Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

[Artie]

I keep seeing this. "LiveWire Metal's are loud." "EMG's with 18 volt mod are loud". Seems to me it would just change the relative position of the volume control on your amp. So now I'm wondering if folks mean something other than just SPL when they say this. Like maybe a "tonal" characterisitic.

What do you mean by "loud", when you characterize an active pickup? Inquiring minds want to know.

Artie

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

When I say Loud I mean more output, IE Clean volume will be higher if all ampop settings stay the same. I assume that others mean the same.

Side note (not directed @you, Artie) 18V EMGs are not in any way notably higher output than run with 9 volts, and going up to 27 still doesn´t have that effect. It only gives the preamp more headroom to work with, creating a more "open", "natural", less compressed Sound. Any output increase is minimal at best, and more likely a psychoacoustic effect than anything else.

Even EMG themselves state this on their site, and after having done this mod to literally hundreds of guitars over the years I fully agree with them. http://www.emgpickups.com/text/faq.html#BQ5

I kindly ask the people that have never used EMGs @18v to please stop perpetuating this BS. Thank you.

 

[Kac]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

When I say Loud I mean more output, IE Clean volume will be higher if all ampop settings stay the same. I assume that others mean the same.

+1
I can't wait till my loud Mustaine humbuckers get here!

ROck On!!!!

 

[Artie]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

When I say Loud I mean more output, IE Clean volume will be higher if all ampop settings stay the same. I assume that others mean the same.

Side note (not directed @you, Artie) 18V EMGs are not in any way notably higher output than run with 9 volts, and going up to 27 still doesn´t have that effect. It only gives the preamp more headroom to work with, creating a more "open", "natural", less compressed Sound. Any output increase is minimal at best, and more likely a psychoacoustic effect than anything else.

Even EMG themselves state this on their site, and after having done this mod to literally hundreds of guitars over the years I fully agree with them. http://www.emgpickups.com/text/faq.html#BQ5

I kindly ask the people that have never used EMGs @18v to please stop perpetuating this BS. Thank you.

That makes sense. I just couldn't help but wonder, if you run 500mv into an amp, and put the volume on "8", will that be different than if you run 5V's in, and set the amp on "2". I suppose it could depend on where the volume control is.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

The effect of 9v vs 18 v can be best deccribed as similar to the effect of a 50w head vs. the same head in 100w.... more open, more dynamic, less compressed, harder to get distortion in teh clean channel.....

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

Loud as in "why is this derned amp distorting so much all of a sudden?". Turning the amp gain or guitar volume down seems to equilize that. There does seem to be an effect though, when I get 'em at the same volume as passives that actives seem to be bigger sounding, and maybe subjectively louder due to the enhanced true bass and treble response.

 

[DonLduk]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

My question has never been replied: why do you want actives in a solid state amp? (which contains no tubes to be pushed to overdrive)

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

some possible (legit) answers:

Long cables
lots of effects or processors
hum reduction
liking the way they sound and /or look

 

[DonLduk]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

fair enough!

=)

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Relative to active pickups: Define "louder".

Lots of bass players run actives into SS amps for a cleaner, more articulate sound. I suppose this applies to us guitards too.