EMG sounds way more compressed with heavy gain. Good or bad depending on what you like. I've never used active pickups but was really impressed when swapping out my stock pickups for D Activators.
I was so frustrated when using Emg81 before, it feels like i hit a wall when picking hard. I quickly miss the dynamic and headroom of a passive pickup.
Wow...The Dimarzio is much cleaner and more articualte...and Ive used the 81 forever to this day. I play heavy stuff...melodic death metal. That Dimarzio sounds too awesome
Swapped the stock pickups for the D Activator and i love it (Bridge Pickup)! Really really tight, not to harsh but very clear! And the dynamic range is absolutely phenomenal.
I love the D Activator. The tightest, clearest, slickest passive humbucker. I still love EMGs too though, although in the meantime, I largely switched to the Het Set, 57/66 and the Retro Actives, which are all brilliant.
I have EMGs in 2 of my guitars but my Ibanez has quantums so I decided to leave that guitar as a passive but considering replacing the bridge. I've been looking into the D Activators, D Activator X, and the X2N. Appreciate the comparison. I watch a lot of them quite a bit.
Your comparisons are the best, thank you! Could you please test some Wilkinson and Tonerider pickups? They're cheaper but some of them sound surprisingly good
I own both D Activator and lots of EMG 81 on different guitars. Emg 81 has more output/sustain/compression/distortion. At 1:03 with clean sound, you can clearly ear the real difference between these 2 PU. Personally, for aggressive Metal riffs I think EMG 81 is superior. If you need more flexibility or a dry/definite sound, for example for a 7 string Korn/type sound, DiMarzio is better.
will have the D Activator Bridge and Neck insalled soon. Are they spilttable? Thanks for this great comparison. Love them. John 5 uses them on one on his teles with Montley Crew at the moment. I also install them on a tele of mine with a wilkinson frem. cant wait.
D activator is my best pick up passive that i taste, thank's for compare with another pick up. Good sound too! what profile do you use. Compagny or yours amp?
Despite what internet says about active pickup, I can't find anything bad about 81. It is easy to find a good tone from it especially with hi gain amp. But I don't want 81 on all my guitars so D activator is what interest me at the moment. Because it sounds close to 81.
It's always better to avoid that kind of generic internet statements about general tone and get your own conclusions by trying for yourself or maybe by watching different demos with different gear contexts. Some tones would work for you and not for other people, or viceversa. Guitar tone is a very personal question.
Hello Mike!! I have a question: Im planning to install the D Activators in my mahogany Ibanez, so Dimarzio recommend me to install the D neck in my Ibby bridge, then it would be the same in the neck obviously (bass). As the 81 is a bridge pickup, did you do the neck and bridge comparison with the EMG with specific neck and bridge D Dimarzios? Thank you so much in advance.
In this comparison both are bridge versions of the pickup. In case of your D Activator neck on bridge, I tend to prefer using neck versions on bridge because they have less output and tone is more "workable" for me somehow. More versatile for what I need for my music. Just an opinion there, :)
The thing is that I would like to get M Romeo tone and I am afraid that a Tone Zone in neck position would be very bassy and X2N in the bridge too hot... As he used before two EMG 81 and the D Activator is its "clone" I would put two neck D Activators neck for both positions... Or install the classic Ibanez combo TZ / Air Norton. Any suggestions? Thank you so much, your comparison videos are a big help for players. Great work.
EMG because it has the bar pole pieces under the cover. The round polepiesesnlose a tiny bit of volume when you bend. Also, the compression in the EMG's maybe makes the pinch harmonics sound more even. Put both of these together and it's probably the EMG's. This is theory though... I haven't tried D Activators yet.
I’ve tried active pickups multiple times. I had Fishmans in multiple guitars and so far medium output passive pickups always do the job better. There’s just a better feel and dynamic to boosting a “PAF” style pickup. Right now my tele has shawbuckers and my Charvel has a full shred and they are awesome sounding guitars on any amp.
