Devialet Phantom Reactor 600 Watt
Hi, welcome to my review of the Devialet Phantom Reactor 600 Watt Wireless Bluetooth Speaker.
The French company Devialet wants to cater to different markets by releasing their ”cheapest” wireless speaker yet, the Phantom Reactor. It is the Phantom’s mini-me and comes with a slashed priced tag, giving a chance to those who would like to own one but couldn’t with the previous Devialet models.
This small yet powerful orb that is less than the size of a basketball is capable of being so loud; it rivals some of the best home theater systems. What sets it apart from others is its engaging sound that can fill a large room which comes from a portable package. It rewards you with thumping bass complete with a pair of throbbing woofers that will surely elicit compliments from other people.
In this Devialet review, we will delve further into this compact wonder and see if it genuinely delivers and how it stacks up to the stiff competition in the world of wireless audio.
I’m going to tell you about the features of this tiny Phantom Reactor and let you in on what verified purchasers are saying about it and help you get the best price to purchase this awesome wireless speaker.
Alright, alright, alright, let’s get into this little baby here. If you don’t already know about the Phantom Reactor, you are in for a treat! The Reactor is Devialet’s newest addition to the Phantom family line. It has the same lineage, tech, and sound of its Big Poppa the Gold Phantom, just in a tiny footprint.
The difference between the Phantom Reactor & it’s older cousins is that rather than a front-facing midrange driver and tweeter, the Phantom Reactor has one full-range driver; it’s not able to achieve quite the same levels of separate or overall sound quality, but you would expect in a smaller speaker that is roughly one-third the price.
For comparison sake – it’s about the size of the more familiar Sonos One. There is NO mistaking the difference in sound quality though.
I know Right? How can they pack all that tech and explosive sound in a smaller package? Well, watch this and see for yourself…
Boom! There it is.
“Nothing Says Rock ‘n’ Roll Like a Speaker as Loud as a Jackhammer.”
The Reactor comes in 2 models – the PA511 a 600 Watt 95 Db version & the HW511 900 Watt 98 Db version. The only difference being slightly more volume/power and about $300 in price.
“Didn’t struggle to create genuine physical rumble in the listening room.”
Imagine the best concert you have ever been to. Now imagine having it in your living room. That’s what having a Reactor or 2 around your home feels like.
How Does Devialet Do It?
“Besides another Devialet speaker, there’s really no alternative. Devialet speakers are simply unique.”
For all the left brain folks out there, I am all the Specs are below including any standout features and I’ll give you my verdict. If your a right brain (like me) and you just want the quick feature list – jump on down to Key Features.
Most Impressive Features
The Devialet Phantom Reactor is the latest variant of the Phantom series, following the Classic, Silver, and Gold Phantoms. They all possess the same enclosures and design but differ in amplifier power. The company itself could not have described it better with their tagline ”Looks XXS, Sounds XXL.” That’s because Devialet promises to provide similar quality that it has for its higher-end models despite its scaled down size.
Small Size –
The 600 Watt Phantom weighs in at a bantam 9.5 pounds and measures just 8.6 x 6.2 x 6.6 inches (just under 352 cubic inches), that is about 1/4 the size of the Phantom Classic, Silver & Gold. Now, 9.5 pounds may seem like a lot for a portable speaker but compare it to other small wireless speakers and it finds it’s in line with its measurements. Speakers have a lot more components than they used to back in the day and quality components also carry some weight to them.
You can then expect to enjoy their patented Analog- Digital hybrid technology which Devialet is sought after for. It combines classes A and D methods seamlessly. With the Phantom Reactor’s downsized housing and electronics, it was still able to come up with this ADH converter so that you will never feel that this is just an entry-level model in the Phantom line.
The user can connect many mobile devices via Bluetooth with apps such as Spotify and Airplay 2.0. You can use a wired 3.5mm jack as well. The controls are possible either through its touch sensors or using the Spark app. And with its Signal Active Matching or SAM, your music tempo is precisely matched by the Reactor.
