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EMG Verse EMGX

#2
X by a mile, they just sound clearer and more natural. it's the same coils, just with a newer, higher headroom preamp.
 
#4
I've been wondering this myself. I'm looking to replace the EMG's I have in my P and I was thinking about the X's. but after thoughtful consideration, I think I'm going with the Delano's. The thick pole set. They look awesome. Wish I could hear them.
 
#6
To me, the X's sound much like the non-X's except with more treble and more low lows. Others really dig them but I ended up preferring the non-X's. Either way it's all good. To this day EMG's are the only actives I like.
 
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#7
OK, so what I'm getting is the pickups are the same, but the preamp has been changed. So let me ask this? Right now my bass has EMG PJ pick-ups and a mike pope pre-amp, changing the pickups to (EMGX)and not the preamp will do nothing new for my sound other then having a x on the pickup cover. Do I have this right? Thank you all again for the help.
 
#9
jbohannon said:
OK, so what I'm getting is the pickups are the same, but the preamp has been changed. So let me ask this? Right now my bass has EMG PJ pick-ups and a mike pope pre-amp, changing the pickups to (EMGX)and not the preamp will do nothing new for my sound other then having a x on the pickup cover. Do I have this right? Thank you all again for the help.
Click to expand...

No, that's not right. There's a big difference between active pickups and what is referred to as an active bass.

EMG's active pickups - including your PJ set - have a small preamp inside the pickup. This accomplishes a few things that are different from standard non-active pickups. Not necessarily better, but different.
It allows them to use much weaker magnets, which exert less magnetic pull on the strings. Generally allows more sustain than standard pickups, though maybe not real noticeable.

The pickups are very thoroughly shielded internally, making for a very quiet system that does not require a bridge/string ground; this in turn also eliminates the common shock hazard of touching your lips to a poorly grounded microphone and having it "find" grounding through your lips/face/hands/bass/amp. If you've ever experienced this, you will value it. A lot. There seem to be a lot of bar stages out there that were wired by a carpenter. This can be a painful experience at best, and under rare but possible circumstances it can make you very dead.

The internal preamp allows EMG to have an extra element for building the pickup's tone, beyond magnets/windings/bar material, etc.

The term active bass usually refers to a bass that has a preamp that is separate from the pickups which incorporates active tone controls, allowing you to boost or cut specific range frequencies (bass, mid, treble) rather than only cutting treble as a passive tone control does.

EMG X pickups use an internal preamp with a different voicing, so an EMG PJX set will sound different from an EMG PJ set, even with the same external preamp (Like your Pope preamp).
 
#12
i generally dislike active pups...however recently picked up a Frank Bello Signature P/J that has the EMG active X P/J set installed.....i was going to swap them out for passive....but after trying them out at band practice this weekend...wow....i cut through a very dense mix (Double bass and a Mesa Triple rec at a much lower volume than normal)....love the mid-range burp in these pups!
 
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