I like the dimarzios in certain applications but I feel they are a bit high on the treble end. If they could maintain that treble while also introducing a little more mids and bass, they’d hit the pinnacle of passive metal humbucker pickups
Thanks for these videos! Do you think you'll ever get a Seymour Duncan Invader or SD Omega to try? I've been curious how those two would stack against the others. Also I love how straight forward the comparisons are.
I actually feel the complete opposite, the emgs sounded fuller in clean to my ears, more low end presence....which is why I was SHOCKED to hear such clarity in the low mids from the Dactivators, sounded to me punchier and heavier in the distortion and a little thinner in the cleans.
I have six Mesa Boogie riggs a Bogner and a Soldano the DiMarzio D Activators hands down it's like it almost makes you play better articulates the notes
Im only here because I was looking at getting EMGs and then I learned all 3 Whitechapel guitarist use D Activators. After hearing this I think im going DiMarzio
A case of deceived ears for a brighter sound. If you want British grit then go for d activator, emg is for more fuller warmer sound. I will always prefer emgs over any pickup. Once you get into the emg x’s nothing compares.
Ok, so on clean DiMarzio doesn't sound really well... it's too sharp and theres so much high tones. EMG makes it much better. BUT OMG, at distorsion D activator is a killer! It sound incredible! I checked priece and I was shocked, 285 PLN for DiMarzio while EMG 81 costs about 420 PLN. EMG is almost 50% more expensive. I have a guitar with passive pickups and the installation of active pickups would be hard and very irritating, that comprarement helped me decide to put that DiMarzio there
your guys need to have your freaking ears check dimarzio sound richer then the 81? the m81 is a littler warmer then the d-act if you listen and it richer the only one that could beat the m81 are the dimarzio evo
The DiMarzio sounds richer with greater clarity. And the best part is it doesn't need batteries to beat that EMG!
I dont really understand why the battery is the hardest part to overcome with EMG. You play hours and hours and then snap new battery in. Pretty easy
Nothing to get about the battery. It's just an extra step. And trust me side by side comparisons and the EMGs sound hollow.
@@nickharper8145 I use both of them and they do just fine
@@raakareiska9804 its called Lazyness and "Old Man Yelling at the Clouds" mentality ;)
Who the fuck cares about some battery you need to change 2x a year at max ...
The clarity of the D is insane!!
I was genuinely surprised
The DiMarzio activators are awesome I love EMG 81 as well.
I am definitely going to give the DiMarzio activators a shot
Really blown away by the D Activator in this comparison.
EMG sounds way more compressed with heavy gain. Good or bad depending on what you like. I've never used active pickups but was really impressed when swapping out my stock pickups for D Activators.
I was so frustrated when using Emg81 before, it feels like i hit a wall when picking hard. I quickly miss the dynamic and headroom of a passive pickup.
Man the DiMarzio sounds good. Going to have to get them.
With the DiMarzio D Activators I have found the holy grail of exchange-pickups!
Wow...The Dimarzio is much cleaner and more articualte...and Ive used the 81 forever to this day.
I play heavy stuff...melodic death metal.
That Dimarzio sounds too awesome
hey bro, did you managed to try the dimarzios? i have always praised the 81s.. but damn after hearing this my mind has changed
Swapped the stock pickups for the D Activator and i love it (Bridge Pickup)! Really really tight, not to harsh but very clear! And the dynamic range is absolutely phenomenal.
I love the D Activator. The tightest, clearest, slickest passive humbucker. I still love EMGs too though, although in the meantime, I largely switched to the Het Set, 57/66 and the Retro Actives, which are all brilliant.
Yeah, the 57/66TW with coil split (even though they aren't really split) are pretty awesome!
Did you compare with Nazgul, Black winter or how dou you compare? With which passive humbucker do you compare? Why the clearest passive Humbucker?
both are good and have specific tone! no win or lose but it back to your taste
I had an Ibanez DTT-700 with Dimarzio Active-X's and it sounded great...... the cleans were so crisp and clear
I'm never a brand loyalist with anything but basically DiMarzio makes the best pickups period. Every other brand is stinky.
