything for pain... amazing.  She's taken it easy for the past several days, but we are going to dinner with friends this evening.   Hope Melody has an easy time of it as well. 

Hey Michael

I've had the Motherlode XL since the 6th. I have been running it betweenn 12-15 hours a day since. My opinion at this point is that it is a definite step up from the other tube preamps I have or have had in the system over the last couple of years.  The drawback for many would be the fact that it is a two piece design and that the wait time currently for any Aric model is over six months. Mine took four months, but as I had other options it wasn't that big of a deal.  Among the other preamps I have on had is one of the last Don Sachs DS-2's.