EMG81: love/hate relationship

[Omnipotent1]

Is 1981 not "Vintage" enough? The intersting part is the change of the OP Amp and the specs in this context here. Not the wording of the computer.

First after 20 years your shits old, & starts to be considered vintage… Especially in the electronics world. I understand why people are skeptical but it’s a classic case of knocking it before you try it.. I thought everyone was full of shit too but you can’t mistake the dramatic differences you hear & feel when you swap them out in the same guitar back to back..

Nice to see some facts rather than just guitar witchcraft claims.

I have a Love-Love relationship with the 81......when I'm in the mood for it. And the 85 at the bridge is superior for leads and arguably better for some rhythm playing, although not max crunch and Thrash. Then again, all of my EMGs are pre-2017 (between ~2010 and 2015), so of course they rock.

I like this guy.

 

[WizardAmpIphoneClip]

Is 1981 not "Vintage" enough? The intersting part is the change of the OP Amp and the specs in this context here. Not the wording of the computer.

No one can tell when the band kicks in anyways. Same with alot of stuff

 

[Omnipotent1]

No one can tell when the band kicks in anyways. Same with alot of stuff

You’re trolling bro lmao I hope nobody is out there wondering if anyone else can tell the difference between their EMG years, string gauge, amp settings etc.. This falls under a do it for you category if you’re doing it for others you have some soul searching to do..

 

[boltzthrower]

I was curious too, after i read your post. Here's some AI-Stuff about that:


"Official EMG datasheets indicate a shift in the resonant frequency of the EMG 81, lowering it from 2.25 kHz to 1.63 kHz, which creates a more congested mid-hump. Additionally, the transition from older, slower op-amps (like the LM4250) to modern, faster SMD components has removed the soft-clipping characteristics, resulting in a more abrasive and sterile tone in newer models."
View attachment 441738
Summary of the Op-Amp Change
The core of the sonic shift is the replacement of the legacy LM4250 Op-Amp. This chip was a "programmable" micropower amplifier that allowed EMG to set a specific Slew Rate. This resulted in a natural, tube-like compression and a resonant peak at 2.25 kHz, providing that classic "liquid" lead tone.
Modern units have transitioned to high-efficiency SMD (Surface Mount) components. While these are technically "better" (lower noise floor of -100 dBV), they lack the characteristic saturation of the old chips. The shift of the resonant peak down to 1.63 kHz creates the "mid hump" you described, losing the high-end clarity and making the pickup feel more abrasive and less musical to the ears of vintage enthusiasts.

That’s interesting. At some point in the 2010’s, due to changing manufacturers, they inadvertently started making them with less gain. I’ve realized that’s a bonus for me ‘cause you can add an EMG AB or PA2 on board boost and set the gain so it’s a bit less than the old EMG’s which ends up being better gain staging for all my amps. The new pickups need 10 db of boost to sound like the old ones. I do around 8 db boost to the newer pickups, which is the equivalent of a 2db cut to the older EMG’s.

 

[Jakem]

I was curious too, after i read your post. Here's some AI-Stuff about that:


"Official EMG datasheets indicate a shift in the resonant frequency of the EMG 81, lowering it from 2.25 kHz to 1.63 kHz, which creates a more congested mid-hump. Additionally, the transition from older, slower op-amps (like the LM4250) to modern, faster SMD components has removed the soft-clipping characteristics, resulting in a more abrasive and sterile tone in newer models."
View attachment 441738
Summary of the Op-Amp Change
The core of the sonic shift is the replacement of the legacy LM4250 Op-Amp. This chip was a "programmable" micropower amplifier that allowed EMG to set a specific Slew Rate. This resulted in a natural, tube-like compression and a resonant peak at 2.25 kHz, providing that classic "liquid" lead tone.
Modern units have transitioned to high-efficiency SMD (Surface Mount) components. While these are technically "better" (lower noise floor of -100 dBV), they lack the characteristic saturation of the old chips. The shift of the resonant peak down to 1.63 kHz creates the "mid hump" you described, losing the high-end clarity and making the pickup feel more abrasive and less musical to the ears of vintage enthusiasts.

Very interesting info!

 

[Simon Dorn]

That’s interesting. At some point in the 2010’s, due to changing manufacturers, they inadvertently started making them with less gain. I’ve realized that’s a bonus for me ‘cause you can add an EMG AB or PA2 on board boost and set the gain so it’s a bit less than the old EMG’s which ends up being better gain staging for all my amps. The new pickups need 10 db of boost to sound like the old ones. I do around 8 db boost to the newer pickups, which is the equivalent of a 2db cut to the older EMG’s.

Thanks. I didn't know that. But i also didn't know about the OP-Amp change.

 

[Shask]

That’s interesting. At some point in the 2010’s, due to changing manufacturers, they inadvertently started making them with less gain. I’ve realized that’s a bonus for me ‘cause you can add an EMG AB or PA2 on board boost and set the gain so it’s a bit less than the old EMG’s which ends up being better gain staging for all my amps. The new pickups need 10 db of boost to sound like the old ones. I do around 8 db boost to the newer pickups, which is the equivalent of a 2db cut to the older EMG’s.

I keep wondering if my 81s and 81TWs are broken because they seem so much weaker than I remember EMGs being, lol. My 14k passives feel much more powerful.