QUOTE(awdboost)QUOTE(Northern_Wrath)EMG's sound okay clean.
ITs all subjective really. BUt good choice on your purcahse and welcome to the family.  
The X2N has as much output as the 81, the difference being tis still a passive pickup, so all the passive qualities remain. It responds better to dynamics, and it really represents your woods tone better than a pickup like the 81, which really makes wood choice a minimal part of the tone equation, wheras passive PUPs will capitalize on your wood choice.
I can hear a clear difference w/ an EMG on Alder vs. EMG on Mahogany. I think EMG sounds much better than X2N on clean also. But ya it's all subjective including tone. X2N is definitely an amazing pickup for anything non-clean and it would be my #1 choice if i were to go passive (along w/ paf pro for neck position).
I don't think the X2N has a good clean tone at all. I never argued that. I just commented on the fact, that, I don't think the EMG has a good clean tone either. Its decent, and thats all it is for me. I'll take a big loose neck pickup on the clean channel, any day, over a higher output bridge pickup. But thats just my style. Which is why I bought an Air Norton for my neck. It sounds great cleaned up.