# IMPORTANT infos about new EMG X series



## mrhankey87 (Aug 18, 2009)

Recently, I emailed guitarpartsdepot about the new EMG X series, questioning them if there was any tonal difference between the standard ones, or some output difference.

their answer was:

"The difference between the X series pickups is that the X series is solder less.

The regular non X series pickups need to be soldered.

The X series pickups can not be mixed or matched with the regular non X series pickups."

So, YOU CAN'T mix, for example, an 81X with an 85.


EDIT:
second email from them "No tonal difference between the 2, but I forgot to mention that there is
high output, for more gain, approximately 20db, for the X series."

anyone of you has tried the new X series? 

Love and Music
Francesco from Italy


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## TomAwesome (Aug 18, 2009)

mrhankey87 said:


> Recently, I emailed guitarpartsdepot about the new EMG X series, questioning them if there was any tonal difference between the standard ones, or some output difference.
> 
> their answer was:
> 
> ...



I'm sure there's more to it than that. They're supposed to have the same kinds of differences that Blackouts have compared to regular EMGs. That bit about the soldering is good to know, though.


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## asmegin_slayer (Aug 18, 2009)

I just got the new guitar world magazine yesterday that did a review on these pickups, the cons i believe said that the wiring is actually different, I'll look back to make sure...


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## BrainArt (Aug 18, 2009)

The majority of EMGs line is now solderless. I'm pretty sure you can mix and match if you want, if you want to try email the EMG tech and ask if that can be done.

And Tom is correct, the new X Series is EMGs answer to the Blackout.


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## mrhankey87 (Aug 18, 2009)

asmegin_slayer said:


> I just got the new guitar world magazine yesterday that did a review on these pickups, the cons i believe said that the wiring is actually different, I'll look back to make sure...



could you please tell me what the review said? please.


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## MF_Kitten (Aug 19, 2009)

i believe they "fixed" the headroom issues with these. i´d say they probably lowered the pickup output so that the signal stays below the compression threshold of the preamp, but then they say there is 20 db more gain, which sounds insane... i have no idea what to make of that.


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## sevenstringj (Aug 19, 2009)

asmegin_slayer said:


> I just got the new guitar world magazine yesterday that did a review on these pickups



Cough it up! 

Though I suppose I can go to the drug store and "browse" the magazines. 

OK, no Guitar World at my drug store or grocery. asmegin_slayer, you're just gonna have to spill the beans.


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## cyril v (Aug 19, 2009)

uploading the file from the disc right now...

http://www.sendspace.com/file/qd686b

wtf do they mean "you don't have to solder them"? wtf? "only solder them to the pickup selector".?

edit: am i allowed to post this? if not, someone shoot me a pm and i'll take this down, I'm not totally sure.


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## mrhankey87 (Aug 19, 2009)

cyril v said:


> uploading the file from the disc right now...
> 
> Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!
> 
> ...



Thank you.

Now I know that I don't like them


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## sevenstringj (Aug 19, 2009)

The cleans sounded gorgeous.  The high gain stuff sounded alright; I think he had too much bass in the sound. But you can tell they're smooth and articulate.  But he didn't pause at all during the high gain part, so we didn't get to hear whether they're any quieter than the regular EMGs.


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## asmegin_slayer (Aug 19, 2009)

sevenstringj said:


> Cough it up!
> 
> Though I suppose I can go to the drug store and "browse" the magazines.
> 
> OK, no Guitar World at my drug store or grocery. asmegin_slayer, you're just gonna have to spill the beans.



SORRY!! lol

This is what guitar world says:

The Cons: X Series Must be used with the new wiring system


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## sevenstringj (Aug 19, 2009)

asmegin_slayer said:


> This is what guitar world says:
> 
> The Cons: X Series Must be used with the new wiring system





That's it? That's their whole review?  (I'm guessing the rest just parrots EMG's hype.)

Shit, I'm sorry you pay for a subscription.


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## asmegin_slayer (Aug 19, 2009)

sevenstringj said:


> That's it? That's their whole review?  (I'm guessing the rest just parrots EMG's hype.)
> 
> Shit, I'm sorry you pay for a subscription.



no no, it was the pros/cons box, there is a full review, i just have to scan it... I'm not going to type it out lol..

Besides i only paid $12 for the whole year on guitar world... It's good toilet reading


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## mrhankey87 (Aug 19, 2009)

asmegin_slayer said:


> no no, it was the pros/cons box, there is a full review, i just have to scan it... I'm not going to type it out lol..
> 
> Besides i only paid $12 for the whole year on guitar world... It's good toilet reading



please, could you scan it? it would be awesome.


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## asmegin_slayer (Aug 19, 2009)

mrhankey87 said:


> please, could you scan it? it would be awesome.



I'll see if there is a scanner at work in the morning...


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## TomAwesome (Aug 19, 2009)

They sound a bit nicer, but they still don't do much for me. The clean and mid gain tones didn't sound like anything that couldn't easily be surpassed with a decent set of passives, and the high gain sounded only slightly better than a typical 81. It was a little hard to tell much on the high gain channel, though.



sevenstringj said:


> The cleans sounded gorgeous.  The high gain stuff sounded alright; I think he had too much bass in the sound. But you can tell they're smooth and articulate.  But he didn't pause at all during the high gain part, so we didn't get to hear whether they're any quieter than the regular EMGs.



