Volume comparison between X7,X10,X20 and X30

[Alistair Hay]

It has been asked a few times recently about the difference in volume between our various models. We have played them a lot together here in our little lunchtime jam sessions and have a pretty good grasp of the comparisons but I thought it would be useful to put some numbers behind it and move from feeling to fact.
Firstly I had to string all the guitars with the same strings as string gauge and type can have a large effect on acoustic volume. All the guitars were fitted with Daddario EXP11 .012-.053
In the video you will see the sound level numbers going up and down at the start of each piece and then when i select max it gives us the max volume from the guitar. I located the decibel reader near to Kevins ear for a good comparison of what the player hears.
For an extra comparison I grabbed my wifes older model X7.


As a second video I thought it would be useful to measure the volume of the guitars at a distance of 10 feet in front to give some feeling for projection to an audience.

Please dont judge the acoustic tone from this video as its just recorded through my phone.
I hope this has been useful and it has certainly confirmed our personal feelings about each model.

Also as a note we usually fit the X7 with EXP19 .012-.056 and on the X10 we use EXP13 .011-.052.
The X10 in the video is fitted with our level one pickup system with the adjustable saddles.

Thanks as always
Alistair

[raysachs]

Thanks Alistair. That's pretty consistent with my experience with the old X7, new X7, and X20. I may experience a bigger difference between the old and new X7 models, but that could also just be a difference in the fullness of the tone. I'd have been sort of interested in how the older X7 would have done in that second video because my impression was that there is a pretty big difference between the old and new X7 at the player's ear and a much much smaller one, if any, a few feet in front of the guitar.

Interesting, in any case...

-Ray

[byudzai]

I'll chime in that I put 13/56 polyweb elixirs on my X30 and it seemed to add a lot of volume and tone -- sounds like a grand piano, to my ears, now. That's a subjective impression, and suspect as such, but I really feel that it brought the bigger body even more to life with the higher tension.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by byudzai

I'll chime in that I put 13/56 polyweb elixirs on my X30 and it seemed to add a lot of volume and tone -- sounds like a grand piano, to my ears, now. That's a subjective impression, and suspect as such, but I really feel that it brought the bigger body even more to life with the higher tension.

Last week it was a symphony orchestra - this week a grand piano! Pretty soon it will be back in it's place as an awesome guitar...

-Ray

[byudzai]

Originally Posted by raysachs

Last week it was a symphony orchestra - this week a grand piano! Pretty soon it will be back in it's place as an awesome guitar...

-Ray

Hahahah I'm impassioned, what can I say?

Is it wrong that I want another X30? I have the Royal King Padauk, the One Guitar, the Almighty Acoustic Authority, and I have the blue X30, the rough-n-tumble, don't-mind-a-couple-campfire-ash-marks, okay-if-your-friend-plays-me-and-scratches-me Battle Guitar.

But I want an amber one too.... :-(

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by byudzai

Hahahah I'm impassioned, what can I say?

Is it wrong that I want another X30? I have the Royal King Padauk, the One Guitar, the Almighty Acoustic Authority, and I have the blue X30, the rough-n-tumble, don't-mind-a-couple-campfire-ash-marks, okay-if-your-friend-plays-me-and-scratches-me Battle Guitar.

But I want an amber one too.... :-(

All I can say is that you wanting a third X30 speaks “volumes” about that model. (Pun intended).

[kramster]

Cool...imagine having all those X's...

[kramster]

Originally Posted by byudzai

Hahahah I'm impassioned, what can I say?

Is it wrong that I want another X30? I have the Royal King Padauk, the One Guitar, the Almighty Acoustic Authority, and I have the blue X30, the rough-n-tumble, don't-mind-a-couple-campfire-ash-marks, okay-if-your-friend-plays-me-and-scratches-me Battle Guitar.

But I want an amber one too.... :-(

Is it even possible to have too many Emeralds?

[GuitarLuva]

Thanks for doing this. Not a drastic difference between the highest and lowest but you can also hear the tonal differences between each model as well. This is especially useful for all non-kramster type people!

[mountainmaster]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

Thanks for doing this. Not a drastic difference between the highest and lowest but you can also hear the tonal differences between each model as well. This is especially useful for all non-kramster type people!

Indeed. It would be nice to hear a tonal comparison in high quality audio.

[kramster]

"This is especially useful for all non-kramster type people!"...
How'd I get dragged into this... I was napping and this happened

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by kramster

How'd I get dragged into this... I was napping and this happened

Because it's super easy and fun to do!

[kramster]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

Because it's super easy and fun to do!

I guess there is that

[eatswodo]

I thought that this was a very interesting exercise. Particularly the 10-foot-away second video. I'd have to go back and compare the numbers, but it seemed to me that the X30 really scored for overall projection.

As you might expect, of course - but it reinforces the notion that the audience is primarily hearing the top of the guitar, not what comes out of the soundholeport.

[Captain Jim]

Well, that kinda bears out what my ears were telling me when I made that sound clip of the X7, X10, and X20. Alas, no X30 for my comparison.

We are gearing up to head out for a couple months, and the inevitable decision about which guitar to take. The X10 and the X20 are cased up... so I spent some time with the X7 this afternoon (between honey-do projects). That little guitar still impresses me - how do they make it sound so good?? Size matters, right? Physics? (I've said that before.) Must be that Irish mojo.

I can see what byudzai is all fired up about with his X30(s). Volume stats aside, each of these models have their own sound.

Thanks for taking the time to put numbers on the discussion, Alistair.