so.. Active.... what's does it really mean?

[Mikio]

well, some might not know, but most of us do that there are basses with passive pick ups and active pre-amp... so I suppose there are active pick ups as well, and that they're a different thing

so what's the main difference between a bass with active pick ups and one with passive+active pre amp?

are there more settings?


thanks for anyone who takes the time to answer!

 

[Gasman]

I think almost all "active" basses have passive pups/active pres. I'm sure active pups exist, I've just never seen a bass with one.

 

[allexcosta]

so what's the main difference between a bass with active pick ups and one with passive+active pre amp?

The pickups...

are there more settings?

Yeah, there's:

- Passive pickups + passive electronics.
- Active pickups + passive electronics.
- Active pickups + active electronics.

 

[excane]

Passive pickups will sit in a corner all night, active pickups will be on the dance floor.

 

[MattAT]

Passive pickups will sit in a corner all night, active pickups will be on the dance floor.

nice one!

 

[allexcosta]

I'm sure active pups exist, I've just never seen a bass with one.

Now you have...

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[SpamBot]

Active pickups are just passive pickups with very few windings and a small active preamp in the housing, with pre-set gain, volume and EQ.

 

[allexcosta]

Active pickups are just passive pickups with very few windings and a small active preamp in the housing, with pre-set gain, volume and EQ.

Or like most of us like to say... Active pickups are those that won't work without a battery...

 

[takfar]

I think almost all "active" basses have passive pups/active pres. I'm sure active pups exist, I've just never seen a bass with one.

afaik, all EMGs, except the HZ series, are active pickups.

 

[bongomania]

To answer the most basic part of the question, "active" means it requires a power source, like a battery. It also means that there is a circuit somewhere in the device that works as a buffer, which is one of the basic functions of a preamp. A buffer lowers the output impedance and isolates the device from other loads in the circuit. It's usually called a "preamp" when it also is able to boost the output level a bit, or if there are tone controls.

 

[Mikio]

well, my question was poor, sorry... I was talking more about sound therms, what's the sound difference between the settings named above

- Passive pickups + passive electronics.
- Active pickups + passive electronics.
- Active pickups + active electronics.

I know Passive+Passive and Passive+Active, but I think I've never heard any Active+Active bass

 

[allexcosta]

well, my question was poor, sorry... I was talking more about sound therms, what's the sound difference between the settings named above



I know Passive+Passive and Passive+Active, but I think I've never heard any Active+Active bass

Every bass with EMG pickups and bass+treble controls is active+active, like all Spectors...

Active+active is more common than active+passive, but passive+active beats both.

 

[Ach]

Some active pickups are designed to sound with as flat as possible response: EMG.
The others offers unique tone which cannot be obtained with a passive design: Alembic.
Some are made just for marketing purpose (yes, i believe so): all active Seymour Duncan guitar pickups.

Benefits:
- better signal/noise ratio can be obtained.
- longer cable could be used.
- sound could be "hyped" as manufacturer wants.

Withdrawals:
- Need power source.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Active pickups are just passive pickups with very few windings and a small active preamp in the housing, with pre-set gain, volume and EQ.

Active pickups have internal preamps. They don't always have fewer turns on the coils. For example EMG's are high impedance pickups with preamps built in. They have just as many windings as most passive pickups.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I know Passive+Passive and Passive+Active, but I think I've never heard any Active+Active bass

Sure, just take a bass with EMG pickups, plus active tone controls. You can find that combination in many basses.

 

[Philbiker]

afaik, all EMGs, except the HZ series, are active pickups.

"EMG Select" pickups are passive.

 

[BadB]

I installed EMG active pickups in a Fender Aerodyne. The pickup set came with passive tone controls, so I threw them in. This is the only example of Active+Passive that I have ever seen, but I am sure there are others.

 

[allexcosta]

"EMG Select" pickups are passive.

There's no "EMG Selects", it's called "Select by EMG". Completely different...

 

[allexcosta]

I installed EMG active pickups in a Fender Aerodyne. The pickup set came with passive tone controls, so I threw them in. This is the only example of Active+Passive that I have ever seen, but I am sure there are others.

Every EMG active pickup comes with passive wiring because their pickups requires 25K pots. Many people find the sound to be good enough and keep the bass exactly like that. I've seen several basses with active EMG pickups and passive electronics...

 

[ga_edwards]

Ok, riddle me this...

The stock MEC's in my Thumb as as far as I'm aware active.

When I ordered my Corvette fretless, it was advertised as active, but came with MEC 'Dynamic Correction' p/ups that turned out to be passive. As such, with the preamp and in any positions other than both p/ups full on, it was noisy as hell. I got the p/ups switched over to the same MECs, and noise gone.

However, when the battery runs low and the volume drops, I can switch to the bypass mode and get full signal again. But surely truly active p/ups require power. So are these really active or not, or perhaps does bypassing the preamp feed the remaining juice to the p/ups?