Would changing to a MC solve my problem?

lewm

All equipment concerned has been mentioned. I think you aren’t paying attention and/ or you aren’t familiar with the 2 integrated amps I’ve mentioned.

^^^^^^^^^ LOOK UP!^^^^^^^

Again: The former phono stage was a Musical Surroundings Phonomena, and now the Hegel V-10. I had this same issue with both the Hegel H390 and now with a Cary SLI-80HS.

The H390 specifications do not give the amplifier’s input sensitivity nor does it give the line stage gain figure (most likely just attenuation with no gain).  I would email Hegel to get the amp’s input sensitivity in order to gain match the source components.  On the surface, it sound like your cartridge output plus phono stage gain is not producing the appropriate voltage to drive your amp to full power.  

The H390 specifications do not give the amplifier’s input sensitivity nor does it give the line stage gain figure (most likely just attenuation with no gain).  I would email Hegel to get the amp’s input sensitivity in order to gain match the source components.  On the surface, it sound like your cartridge output plus phono stage gain is not producing the appropriate voltage to drive your amp to full power.  

I agree

I will ignore your silly riposte. I am not here to do homework. You mentioned the Cary once in one of your early posts, and I did respond to that by saying that most integrated amplifiers (like your Cary) do not add very much if any gain in their built in linestage sections and that lack of an additional boost in gain from your linestage might well be why you are dissatisfied with phono SPLs. As Noromance mentioned, you are getting a nominal 400mV output in signal voltage, with your current cartridge, from your Hegel via its MM stage, which has a robust gain quotient of 46db, when compared to other MM stages. The specs on your Cary indicate that it has a 450mV input sensitivity for full output, which is actually quite sensitive. But CDPs typically make 1V to 2V signal voltage. This accounts for why you may perceive a relative dropoff with analog. So, your alternatives are: buy another high output MM or MI cartridge that makes on the order of 4 or 5mV output (there are many good ones and that is cheaper than buying a new phono stage), or buy a new phono stage, but if you plan to keep the 2.4mV cartridge, you will need an MM stage with at least 50db gain to compete with your CDP (not easy to find), or buy an MC cartridge, or buy a linestage to feed the Cary, or any number of other things. Over and out.