EMG on 18 volts

[micha]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Originally posted by Newc:
I wired my H-S-S Soloist Pro for 18v (one battery for the 81, and the other to run both the SAs), and I did notice a better tone from all the pickups. I thought about adding a 3rd battery so that each pickup has its own.

Newc

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">my phyics-knowledge is quite basic, but isn't that the same 9 volts like usual?
you just added the amperage this way, didn't you?

you would have to run the batteries in series to improve voltage as far as I know...

[micha]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

double post

[metafaza]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Well, that's what I'm going to do, run the batteries in series. I was just thinking if 2 pickups powered at 18v would be the same as 2 pickups running each of separate battery.

[Newc]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Hmmm [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] I'm confoosled [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

So instead of having each pickup's battery wire running to a separate battery, I should do what? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

Newc

[metafaza]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

You 'open' the circuit at the battery clip and solder in another battery clip, so the current goes from + on the first battery to the - on the second one and back into the circuit. I don't know if that's clear enough. I'm going to try it anyway and let you know what I think.

[micha]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Originally posted by metafaza:
You 'open' the circuit at the battery clip and solder in another battery clip, so the current goes from + on the first battery to the - on the second one and back into the circuit. I don't know if that's clear enough. I'm going to try it anyway and let you know what I think.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">na na na... plus to minus would be series and the voltage would add there to 18 volts.
if he wants an alternate for a seperate battery for each PU he could take as many batteries as he wants and connect each contacts of same polarity. plus to plus and minus to minus and these contacts go into the system.
that way it would be still 9 volts but last way longer...

[charvel750]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Newc, that is not true with EMG. Their literature states that you can run three or more pickups PLUS EMG active circuits off of one battery and get desireable tone. I have tried what you described myself and could not find any difference in tone or output. The amount of power needed to engage the EMG preamp is so minimal, running each pickup/circuit on its own 9 volt is redundant...

[micha]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Originally posted by metafaza:
Well, that's what I'm going to do, run the batteries in series. I was just thinking if 2 pickups powered at 18v would be the same as 2 pickups running each of separate battery.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">the seperate batteries shouldn't effect the sound that much at all. it just makes the batteries live longer an that's it. you don't have to screw your guitar open that often... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
at least in theory...

to achieve this;
I'd simply connect the two battries minus and plus together and solder as usual. would have the same effect and would be more simple than two independent circuits...

[metafaza]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

I wish I had a spectrum analyser, so we could se exactly if there is any difference. I agree, EMG says one battery is enough, but I always want to know more. Same with their pickups running on up 27v. Why then suggest 9v as a standard? I'm not saying it is bad, but why? I understand that they don't want us to use their products running at their top capability. You know, I just though that 9v may be the lowest voltage that guarantees clean sound. That would answer my question about lowering the voltage. If we take 18v as a standard, and at 18v EMG supposedly sound better (some like it anyway), then 9v would be the lowered and the lowest voltage they can work with. What do you think?

[StuTDavis]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

You're probably right for various reasons.

For one thing, a lot of guitars have little space in the cavities for anything but the controls already installed. And I'd guess that most people would prefer not to have multiple or huge sized extra cavities cut into their guitar for batteries, if they don't have to. Space is an issue, and it's more of a gamble to try to "require" people to put in 2 9Vs. Since tons of EMGs are sold as aftermarket pickups people have installed in existing guitars, if they required 2 or 3 batteries, then a lot of people wouldn't even be able to consider them, or wouldn't THINK they could consider them.

But, really, since 9V is really fine for the most part, there's not really any need to tell people they should put in 18v or 27v. I always used 1 9V with my EMGs and they were fine. When I had my GMW custom guitar done, with extra EMG electronics, Lee told me that he generally likes to put in an extra 9V "for more headroom". Ehhh...I don't notice any difference in any output or anything, and the headroom is a moot point, being I don't even have a dedicated clean channel in my setup hehehe.

Stu

[metafaza]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

It seems like a reasonable explanation to me, Stu. The headroom thing seems to be like woman's scent. Some can smell it, but can't define it, others don't smell it, because they can't define it? I don't know. Another thing to consider would be the amp. Maybe on some amps it is hard/impossible to experience more/less headroom. What style(s) do you play that you don't use a clean channel? I like the clean sound from time to time, although I always find electric guitars inferior to acustic in that field. Somehow, electric sounds 'flat' to me, maybe it's the headroom thing here?
Art

[Newc]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Au contraire, Joe [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
When I first got my SL Pro, I had only put the 81 in, and was waiting to find some black SAs for it. Once I put in the white SAs I already had, I noticed a difference in output level and tone (however slight) from the 81. Once I put the SAs on a separate battery, I regained the 81's original output/tone, as well as noticed a better tone from the SAs (a little more jangle in chords, a little more punch in single-note runs, etc)

Newc

[micha]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Originally posted by metafaza:
It seems like a reasonable explanation to me, Stu. The headroom thing seems to be like woman's scent. Some can smell it, but can't define it, others don't smell it, because they can't define it? I don't know. Another thing to consider would be the amp. Maybe on some amps it is hard/impossible to experience more/less headroom. What style(s) do you play that you don't use a clean channel? I like the clean sound from time to time, although I always find electric guitars inferior to acustic in that field. Somehow, electric sounds 'flat' to me, maybe it's the headroom thing here?
Art

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">that sounds reasonable... you need much poweramp ballz to get the headroom-thing done seriously...

[micha]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

Originally posted by metafaza:
Going back to the one battery vs. multiple batteries, I think it is logical that there must be some influence on the sound, as the electrical conditions change. I mean, if we compare the battery to an engine and a pickup to a load: the engine is capable of hauling two loads at the same speed as one, but the amount of work it has to do that is bigger (not necessarily twice) than what it has to do with just one load. That's how I see it. Do you guys think it is a relevant comparison? I think I may end up using separate batteries for each pickup instead of going 18 volts...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think it will just sound the same.
the voltage stays, the amperage stays, only it will last longer since two batteries got twice as much mAh to give...

my EMGs just sucked the last juice out of my 9V so it's time for a change again...
I'm thinking about simply trying it out. soldering rocks anyway... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[metafaza]

Re: EMG on 18 volts

I, actually, like to solder. I think Christmas is going to be a solder holidays this year. Just have to buy some batteries. I've just put in new strings, so I guess it's a good time for some more experimentation.