DiMarzio X2N vs D ACTIVATOR X - Passive Bridge Guitar Pickup Comparison Tone Demo

[@zAvAvAz]

one of the awesomest pickup shootouts on the net! Omazing! Exciting very exciting! Love it.

[@jonas3610]

Thank you so much for all these comparisons! The quality is amazing and they helped me a ton deciding which pickup I'll get.

[@redacted5035]

So tell us...which one did you get!? 😁

[@jonas3610]

@@redacted5035 X2N and a Paf Pro:)

[@angusorvid8840]

I own both are they are great, but I prefer the good old X2N. It's a bit brighter and works better in the Gibson scale axes I play these days. Also sounds great in strat scale. If you want to get good clean tones from either you have to coil split or run parallel. But nobody buys pups like this for their clean tone.

[@svtdan643]

Even so, this video has some great clean tones. Atleast clean enough

[@FreakHuntry]

I bought an X2N for my clean tone. Push-push pot for split, p90 voiced H in neck. All 3 selector positions sound amazing and if the X2N is in the mix, the tone knob usually needs to be turned down a bit.

[@zloboslav_]

X2N sounds brighter and that makes me like it more in this comparison :)

[@demisemedia]

I love the brighter sounds of the X2N as well!

[@ADUAquascaping]

Exactly why I dislike it and want the X. Brighter isn't better if you want a darker tone

[@ADUAquascaping]

​@@demisemediaI dislike it

[@craigharrison5406]

It's a killer pickup. It's loud, super saturated, with a high end that gives amazing note seperation. It's not a forgiving pickup so if you mess up even slightly you will hear it.

[@zi248]

X2N teaches you how to use volume and tone knobs. Best bridge pickup in my opinion.

[@craigharrison5406]

Absolutely. I can hear the volume difference when I switch guitars with the X2N verses one of my guitars with say a Duncan JB or Distortion. The X2N is much louder. I guess it's all that output driving the volume up on the amp.

[@Ledmetacdc]

I like the x more, but I like the emg 85 as a bridge pickup so maybe I'm weird and like low mids.

[@hardcoreheavymetal]

Finally, someone who makes sense

[@robertspreitzer8126]

I have both of these and they sound completely different. The X2N is more saturated while the X is more clear and precise, so IMO the post above is correct they deactivated it sounds like your Djent when chugging on the low E. I will be replacing it with a X2N in my hot rails RG560. Not sure if the 500k pots have to do with anything the 560 has a SD YJM speed pot attached to the X so it shouldn’t and my 770 that has the X2N has the original Ibanez pots.

[@thomaspippin68]

I'm buying 2 of the deactivater's tomorrow from a guy on marketplace for a hundred bucks. It is definitely darker and has more body but I like it a lot. That V2N is amazing tone I'm definitely going to invest in one of them as well. Besides how can I be happy with just one tone. The DAX might work great for lower tunings and low chunk

[@johnmaddox1712]

activator x is a bit more round and more balanced. However I think when it reaches its dynamic maximum compression it actually gets a bit too crunchy. The X2N is is more in your face and definitely more high end

[@ADUAquascaping]

Brighter, but not tight. The X is better for metal. Brighter isn't better if you want a darker tone

[@FreakHuntry]

​@@ADUAquascaping Agreed on that. I don't recommend X2N for anything below standard tuning or even open string chugging. Modern fretted chordal leads are where the X2N shines. Cleans with reverb is what I use mine for.

[@x.ao.6503]

THAX! VERY USEFUL FOR ME AND I'LL BUY A X2N.

[@МихаилИванов-ь2с8п]

please compare Dimarzio X2N and Seymour Duncan Dimebucker

[@craigharrison5406]

That's a no contest, the X2N crushes the Dimebucker IMO

[@BayGuitaro]

oh God, X2N way better to my taste. Clear high, crispy, heavenly clean and distort piercingly knife edge. Dx sounds like dull. I have both pickup but my X2n was gone, saw your video make me missed X2n more....

[@jessadamusika4873]

Nice

[@alisterwiddowson2412]

thanks for theses vids, I am torn between the X2N and the D ACTIVATOR X. Couldn't ask for a better comparison.

[@РоманБілецький-ц1х]

Отличное сравнение, два тяжа, x2n четко, ярко звучит, DAX грубовато, грязно звучит.

[@neroreal6309]

грубее, но читаемость на перегрузе получше чем у х2п, паходу из за высоких в кашу уходит. это прям сильно заметно на втором примере перегруза. мне достался DAX с гитарой, сначала я его невзлюбил за грубость, а потом понял чем он хорош, конечно при условии херачить только мясо :))))

[@manueltorti7632]

X2N win.

[@Dj.Alien2789]

Al X2N no hay con que darle

[@thephoenixcycle8854]

The X2N was brighter otherwise they sound basically the same

[@ADUAquascaping]

X is tighter. Brighter is worse for metal and darker tones

[@briandicosmo3843]

How are you making these demos? Every demo has the exact same take.

[@mikestamper]

For the same pickup, is the same track in all videos. It's prerecorded and then compared with tracks from other pickups.

[@berndmuller6128]

great idea @mikestamper

[@luisloya1120]

X2N pickups are definitely hotter.

[@ADUAquascaping]

X sounds way better and tighter for metal. People, get your ears checked. Brighter doesn't mean better if you want a darker tone

[@craigharrison5406]

Well like you said that you prefer a darker tone, some people prefer a brighter tone. Doesn't mean one is better it's just a matter of preference.

[@khomaniac1217]

I think the two pickups serve a different purpose. X2n is great for mids and treble forward leads. The x2n start to sound a bit muddy when he plays the low Eb riffs at 3:30. It's to the point I would cut back on the gain to clear it up. However, the D-activator starts to excel in the range and really does well with a 7 string. He doesn't directly if he uses a 6 string, but I don't hear any Bb riffs . I have the d-activator on my 7 string and it sounds great. Pair that with a JP2C on shred OD mode and you have an excellent chug string machine

[@jasan0007]

DiMarzio X2N suena mejor en arpegios limpios; pero con distorsión exagera demasiado los agudos y siempre hay un zumbido latente que podría echar a perder una grabación en directo a menos que le metas mano a el ecualizador. El D ACTIVATOR X me gusta mas con distorsión y para tocar heavy metal, sonido mas real, sin exagerar, sonido de la vieja escuela. Sin embargo en limpio le falta brillo y nitidez si lo comparas con el x2n.

[@Kyle-sr6jm]

D Activator was properly named. They took a design and sucked all the life out of it. De-activated indeed. The old X2N sounds a hell of a lot better.

[@ADUAquascaping]

Not if you want a darker tone. Bright doesn't mean better. I am getting the X because my pickups are too bright