SD Blackout vs EMG 81-X

[Aso]

So I picked up a EMG 81-X Tuesday and swapped it into my Model 5 that already had Blackouts installed. I picked up the EMG because I wanted to try out the new X series. I swapped out the bridge pickup and noticed that the output on the 81X is noticeably weaker then the Blackout in the neck position. Both pickups are adjusted to the same height and the only way to get the EMG to have the same sound output as the Blackout it has to raised all the way up to the strings. I find this odd and it has me wondering if the EMG and SD can't be mixed. I am going to swap back in the black out and install the 81x in one of my other model 5's.

[scandoslav]

I've been waiting for reviews of this matchup and am curious to see how it ends up playing out.

[P I K A]

I heard the x series is less output then the original 81 . Go to emg website and listen to clips.

[Sunbane]

I heard the x series is less output then the original 81 . Go to emg website and listen to clips.

There are only soundclips for the 81, 85, 60, SV and SA. EMG haven't updated their soundclips in years.

[etepbbb]

So I picked up a EMG 81-X Tuesday and swapped it into my Model 5 that already had Blackouts installed. I picked up the EMG because I wanted to try out the new X series. I swapped out the bridge pickup and noticed that the output on the 81X is noticeably weaker then the Blackout in the neck position. Both pickups are adjusted to the same height and the only way to get the EMG to have the same sound output as the Blackout it has to raised all the way up to the strings. I find this odd and it has me wondering if the EMG and SD can't be mixed. I am going to swap back in the black out and install the 81x in one of my other model 5's.

I'm sure the lower output is just a charcteristic of the new EMG. The only issue I would think could be a problem is if the new EMG uses different pots, then the now standard 25k ohm pots that the Blackouts and other EMG's use. I wouldn't think they'd change that, but I'd check the wiring instructions just out of curiousity.

[P I K A]

There are only soundclips for the 81, 85, 60, SV and SA. EMG haven't updated their soundclips in years.

Not true . Go to emg tv on their website and you will see the 81x demoed. along with a bunch of others including the 707;s (Loomis) .

[Sunbane]

Not true . Go to emg tv on their website and you will see the 81x demoed. along with a bunch of others including the 707;s (Loomis) .

You can't count those as proper sound clips. When Canella and Loomis play on EMG-TV, they play with different amp setups, and a really colored sound. That makes it impossible to do a fair sound comparison. The old soundclips were recorded under the same circumstances (even with the same guitar, IIRC), which actually makes them useful.

Canella's EMG-X demo is really cool though.

[KBRR]

Yeah his demo is pretty cool but his tone isn't the greatest

[Sunbane]

*nods* His tone sucks big-time.

[secks]

Strings vibrate a lot more at the neck area then they do at the bridge and normally bridge versions of the pickups have more output to compensate for this. Since EMGs are not seperately available as bridge and neck, you'd better lower your neck pickup.

[metalchurch79]

Do you have 25k pots wired to both pickups? A mismatch in pot values can cause problems.

[Aso]

Sorry, I was out of town the last week and forgot to check this thread. The documentation says the EMG X's use 25k ohm pots so that is the same as the blackouts.

I didn't know that the EMG X's have less output then the old ones. I thought they just fixed the EQ on them.

[scandoslav]

From what I understand it's a totally new preamp. I don't know if they played around with the magnets or winds or what-have-you.

Also you need to swap out your tone pot for an active tone. The passive tone (even the 25k) won't work right with the X series for reasons I can't remember.

[Aso]

Also you need to swap out your tone pot for an active tone. The passive tone (even the 25k) won't work right with the X series for reasons I can't remember.

The guitar is wired with the pots that came with the SD Blackouts so I would think that would be ok. I will have to go through the instructions again and check for that.

[DrJackson]

Strings vibrate a lot more at the neck area then they do at the bridge and normally bridge versions of the pickups have more output to compensate for this. Since EMGs are not seperately available as bridge and neck, you'd better lower your neck pickup.

Is a very logical response! I agree
a pickup must be compared in the same guitar, in the same potition with the same set-up

I had a EMG81 on my DKMG dinky, then switched to a passive SD Invader I realized the real lack of tone of the EMG (an even less output than the SD) later I probe the Blackout in a friend's DK2M, while does not sounds as good as the Invader (in my opinion) sounds incredibly better EMG81

Sorry, I was out of town the last week and forgot to check this thread. The documentation says the EMG X's use 25k ohm pots so that is the same as the blackouts.

I didn't know that the EMG X's have less output then the old ones. I thought they just fixed the EQ on them.

Duncan said that EMG has problems in the design of his preamps, and when EMG created the X series they confirmed that this was true, but seems that EMG trying to make a more "organic" pickup decreased output

I think that SD finded the best way to manufacture Active preamp but EMG can`t do it in the same way because SD did it first

So while the X series would sound better that the olders, it does not sounds better than an SD