Active/Passive Pups?

[Billy Apple]

I understand how an active circuit can boost things, as opposed to only taking away, but what do active pups do?

Say for example what would the difference be between active and passive pups with and active circuit?

[CamdenRob]

I have no idea... often wondered this myself.

Edited May 26, 2015 by CamdenRob

[scojack]

Active pups have less wire in them and therefore induce a weaker signal.
You then need a preamp to boost[b] all [/b]frequencies (before going into any tone circuit active OR passive).
Active pups therefore have a built in preamp.

With Traditional pickups.....the more wire wound on the 'hotter' it gets, the bass frequencies become stronger at the expense of higher frequencies, you get a 'louder' pickup but with a limited frequency range.

Active pups however, give a flatter, broader range of frequencies which you can then go on to cut/boost to a greater extent than you can with more traditional wound pups.

Maybe someone clever could explain it far better.. er
Ian

Edited May 26, 2015 by scojack

[ikay]

Scojack I think you've explained it very well!

Passive pickups usually have a very distinct resonant peak at some frequency which gives them a characteristic sound. This resonant peak (and the frequency response in general) varies depending on the pickup windings, coil configuration, magnets etc.

Active pickups on the other hand have a flat and broad frequency response which provides a fairly neutral basic sound. They responds more linearly to tweaking with active eq across a wider frequency range (hence more hifi, greater clarity etc).

Active pups can also be used with passive eq. To my ears though they can sound a bit characterless in this configuration.

Edited May 26, 2015 by ikay