Heart Bass Implosion Technology
It used to be that sound is proportional to the size of its source. As such, big sounds can only be produced by big speakers until the efficiency of the high tech Heart Bass Implosion. This revolutionary feature makes the deepest bass levels possible from a small packaging that is the Devialet Reactor.
Sound Quality
If you are considering a speaker for personal use, this 600-watt powerhouse will be good enough. That’s equivalent to almost 100 decibels of raw power which can already cause hearing damage. For some, it could be too much as it’s like listening to a lawnmower in action.
After hearing several songs via AirPlay, I must say that its clarity is on point and the volume easily fills the room without a hitch. It is evident when playing thick jazz sounds during which the depth of the Reactor’s bass consumes the guitar bass. The vocals remain unaffected by the bass line bumps and highs with undeniable clarity.
To illustrate, you can crank up the volume from zero to one hundred without experiencing any sound distortion. What you will get is clean and expansive audio with zero background noise and saturation even at low volumes.
Meanwhile, the Phantom Reactor is designed consciously using three bass drivers that you can’t ignore. One takes care of the mids and high range while the other two will let you experience the low end.
Design
The Devialet Reactor is one-fourth the size of its bigger siblings, but it is not by any means lightweight. It is identical to the Devialet Phantom, from the white spherical shape, front snowflake grill, back heat vents, to the side woofers, all in a miniature scale.
This speaker only has a 3-centimeter treble driver compared to the original Phantom’s inclusion of both a tweeter and mid driver. It is understandable given the compactness of the device. It surely is small, but it comes with a formidable set of 160 patents and almost 1000 parts, making it a very intense and durable audio machine.
Usage
As far as control buttons this unit has, you will find Play, Volume, Sync, and Bluetooth with a LED indicator among the capacitive touch functionality. However, I was a bit bummed upon learning that it does not support the Deezer app. Instead, it can play from Spotify, Apple’s AirPlay, and UPnP. This is only when you can achieve Hi-res audio for as long as it’s from a compatible source.
[UPDATE APRIL 2019: Reactor models do support DEEZER, Qobuz, Tidal, and other streaming platforms as well as playing from Itunes, and saved local tracks on your laptop or desktop computer.]
When you go to the control app, there a big volume dial plus other buttons that enable switching of sources.
KEY FEATURES
Amplification Power:
600 W peak
Sound Pressure Level:
95 dB SPL at 1 meter
Acoustical Performance:
Bandwidth: 18Hz to 21kHz (@-6dB) Accuracy in frequency response : ± 1dB from 25Hz to 20kHz
Amplification Performances:
THD+N* : 0.001% | Saturation : 0 | Background Noise 0 dB SPL at 1m (*Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise)
Digital To Analog Converter:
Devialet DAC embedded in ADH3 intelligence 24bits / 96 & 192kHz THD: -112dB
Processor:
ARM Cortex-A9 1.25GHz processor 512MB DDR3-1600 memory
Loudspeakers:
1 x Aluminum Full-Range driver 2 x Aluminum Bass drivers
These tiny speakers put out 95Db of sound as compared to the Gold Phantom that puts out 108Db. Still a mighty wallop in my living room.
What Technologies are in the Phantom Reactor?
I’m glad you asked because since they are jamming all this audio goodness into such a small footprint, they developed a few more technologies than they had in the original Phantoms. The Reactor currently has over 160 patents and over 1000 parts inside its sexy little body including:
ADH3 – is Devialet 3rd generation patented technology that marries Class A Analog and Class D digital audio allowing for crystal clear amplification of the signal. That means you get clear, pure sound even at MAX volume.
HBI2 – 2nd Generation Heart Bass Implosion using hermetic sealing of the 2 subwoofers creating huge amounts of pressure to generate Bass all the way down to 18Hz which by the way, you can’t hear but you can FEEL in your body.
SAM2 – 2nd Generation Speaker Active Matching reproduces an exact match of the tempo & rhythm of the audio using mathematical processes that I can’t begin to understand much less explain. All I know is, it’s freakin awesome!
ACE2 – Active Cospherical Engine tech makes the sound ways generate and spread throughout the space the speaker is in perfectly. This means the sound is more spatial than any of its competitors.
