What is the difference between active and passive pickups?

[darthphineas]

Re: What is the difference between active and passive pickups?

That's why you can't compare all actives to all passives. The Fluence and EMGs are two different things. As DavidRavenMoon says, an EMG is two high wind coils feeding two sides of an op amp, while an Fishman Fluence, I was assume, is a "low wind" coil whose signal is "modeled" or "shaped". They voice Fluences to sound like passive pickups, but EMG's just have a unique sound unto themselves. I'm sure there are more differences than that, but this much is readily apparent.

Fluence pickups are really "wound" in the more traditional sense, so "low wind" may or may not be a good reference point. I might have missed it, but didn't you say that you tried the Modern set and then realized you wanted the Classic set?

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: What is the difference between active and passive pickups?

That's why you can't compare all actives to all passives. The Fluence and EMGs are two different things. As DavidRavenMoon says, an EMG is two high wind coils feeding two sides of an op amp, while an Fishman Fluence, I was assume, is a "low wind" coil whose signal is "modeled" or "shaped". They voice Fluences to sound like passive pickups, but EMG's just have a unique sound unto themselves. I'm sure there are more differences than that, but this much is readily apparent.

I actually don't know how "high wind" the 81 really is. I've been told that it's actually not that high output of a pickup, it just has a really pronounced midrange that gives the impression that it's a high output pickup.

 

[PicoRiveraTele]

Re: What is the difference between active and passive pickups?

I actually don't know how "high wind" the 81 really is. I've been told that it's actually not that high output of a pickup, it just has a really pronounced midrange that gives the impression that it's a high output pickup.

Someone actually ripped one open and looked http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/2012/06/active-pickups-how-do-emg-do-it.html 5,700 turns of 42 AWG. I'd bet you an EMG could double as a passive pickup if they had wired it to allow for that option. Of course, your controls pots are all valued for the low impedance pre amp, so that would be kind of a waste of time anyhow.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: What is the difference between active and passive pickups?

Someone actually ripped one open and looked http://revolutiondeux.blogspot.com/2012/06/active-pickups-how-do-emg-do-it.html 5,700 turns of 42 AWG. I'd bet you an EMG could double as a passive pickup if they had wired it to allow for that option. Of course, your controls pots are all valued for the low impedance pre amp, so that would be kind of a waste of time anyhow.

Hi, Lee!

 

[greekdude]

Re: What is the difference between active and passive pickups?

I actually don't know how "high wind" the 81 really is. I've been told that it's actually not that high output of a pickup, it just has a really pronounced midrange that gives the impression that it's a high output pickup.

My DMZ Super Dist (bridge), my DMZ blaze-7 (bridge), and my EMG 85 (bridge) all of them *DESTROY* the 81 in the bridge. Only my DMZ fast track2 feels weaker than the 81.