Interesting!
Well, I try to "balance" out my basses in output levels, and My MTD doesn't seem to be that much louder than my other basses with it boosted this way, but this might also be affected by pickup height and other stuff. I'll recheck a few basses against my MTD tonight tho just to be sure. Keep in mind, I always gain balance with the bass's EQ set flat. As soon as you start boosting EQ, especially the bass, you gotta' turn your volume or amp/board input gain down.
Also, on the battery drain, it makes sense that the battery will drain faster if the preamp is putting out a hotter signal, but for me, gain matching is more important than getting a few extra gigs out of my batteries. I don't wanna' have to reset my amp's input gain or affect FOH sound when I switch basses between sets, which is something I typically do (for various reasons).
Bottom line is, set the gain on the MTD to match up optimally for your use. For me, it was about 50%. If 25% works best for you, there's nothing wrong with that just cause it's not as much as I use.
Actually, I didn't try to match the gain of the MTD to my other bass. Since this is the only electric I have right now, but I was trying to reach that point where the bass sounds 'hottest' without peaking. For that very warm tone. I boost the low EQ halfway while doing this, coz I want to have some 'room' to boost the EQs when I need them. Without having to turn down the volume after doing that, like you mentioned. Coz I almost always boost the lows. Also I strike the string harder than usual, just incase at one time I need to do so.
Interestingly, when I recorded the bass (will post the clip later) with the signal peaking all from start to end on the recording, and the sound is a bit distorded in my headphones, when I played back, there's no distorted B-String's there. Only the Fat-Warm lows. I love that sound.
So I guess this way, with this setting, I won't be having trouble mot being heard or over heard during live performace that usually involved a big amp rig, and big speakers.
One thing I like most about the MTD is their 'Full Range' frequency coverage, the sound of the bass played accoustically is the same as when it's plugged in, including the highs, which could be too much, and that's why most of us turn our Highs all the way when the bass has new strings.
In this case, most people will think that this is bad, but not to me, I talked with the guys at Aero Pickups, also with Brian Bromberg (whose also a producer, and has Bartolnis on his Bass), and they said this is actually a great thing. 'You can't cut or boost what's not there', said Brian, that's what all the High-End gears in the studio, also the EQ control on your bass is for.
Bottom line, this is why you spend $3000 on a bass for, the Sound... Plus, you can tailor that 'inherent' tone the wood and the strings gave with the combination of the EQs, Preamp gain, and Pickup balance. And the feel of MTDs are also amazing, I can't believe it's a 35inch, 19mm spacing bass. So comfortable.