Also, it seems like he had his mids at 0 at that point, so all that could really be heard were the highs and lows.


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## cyril v (Aug 20, 2009)

i'll just type it out as i read it, haven't gotten around to that yet. 
-----------------------------------


*EMG X-Series 81-X / 85-X*

EMG has dominated the active pickup market for more than 30 years. High-gain players in particular revel in the unique way EMGs clarify, seperate and enhance the harmonic spectrum. EMG has it's detractors, too, who most often cite EMGs as being cold, compressed and sterile.

EMGs response to these critics is the new X-series. It utilizes a fresh pre-amp design that offers a more dynamic response while it preserves the sustain, EQ and original character of each pickup model. This preamp isn't the only update; each X series pickup now comes with EMG's revolutionary solderless connection system, which makes installation, system modification and maintenence incredibly swift and simple. Most of EMG's more popular pickups are available as an "X" type, but for this review I focused on the 81X and 85X.

*FEATURES*
Aside from the new X series logo, everything about the EMG-81x and EMG-85x looks the same. The pickups are still sealed in EMG's special epoxy resin and feature the three-pin connector on the bottom. To use the X Seroes pickups, you will have to install the supplied solderless system. Essentially, all of the wires plug into a small terminal buss that distributes power and signal between the pickups, selector switch, jack and pots. The pots now have pin-type connectors on the underside just like the pickups. And the new tone pot is active, relieving the need for a capacitor between the volume and tone controls.

*PERFORMANCE*
The identifiable personality of each pickup model is still present, but the X-ypes offer increased seperation between the renowned overtones and less of that preamp-born chorusing effect. This comes through as a more hollow and open sound. Dynamics are improved by about 20 percent over the originals, offering a greater variation in volume and gain along with a much quicker response time. Although far less compressed, these new picks also seem to have more sustain, most likely because the redesigned pre-amp now allows the amp's first gain stage to react to it's full potential.

*THE BOTTOM LINE*
EMG's X-series pickups are dynamic and sound natural. Just as exciting is the new solderless connection system, which all but eliminates the need to ever heat up your iron. If you love EMG sounds but want more control over output and response, the X Series is for you.

*Pros*: ultra fast response time,l solderless connection system
*Cons*: X-series must be used with the new wiring system

Platinum Award winnar!!!
*Video Review ->* Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

any spelling mistakes or whatever.? too bad. 



TomAwesome said:


> They sound a bit nicer, but they still don't do much for me. The clean and mid gain tones didn't sound like anything that couldn't easily be surpassed with a decent set of passives, and the high gain sounded only slightly better than a typical 81. It was a little hard to tell much on the high gain channel, though.
> 
> Also, it seems like he had his mids at 0 at that point, so all that could really be heard were the highs and lows.


Kinda wish they had someone else demo the gear with him; maybe it could be two of them testing out the same product at the same time. Definitely need someone that can really demonstrate those metal amps, pedals, pickups etc etc, besides him. I mean the guy can outplay me anyday, but when it comes to metal stuff, he starts playing crappy nu-metal riffing which really was never that heavy sounding when it first came out.


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## rbd (Aug 21, 2009)

clear this one for me: if the whole issue about the lack of dynamics in the regular EMG's is because the preamp's output is at its limit and therefore compressing the signal, couldn't one just back off the guitar's volume and have the same effect? aside some highs that could go away by rolling off the volume...


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## Metal Ken (Aug 21, 2009)

rbd said:


> clear this one for me: if the whole issue about the lack of dynamics in the regular EMG's is because the preamp's output is at its limit and therefore compressing the signal, couldn't one just back off the guitar's volume and have the same effect? aside some highs that could go away by rolling off the volume...



I believe the issue is the volume controls the sound after the preamp. So backing off the volume does nothing but turn down the post- preamp signal. Therefore, you're not affecting the volume of the signal hitting the pickup itself. in order to do what you're talking about, you'd need a volume knob wired before the preamp in the pickup.


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## rbd (Aug 21, 2009)

oh, didn't know that...


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## Dallos10 (Jan 27, 2012)

Alright, I just joined this forum to tell you this. Yes, the system is solderless for simplicity, but guess what ? The buss takes up too much space ! Im runnin my axe on eighteen volts and can barely fit the batteries in the controls cavity. Most importantly, these pickups are .....terrible sounding crap. Wow. I was dissapointed. I should have taken the guys advice at the guitar shop. He said I shouldnt buy em. Wow was he right. Dull, too organic sounding ( through solid state and tube amps) if your gonna play fingerpickin hillbilly crap, then these are for you. Me im a metal traditionalist ( scooped mids) these couldnt hold a flame to my twenty year old 81 85 set . But different strokes for different folks. These are NOT the standard emgs on steroids. They are the coke zero caffeine.free equivalent of pickups


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## cyril v (Jan 28, 2012)

"if your gonna play fingerpickin hillbilly crap, then these are for you"


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## ZXIIIT (Jan 28, 2012)

Dallos10 said:


> too organic sounding





As in, they sound too....."real" or ?


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