What is the deal with BKP? Also a shout out to Luthiers

[Kiichi]

Yes, of course those are great options too. They are another aproach to the middle position, which is neither better nor worse.

I like to have my middle be different. Really have a throwback in there, like having the same voicing idea, but a different aproach to it. Something I can use a lot when playing clean as a different flavour then the neck, which as a HB has a whole nother character. I also like the dirty vintage feel when using gain, without dropping too much volume (canīt underestimate the output of the IT and SH, even though they are lower then the SN and TS). A slight volume drop is something I use as a tool sometimes, as I will switch from bridge to middle when playing full instead of powerchords. Also I feel that most of the time a vintage hot SC will sitt better with split HBs.

When you go trilogy or sinner, you stay more in line with the HBs I guess, which can be exactly what you want. The volume drop and change in voicing will not be as apperant, though at least the sound difference will still be very noticable, which after all is a good thing.

When searching a middle for say a nailbomb or painkiller, the choice would be easier, as the trilogy and sinner would certainly win, but with the HD and Emerald, I feel that both are viable options.
I personally, for what I use the middle for would go IT.

[Cam_H]

Well I mainly use the middle singlecoil split with the neck. Although I've only ever used stock IBZ singlecoils between my usual DiMarzios, so maybe getting a decent singlecoil may open some cool new options :)

Which DiMarzios would you say the Holy Diver and Emerald are similar, too? Obviously all pickups have there own voice. It's more just a curiosity I have.

[ericsabbath]

Which DiMarzios would you say the Holy Diver and Emerald are similar, too? Obviously all pickups have there own voice. It's more just a curiosity I have.

the breed is probably in the holy diver ballpark (I don't think they sound similar, anyway)
I don't think there's anything close to the emerald (only other pup I can think of that reminds me of it voicing-wise is the PRS dragon II treble)
the miracle man set sounds like a proper replacement for a stevie's special (bridge) and tone zone (neck) set (closest spec and voicing counterparts), but they also sound quite unique
the neck cold sweat does have a little similarity with the paf pro and paf joe models, at least for my ears
specially the neck model installed in the bridge position
and the bridge black dog has some mo' joe like voicing
these last two are actually the only bkp's that I can smell some dimarzio DNA

[Kiichi]

Well I mainly use the middle singlecoil split with the neck. Although I've only ever used stock IBZ singlecoils between my usual DiMarzios, so maybe getting a decent singlecoil may open some cool new options :)

Which DiMarzios would you say the Holy Diver and Emerald are similar, too? Obviously all pickups have there own voice. It's more just a curiosity I have.

In that case I can only reinforce the IT, as the Emerald is vintage hot, so the splits should be in balance and give a nice flavour voicing whise.

I also use my middle a lot with the split HBs, but I do something different from most, as I turn my HBs around so the outer coil is on during the split. Gives me a touch mere treble in general (when not using symmetrical coils) and when combined with the middle a bit more of a tele touch then the normal strat touch.
The neck version of that is under gain like a bitier, edgier version of the neck alone. With the bridge it adds a lot more attack, great for double tracking palm mutes and giving them more accents, while sides that a little limited. It does shine clean though as I get an amazing clean sound out of which I feel has a lot of acoustic flavour, great for strumming.
Works a charm with my Mule neck, IT middle, RY bridge guitar. My Crawler set SH middle combo shows promise but needs to be tweaked and I need to do some other wiring changes there.