What Sources Can I Use My Phantom Reactor With?
That’s another awesome point, you can use it with all the same sources as the original Phantom. And enjoy the 24-bit high res streaming too.
- AirPlay
- Spotify Connect
- UpnP
- Bluetooth
- Optical
- Analog
Can I hook 2 or More Rectors Together?
Absolutely, and it is easier than ever as the only “equipment” that you would need is the free SPARK APP! Currently, you can use the SPARK APP to hook up to 8 Reactors together to use as a home theater system, multi-room audio system or any way you want to really. You can set up 1 or 2 reactors in different rooms, and control their playlists independently.
Can I set Up my Phantom Reactor in Stereo?
Yes. You can hook 2 Phantom Reactors of the same power (600Watt or 900 Watt) together and set them to play in stereo spittling the signal into left and right channels if you please viz the Spark App.
Is it worth it?
Let’s face it, this may be the cheapest in the Devialet Phantom family, but at about 1000 dollars, it’s still a rich man’s gadget. Some people would even argue that its interesting look overshadows its sound system.
When you talk about audio fidelity, unfortunately, it falls a little short. It’s more on bass and treble. I think from a rational standpoint; this Devialet Phantom suits listeners who are content with a stock product unlike those who like to tinker with the hi-fi sound setup by adding more hardware such as amplifiers. The Devialet app has no equalizer and other settings aside from the basic input and volume.
Another reason this is not for sound purists is the Reactor’s dedication to highs and lows, forgetting mids which give fullness and warmth depending on the song. That’s because if the music is thumping with bass, it will sound amazing on this Devialet speaker. But when you listen to jazz, it will still sound good alright, but to the refined listener, the details such as piano riffs and high taps are slightly missing.
Last word
After my experience with the Devialet Phantom Reactor and weighing the pros and cons, I will still consider it the best in its category of high end compact wireless speakers despite the price and some shortcomings. If only for its sheer power, this puppy deserves your attention.
Who is the Devialet Reactor For?
Anybody who has wanted a Devialet Phantom speaker but has either been unable to afford one or who’s skeptical because maybe it is too big for their space.
As long as slightly less performance than the original Phantom Golds doesn’t bother you, it’s perfect size for small(er) rooms and apartments.
Thanks for sticking around and reading my review of the Phantom reactor.
Customer Opinion:
Looking at the Verified Purchaser reviews on Amazon.com it’s super clear that people LOVE these speakers for a couple of reasons. They are a significantly lower price point than the Classic Phantoms, they are smaller, lighter, and they sound incredible.
21 Reviews at this writing, 72% come in with a 4 or 5 Star rating while only 5% ( 1 review) came in at 1 Star. That said, any reviewer that left any feedback concerning a negative aspect of performance, the manufacturer themselves immediately replied and offered any assistance necessary to solve the issue.One customer was having connectivity problems with his Reactor and initially sent it back, purchased a rival brand replacement and was seriously disappointed with the sound of it compared side by side with the Reactor. Working with the manufacturer to solve the connectivity issue – Devialet sent him one direct from France. That’s how great their customer service is.
Several customers commented that they were going to order another Reactor and use them in stereo they were so pleased with their performance.
While another customer purchased the Gold Phantom shortly after their Reactor purchase as they enjoyed the sound so much.
The Top 3 Things purchasers say about the Reactor are:
#1 Incredible Sound Quality
#2 Awesome Bass
#3 Great to listen to Streaming Services
Things to Keep an Eye Out For:
There have been a couple of reviewers that said they thought it was still a bit expensive or that if you were considering purchasing a Reactor to purchase the Phantom Gold instead.
Now maybe they were under the impression that the Reactor would have exactly the same range and power as the Phantom Gold, and honestly, that just isn’t true. The Reactor will lack a bit in range and have a good bit less power, however, it was designed that way from the start. The smaller frame just can’t reproduce that exact match as I had mentioned above.
Devialet Reviews Verdict: 10 out of 10
The Phantom Reactor is definitely a modern marvel of tech and engineering and produces amazing sound.
It may still be too spendy for some people. However, for those that truly enjoy audio, the price point is not a problem.
