Are EMG-X really quieter than EMG?

[sevenstringj]

I noticed they have a higher signal-to-noise ratio, but is that simply because they have less output, or because they're quieter at the same gain? I'll rephrase that since I may be a little ignorant: If you adjust your amp to achieve the same amount of saturation with an EMG 85 or 85-X, will the 85-X have less noise/hiss?

 

[Gordan]

Yes, i`ve noticed that too. My EMG808 neck has more hiss/noise than EMG808X Bridge (in the same guitar).

 

[Augminished]

I have not noticed them being quieter.

Better sounding, yes. Less compressed, yes. But not quieter. I am sure it has to do with the new pre-amp and the amount of compression.

It makes sense that it would have less noise though.

 

[MF_Kitten]

I would imagine their peak output is higher, but because they are less compressed they also have less average output.

 

[frank falbo]

The gain is reduced by 6 dB. (2 resistors changed) which means the noise floor goes down. Then, that leaves 6dB more headroom on top before the preamp clips. It does not (AFAIK) mean higher peak voltage. They haven't gotten any more on the top end of the dynamic range. But you're right that there's a little more gap between a hypothetical "RMS" and the allowable peak. There is an impedance reducing resistor change as well at the end of the circuit, which could result in greater than a 6dB noise reduction under certain circumstances. This is also the reason for the special tone circuit.

 

[MF_Kitten]

The gain is reduced by 6 dB. (2 resistors changed) which means the noise floor goes down. Then, that leaves 6dB more headroom on top before the preamp clips. It does not (AFAIK) mean higher peak voltage. They haven't gotten any more on the top end of the dynamic range. But you're right that there's a little more gap between a hypothetical "RMS" and the allowable peak. There is an impedance reducing resistor change as well at the end of the circuit, which could result in greater than a 6dB noise reduction under certain circumstances. This is also the reason for the special tone circuit.

ah, thanks for the info man

 

[sevenstringj]

ah, thanks for the info man

Could you translate it for me? I mean, I'm guessing the answer to my question is no, because if you lower the preamp gain but then compensate by raising the overdrive or amp gain, you're basically back to square 1. Frankly, I never thought regular EMG's lacked dynamics. They always responded to pick attack and the volume knob.

 

[Augminished]

Could you translate it for me? I mean, I'm guessing the answer to my question is no, because if you lower the preamp gain but then compensate by raising the overdrive or amp gain, you're basically back to square 1. Frankly, I never thought regular EMG's lacked dynamics. They always responded to pick attack and the volume knob.

Its not pick attack or the volume knob. In fact the pick attack is part of the reason it lacks dynamics. If you play all the strings together on a clean channel you will here the amount of compression that they put out.

What he is saying is there is that the pickups do not clip as quickly as the old ones. They still hit the amp the same but it does not clip. Its like the 18 volt mod but a better more methodical version.

 

[MF_Kitten]

Could you translate it for me? I mean, I'm guessing the answer to my question is no, because if you lower the preamp gain but then compensate by raising the overdrive or amp gain, you're basically back to square 1. Frankly, I never thought regular EMG's lacked dynamics. They always responded to pick attack and the volume knob.

ok, so translating: basically, the pickups have 6 decibels lower output, so when the signal hits the preamp, you have 6 decibels more headroom before it gets so loud that the preamp clips.

edit:
Imagine you have a thing for pogo sticks. You're good at it, but you can only do it inside, because you're under house arrest. Unfortunately, your head is now hitting the ceiling because you are getting so good at it.
You want more headroom so you don't bang your head. Raising the roof would mess with the structure of the house, and it would make the floor upstairs too high. But there is no basement or space underneath the floor you're on, so you could just lower the floor by digging into the bedrock underneath.

So instead of raising the roof to get more headroom, you lower the floor!

 

[Rook]

^Nearly.

18V modding does exactly raise the celling.

Changing the gain of the preamps (a 6db reduction) makes your pogo stick less springy, so you don't bounce as high to begin with.

Same end result as 18v mod but quieter because you're peaking within the 9v constraint, not a above it or bouncing off it, so your average signal power will be lower (assuming the signal power is directly proportional to the integral of intensity with time).