Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

[JOEBACCA]

How does the rails of the X compare/differ EQ wise from the original D-activators with the hex poles. Are they similar or are the D-Activator X's completely different tone wise when compared to the original D-Activators ?

I've thought about using my 20% off pickups GC coupon online to get the D-Activator X Set for my Iceman ICT700. Any D-Activator X users out there that can tell me the pickups strengths and weakness (if any) would be much appreciated !!!

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

I can't speak for the bridge model, but I'm a huge fan of the D-AX neck. I've got two in two different guitars (one in my sig). It's cleans are great. Very lively, warm but crisp. It's even better with a fair amount of gain. Really open and smooth. Gets extremely buttery when you roll the tone down. Sounds exceptional in the higher frets. Gets a bit of a quacky attitude when split. I like it for Yngwie-esque runs.

When compared to the DA's, it sounds a lot less rigid. It feels more organic and versatile. The highs are a lot smoother and the midrange has a warmer feel to it.

If you can get over the fat rail look, they're some of the best pups out there for any style, IMO.

 

[JOEBACCA]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

Thanks for the reply Living Dead !!

I actually don't mind the rail look.....I can already picture a D-AX set in White with black rails in my Iceman. Good to here that the highs are smoother on the D-AXn in comparison to the original D-Activator Neck.....which was a little too sharp in the highs IMO. The D-Activator Bridge on the other hand was tight and punchy in the lows the mids were thick and the harmonics were some of the most aggressive of any passive pickup I've ever tried. I'm curious to hear how the D-AX compares to the original D-A.

 

[akio]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

My Xiphos came with the D-Activator X pickups stock, and pretty much everything TLD said about the neck is dead on. The bridge pickup, however, seems a bit too smooth and tame to me. Dimarzio's site shows the bridge EQ with much chopped highs compared to the regular D-Activator, and it shows especially when going for harmonics. I swapped in an X2N I had laying around, and that woke up the guitar big time.

The more I think about it, if you really are interested in a white bobbin DAX set, I'd be willing to trade you straight up for your DA set.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

Yeah, interestingly enough, I have an X2N paired with a D-AX in my other guitar. They compliment each other very well, tonally and visually.

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

Sorry to bump and old thread but I figured it'd help anyone looking at these. I had the set in my xiphos as well and I really didn't like them. I play older metal like MetallicA and Megadeth as well as Trivium. They were not what I wanted at all. They have a very big mid hump that's very noticeable. For that reason they sound very full but at the same time it's almost too much. Trying to play fast was hard to understand. Not mushy or muddy, just too much mids. Hard to explain but it's like Randy Rhoads playing thrash, his tone wouldn't work. I'm not sure what exactly these excel since thrash is mostly what I play. I have a Lawrence B&B L500L, L500XL, and L500R, dimarzio super distortion, the activator X set, duncan invader, duncan dimebucker, dean DMT dimetime, and EMG 81X. They all sound different but all except the invader, dimebucker, and activator X's are usable for me. I have mahogany set necks, mahogany with maple neck thru, and poplar with maple neck thru that I've tried them in.

Now with that said my set is for sale or trade. I'll make a thread on them, they're white with black rails and it's the bridge/neck set.

 

[akio]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

So you have the red XPT750 too?

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

So you have the red XPT750 too?

yup 09 limited edition, I'm thinking about getting a set of white duncan distortions for it. Also replacing all the black cosmos hardware with just black.

 

[akio]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

Heheh, I'm trying to wear all the cosmo crap off so it ends up as plain chrome. I'm about 30% there already...

 

[Chazzy]

Re: Dimarzio D-Activator X ???

what amp are you using?