💥💥💥💥Absolutely the Dimarzio💥💥💥💥
I have EMGs in 2 of my guitars but my Ibanez has quantums so I decided to leave that guitar as a passive but considering replacing the bridge. I've been looking into the D Activators, D Activator X, and the X2N. Appreciate the comparison. I watch a lot of them quite a bit.
Your comparisons are the best, thank you! Could you please test some Wilkinson and Tonerider pickups? They're cheaper but some of them sound surprisingly good
I have one of those 20 dollars WIlkinson PAF in the neck of one of my superstrats. it sounds amazing....as good as the duncan 59.
Can you please do a Super Distortion vs EMG 81 too?
I own both D Activator and lots of EMG 81 on different guitars. Emg 81 has more output/sustain/compression/distortion. At 1:03 with clean sound, you can clearly ear the real difference between these 2 PU. Personally, for aggressive Metal riffs I think EMG 81 is superior. If you need more flexibility or a dry/definite sound, for example for a 7 string Korn/type sound, DiMarzio is better.
D Activator just sounds less compressed and cleaner. D Activator is the clear winner.
Wait a second! From what im hearing here, I need to get a couple of these D Activators now. Damn. Here gies pay-day
Very good video thank you.
Holy shit...getting my ear phones out for this one and you even nailed the first obvious comparison.
I know you waited for D Activator comparisons! :)
will have the D Activator Bridge and Neck insalled soon. Are they spilttable? Thanks for this great comparison. Love them. John 5 uses them on one on his teles with Montley Crew at the moment. I also install them on a tele of mine with a wilkinson frem. cant wait.
They are splittable, as they have four wires, and they sound really great. I have them actually installed on one of my guitars with split option.
@@mikestamper great, thanks. Im on a Tele John 5 Project. without the kill switch
D activator is my best pick up passive that i taste, thank's for compare with another pick up. Good sound too! what profile do you use. Compagny or yours amp?
mmm ... the D Activator in my BC Rich Mockingbird ST ain't going nowhere! Right in my price range for once haha! :D
Same pickups in my Bich. I fucking love the sound out of it. Cheers B.C. Rich guitarist.
Despite what internet says about active pickup, I can't find anything bad about 81. It is easy to find a good tone from it especially with hi gain amp. But I don't want 81 on all my guitars so D activator is what interest me at the moment. Because it sounds close to 81.
It's always better to avoid that kind of generic internet statements about general tone and get your own conclusions by trying for yourself or maybe by watching different demos with different gear contexts. Some tones would work for you and not for other people, or viceversa. Guitar tone is a very personal question.
Was that some agalloch I heard?
Hello Mike!! I have a question: Im planning to install the D Activators in my mahogany Ibanez, so Dimarzio recommend me to install the D neck in my Ibby bridge, then it would be the same in the neck obviously (bass). As the 81 is a bridge pickup, did you do the neck and bridge comparison with the EMG with specific neck and bridge D Dimarzios?
Thank you so much in advance.
In this comparison both are bridge versions of the pickup. In case of your D Activator neck on bridge, I tend to prefer using neck versions on bridge because they have less output and tone is more "workable" for me somehow. More versatile for what I need for my music. Just an opinion there, :)
The thing is that I would like to get M Romeo tone and I am afraid that a Tone Zone in neck position would be very bassy and X2N in the bridge too hot... As he used before two EMG 81 and the D Activator is its "clone" I would put two neck D Activators neck for both positions... Or install the classic Ibanez combo TZ / Air Norton.
Any suggestions?
Thank you so much, your comparison videos are a big help for players. Great work.
What about pinch harmonics. I want to know which one sounds and is easiest
Both will get you there but EMGs are hotter so you may have an easier time, relatively speaking
EMG because it has the bar pole pieces under the cover. The round polepiesesnlose a tiny bit of volume when you bend. Also, the compression in the EMG's maybe makes the pinch harmonics sound more even.
Put both of these together and it's probably the EMG's. This is theory though... I haven't tried D Activators yet.
Honestly they are both just as good as eachother, got D Activators in my soloist and emg81/85 in my rrxmg, I probably use the soloist more though.
D Activator sounds clearer and more wide.
