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  • Actives with passive feel

    Hi all,

    There seems to be a trend for active pickups with a more passive tone and feel. I still love my EMG 81 for its unmatched tightness for high gain rhythm guitar. But sometimes I feel that because of its massive low cut (which basically is the reason for its tightness) there is just a bit too little left of the fundamental tone when playing chords, even simple power chords.

    EMG have released the Retro Active series, the Het Set and the Jim Root „Daemonum“ Set that are marketed as a combination of the best qualities of active and passive pickups. I ordered the Het Set and was pretty disappointed TBH. Okay, I‘m used to the ultra tight 81, but the Het Set just felt totally mushy and kind of bloated. Extremely high output, but tonewise „more passive than passive“ if you know what I mean.

    Has anyone tried the Daemonum Set or ceramic Retro Actives? And what do other pickup brands (Seymour Duncan, Fishman, DiMarzio etc.) have to offer?

    I am basically looking for a happy medium between the EMG 81 and a tight passive pickup like the Duncan Distortion.

  • #2
    Re: Actives with passive feel

    18 V mod or the BoneBreaker set?

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    • #3
      Re: Actives with passive feel

      Hi, i have the 57/66 set in a les paul style guitar, which i Think sounds great and very close to some good medium output humbucker, the output is about the same as the 81, but to my ears more organic, i play in a blues,Classic rock cover band where we play anything from bb King, Danish pop Music, and some Volbeat and have used that guitar there, before i Got my LP junior with p90 i like more for that kind of music

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      • #4
        Re: Actives with passive feel

        Option 1: 18V mod your current pickups for more headroom and clarity

        Option 2: Duncan LiveWire II's (if you can find them...probably won't satisfy your craving for that 81-esque punch, though)

        Option 3: Fishman Fluence (there's a reason why so many EMG dudes have jumped ship. Check out the "Modern" and Devin Townsend sets for an 81-esque tone in the bridge)

        Notes: The "BoneBreaker" set is just the 81 & 60A with green lettering sold in a set (confirmed with EMG directly). The 57/66 is like a more approachable Het set in some ways, but may not be quite what you're after.

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        • #5
          Re: Actives with passive feel

          When I was reseaeching the BB, I found that it is indeed based in the 81/60A, but with tweaked preamps and slightyl less output. Might be confirmation bias, but to me they sure sound different. While I couldn't stand the 81 on 9 V, I am quite OK with the BB on one battery. That is why I suggested it alongside the 18 V (which would be the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to tweak). Where did you see this confirmation?

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          • #6
            Re: Actives with passive feel

            Originally posted by nexion218 View Post
            Where did you see this confirmation?
            Straight from EMG when they first came out. I have posted about it in prior threads and there are comparisons on the net that further show they are the same.

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            • #7
              Re: Actives with passive feel

              Originally posted by Masta' C View Post
              Straight from EMG when they first came out. I have posted about it in prior threads and there are comparisons on the net that further show they are the same.
              Pff... Ears (and brains) are weird, huh? Still - just for my peace of mind - I'll stick to it that I like 'em better. I got the set on the cheap though because I had to repleace a fryed 81/85 set and wanted to keep an active EMG guitar in the bunch and this is what popped up.

              EDIT: I checked the EMG specs, all things seem to be the same except for current @9V: 400 vs 80 microamps
              Last edited by nexion218; 07-08-2020, 11:40 PM.

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              • #8
                Re: Actives with passive feel

                Thanks for your suggestions so far!

                Has anyone already tried the Jim Root "Daemonum" Set? I asked EMG and they told me that it's actually supposed to be an open-coil version of the 81 while the Het Set was developed from scratch and is more different, but the Het Set should be tighter than the Daemonum. That makes me a little hesitant to try the Daemonum, because the Het Set really didn't sound tight to me. And when it's actually tighter than the Daemonum... in fact I was shocked how bloated and mushy the Het sounded when I installed it. I checked the wiring 10x because initially I thought that I must've done something wrong, but I didn't. Well, who knows, maybe there was something wrong with the Set.
                Last edited by GrabtharsHammer; 07-08-2020, 11:46 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: Actives with passive feel

                  I don't think I've *ever* heard the Het set described as bloated and mushy! It's a bit thicker and hotter than the original 81/60, but still very tight.

                  Was the battery still good?

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                  • #10
                    Re: Actives with passive feel

                    Originally posted by nexion218 View Post
                    When I was reseaeching the BB, I found that it is indeed based in the 81/60A, but with tweaked preamps and slightyl less output. Might be confirmation bias, but to me they sure sound different. While I couldn't stand the 81 on 9 V, I am quite OK with the BB on one battery. That is why I suggested it alongside the 18 V (which would be the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to tweak). Where did you see this confirmation?
                    this description reminds me of the “X” preamp...
                    so maybe it’s just a 81x/60Ax then


                    the SD blackouts also fit the bill of more organic/passive feel. but with your description of the heds: don’t ever try the AHP-1 std. blackout. you will also be disappointed.
                    maybe the EMPTY/ AHP-3 though
                    Last edited by ToneFiddler; 07-09-2020, 12:28 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Actives with passive feel

                      Also -if I understand right- the lower current spec seems to back up the less compressed/lower output claim. Or does it? I'm really not the sharpest of knives with electronics...

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                      • #12
                        Re: Actives with passive feel

                        Originally posted by ToneFiddler View Post
                        this description reminds me of the “X” preamp...
                        so maybe it’s just a 81x/60Ax then


                        the SD blackouts also fit the bill of more organic/passive feel. but with your description of the heds: don’t ever try the AHP-1 std. blackout. you will also be disappointed.
                        maybe the EMPTY/ AHP-3 though
                        This was my first thought: the 81X seems to be exactly what is asked for here.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Actives with passive feel

                          Originally posted by ToneFiddler View Post
                          this description reminds me of the “X” preamp...
                          so maybe it’s just a 81x/60Ax then

                          Spec-wise, seems to be in between: current in line with the X, the rest with the regular 81. Would be cool if I knew what those specs mean exactly and what one should expect of them...

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                          • #14
                            Re: Actives with passive feel

                            Originally posted by nexion218 View Post
                            I checked the EMG specs, all things seem to be the same except for current @9V: 400 vs 80 microamps
                            Even that seems like a typo. Every other old instruction set and spec lists them as 80/3000hrs with some sets listed as 160/1500 under one pickup and nothing listed on the other.

                            I don’t have any knowledge as to what the differences are (if any) between the stock and KH set, just saying I don’t think the current draw spec is any indicator. I think it’s wrong.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Actives with passive feel

                              Originally posted by nexion218 View Post
                              Pff... Ears (and brains) are weird, huh? Still - just for my peace of mind - I'll stick to it that I like 'em better.
                              Green highlighters used to make CD's sound better. Maybe the green lettering is having the same affect. Everyone is talking about "going green."

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