Hello folks! I hope the day finds you all well! Just wanted to present my thoughts on a long time curiosity of mine, the D Activator-X bridge model.
Pros:
- Output for days, but not overbearing (and if it's too much for you, just lower the pickup away from the strings a bit... or a lot, the pickup won't mind).
- Great clarity and note separation (not nearly as good as some, but vastly superior to others).
- Dynamically sensitive (again, not as good as some, but for a pickup with three giant ceramic magnets it's pretty stinkin' good).
- Don't let the EQ measurements fool you, the pickup feels a bit more 'flat' which I feel makes it more adaptable to multiple situations (your amp and pedal EQ adjustments are much more important though).
- A reasonably 'big' sound.
- The dual blades have always been an appealing look for me
- The extra output means you don't have to dig in or pick as hard.
- Lots of tasty harmonics that are easy to call forth.
Cons:
- Probably the biggest one is the EQ. I've seen some folks describe this pickup as dull or lifeless. And given that a lot of Dimarzio's humbuckers have a more mid-boosted voicing (Dominion, Imperium, Sonic Ecstacy, Pandemonium, etc...) it's easy to see why.
- The dual blade look isn't for everyone and you can't have it with a cover of any sort (although you can get it in a large number of colored bobbin combo's).
- Some folks like their pickups to be more subtle. While it IS possible to be so with the DAX, it is certainly not its primary strength.
- Feels a bit stiff in certain situations.
Overall, a fantastic pickup if you need something big, powerful and almost neutral. It will likely appeal more to players who want those qualities and like their effects/preamps/amps to do more of the voicing. For me, it's more of a pallet cleanser after years of playing pickups with boosted mids.
