Dimarzio Virtual T vs. Area T

[clapointe]

What's the difference between the Dimarzio Virtual T vs. Area T ?

[lttoler]

Id like to know the tonal differences also...

[teleyouk]

...and me too...

[louis cyfer]

they are made with the same technology. the virtual line came first. the area pups have no extra ground wire.

[TG]

If by 'Virtual T' you mean the discontinued DP412 Virtual Vintage Tele regular output model, I have one in my tele. I also had an AreaT in my Esquire.
Once I swapped them to see what happenned and I decided that I preferred the DP412 in each guitar.

I can't remember well enough now to give a detailed tone analysis of the 2 to say exactly what the difference was, but I think it was because the DP412 pretty well nailed the sound of the Duncan AlnicoIIPro I'd been using for several years beforehand. Same tonal quality and playing feel, but with a better defined low end than the Duncan...which is known for being abit wooly down there. So it was similar to what I was used to, and noiseless.
The AreaT was OK but I'm not sure now exactly what was different (I've sold the Esquire). I think it was more of an open sound, more akin to a regular tele pickup. It was good in its own way, but I don't think it quite 'got' the real tele pickup sound/feel as well as the DP412 got the AlnicoIIPro sound. Seemed that way to me, anyway.
They changed the polepiece stagger, but I can't imaging that was all. I dunno.

I also tried an AreaT Hot, which was too middy, and the newer Area Hot T, which I liked better since it was clear and balanced right across the tonal spectrum.

I'm staying with my old DP412 though.

[teleyouk]

I bought a pair of Virtual T's last week (got them on Ebay; they are discontinued);
THe bridge pickup is noticeably louder; they work well in clear mode but (at least for the bridge pickup) they can be mostly appreciated in distortion mode (not really a surprise, anyway, due to the brand purpose in the pickup scene); I like the clean tone of the neck pickup, but the bridge pickups is particularly impressive for overdriven sounds (a true, well-defined tele sound without the hum) perfect for Buchanan-Gatton styles;