Before the DiMarzio Fusion Edge became the defacto pickups for Ibanez guitars that warrant attention but tamed to manifest limited appeal (so that they won't become exceedingly popular & overtake the established models in terms of sales), there were the D Activator models. These were manufactured by DiMarzio as well & mimic the responses of an active pickup without sounding too sterile in the higher frequencies. They were fitted into the ICT700...
... & the XPT700.
Subsequently, the D Activator X came into the picture (fitted into the DTT700 seen above). The slight variation- Version X has a richer midrange & surprisingly sounds good in clean mode. The manufacturer chose the rail design to signal to the hardcore X2N fans that the D Activator X can pull off an X2N with a more usable set of cleans.
Unlike the semi-abominable Fusion Edge, I like the D Activators. A pair is now resident in my Jackson Dinky here & they are just the deserving pickups in such a shred/ high gain profile guitar.
They are indeed very suited to angry music, the type that is distortion inclined with very little or no clean considerations. Unlike their more renowned counterparts, I hear more presence from these pickups & the higher frequencies do not wither under excessive gain or processing. I'm not saying the latter occurrence is a bad thing because for prog-esque moments that require dedicated intensity (Dream Theater is my best reference here), DiMarzios do the job well. I require an abrasive tone that would sound palatable when palm muted & the D Activators seem to fit the bill.
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