Dimarzios all the way! I use Super D's myself
I’ve tried active pickups multiple times. I had Fishmans in multiple guitars and so far medium output passive pickups always do the job better. There’s just a better feel and dynamic to boosting a “PAF” style pickup. Right now my tele has shawbuckers and my Charvel has a full shred and they are awesome sounding guitars on any amp.
"Full shred" you mean what? Is it a pickup model or something?
first result with google@@yow_shadow
I like the dimarzios in certain applications but I feel they are a bit high on the treble end. If they could maintain that treble while also introducing a little more mids and bass, they’d hit the pinnacle of passive metal humbucker pickups
That's what your tone control and the treble knob are for. It's easy to tame high end, it's much, much harder to introduce clarity or dynamics.
EMG for me
Thx for doing this! However d activator sounds nothing like an active pickup xD
I kind of like the grit and dirtyness of emg. It sounds synthetic l like it!
The D Acts are just easier..set and forget.
Thanks for these videos!
Do you think you'll ever get a Seymour Duncan Invader or SD Omega to try? I've been curious how those two would stack against the others. Also I love how straight forward the comparisons are.
I hope so, Matte!! I'm interested on both models for the future. Hope to have a chance to test them. Also, thank you for your feedback! :)
@@mikestamper You're welcome!
in clean: D activator > EMG 81
in distortion: D activator
I actually feel the complete opposite, the emgs sounded fuller in clean to my ears, more low end presence....which is why I was SHOCKED to hear such clarity in the low mids from the Dactivators, sounded to me punchier and heavier in the distortion and a little thinner in the cleans.
@@JSG-mw4qr yeah Dactivators were punchy, but you know the feel that i get from emg was what i described 😬
The D Activators sound brighter and the clarity is more pronounced. I like EMGs too, but the can be a little much especially on the clean tones
I have six Mesa Boogie riggs a Bogner and a Soldano the DiMarzio D Activators hands down it's like it almost makes you play better articulates the notes
Im only here because I was looking at getting EMGs and then I learned all 3 Whitechapel guitarist use D Activators. After hearing this I think im going DiMarzio
To me: EMG wins clear tone. DiMarzio destroys on distort tone.
Honestly prefer the emgs to my surprise. Lots of noise on the d activators. I usually perfer passives
obvius d activator wins, thanks for keep doing this videos man, saludos
I’m a emg guy. But those
Domarzio sounded better !!!
For the cleans the DiMarzio.
For the dirt the EMG.
DiMarzio D-Activator wins every high gain comparison.
I love the EMG 81 but in this video the D Activator wins.
When a passive emulating an active beats the active lol. The D'Activator wins!
A case of deceived ears for a brighter sound. If you want British grit then go for d activator, emg is for more fuller warmer sound. I will always prefer emgs over any pickup. Once you get into the emg x’s nothing compares.
Oh wait this is the original D Activator. For some reason I thought it was the X. New one.
Ok, so on clean DiMarzio doesn't sound really well... it's too sharp and theres so much high tones. EMG makes it much better.
BUT
OMG, at distorsion D activator is a killer! It sound incredible! I checked priece and I was shocked, 285 PLN for DiMarzio while EMG 81 costs about 420 PLN. EMG is almost 50% more expensive. I have a guitar with passive pickups and the installation of active pickups would be hard and very irritating, that comprarement helped me decide to put that DiMarzio there
D wins
CLEAN VS GAIN.......
EMG sounds like the dactivator put on 20lbs (in the wrong spots) and has a stuffy nose
Did I hear some Maiden....?? ;-p
EMGは音がぼやけてる
ディマジオを使うなら d activator または tone zone かな
your guys need to have your freaking ears check dimarzio sound richer then the 81? the m81 is a littler warmer then the d-act if you listen and it richer the only one that could beat the m81 are the dimarzio evo
The Activator wins cleans. EMG wins distortion lol
Its's like System of a Down vs Metallica lol
Am I the only one who didn’t like the D activators in this vid? 😅
EMG sound like ass. That's why I switch to D Activators many years ago and never looked back.
The clean tones and overall warmth are non existant, they both basically sound like a tin can