Thread Rating:
  • 2 Vote(s) - 3 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Stereo Reactor vs Mono Classic
#1
Hello,

My budget allows me the following:

A) 1 Classic Phantom Premier (mono) - issues: mono sound, expensive to do a stereo and requires dialog box.
or
B) 2 Phantom Reactors 600W (stereo) - issues: supposedly lack of mid-range.
or
C) 1 pair of KEF LS50W (stereo) - issues: may need external subwoofer. need ethernet to connect the 2 speakers

What is your opinion?


Would the lack of Midrange, but stereo sound of Phantom Reactor be better than Classic Phantom? Is the lack of midrange that bad? or noticeable only when somebody does comparison with other high end devices?
Reply
#2
You should go listen to reactors yourself, I am yet to understand where the supposedly lack of mids is.

One shall use ones ears to listen instead of ones eyes.

It is not because it is a two ways speaker that it lacks mids.

Of your 3 options, I would definitely go with the pair of reactors, hands down!

Jean-Marie
MacBook Air M2 -> RAAT/Air -> WiFi -> PLC -> Ethernet -> Devialet 220pro with Core Infinity (upgraded from 120) -> AperturA Armonia
France
Reply
#3
Thanks for the reply. I don't have access to any Physical stores selling the Reactors where I live. So I would have to order it blindly based on the recommendations here and the reviews I find online.

Since the Reactors lack a dedicated mid driver unlike the Phantom white, I assume that is why folks think mid is lacking.

What configuration do you have and what are your views on the sound quality (if you have both Reactors vs Gold/silver/white)
Reply
#4
This question (one of the upper range v two lower range speakers) comes up once in a while here. Stereo is always best, no competition.

As for Reactor v LS50W. I haven't heard the Reactors but I do have some LS50W's. If you like bass, I guess the Reactor probably have it. If you like great midrange and fantastic sound stage, I can't think of a speaker that can beat the LS50W in this price range.
                                                    Lifetime Roon, Mac mini, int. SSD, ext. HDD, tv as monitor, key board and track pad on bean bag as remote,Devialet 200, Od'A #097, Blue jeans speaker cable,                                     
                                                                                                                                                                            Dynaudio C1 MkII.
                                                                                                                                                                              Jim Smith's GBS.
                                                                                                                                                                        Northern NSW Australia.
Reply
#5
Stereo Reactors all day long!!
Living Room: Devialet Dione
Reply
#6
(16-May-2019, 21:47)photometer Wrote: Thanks for the reply. I don't have access to any Physical stores selling the Reactors where I live. So I would have to order it blindly based on the recommendations here and the reviews I find online.

Since the Reactors lack a dedicated mid driver unlike the Phantom white, I assume that is why folks think mid is lacking.

What configuration do you have and what are your views on the sound quality (if you have both Reactors vs Gold/silver/white)

I own 2 Gold pairs, 1 classic pair and 1 reactor 900 pair.  So far the biggest difference I've found is the lack of bass compared to my bigger phantoms.  I don't hear a problem with mid-range reproduction.
6 x Phantom Gold, 3 x Phantom Silver, 2 x Phantom Classic, 9 x Phantom Reactor 900, Symetrix Radius AEC-2, 2 x JBL Synthesis SDP-55, Dante
Reply
#7
(16-May-2019, 21:47)photometer Wrote: Thanks for the reply. I don't have access to any Physical stores selling the Reactors where I live. So I would have to order it blindly based on the recommendations here and the reviews I find online.

Since the Reactors lack a dedicated mid driver unlike the Phantom white, I assume that is why folks think mid is lacking.

What configuration do you have and what are your views on the sound quality (if you have both Reactors vs Gold/silver/white)

As you can see in my signature, my own system is expert based. One of my daughter has a reactor in her room and although being mono only, it is already very impressive, even compared to my system. 

But I have the fortune to have been able to listen to every pairs of phantoms as well as Reactors and play with them at my leisure, with tunes that I know very well. 

I can tell you that stereo is a non negotiable feature for me. As good and clever can be the mix of the left and right channels, you always loose something compared to stereo. 

As njaiswal is saying, the main differences between the phantoms is the level at which they can play, and the most impressive part being the bass compartment. 

Jean-Marie 
MacBook Air M2 -> RAAT/Air -> WiFi -> PLC -> Ethernet -> Devialet 220pro with Core Infinity (upgraded from 120) -> AperturA Armonia
France
Reply
#8
Hello,
I'm new here, altough I have already read many of your messages for quit a while.
After reading a lot of reviews and comments, I decided to book a demo with a stereo setup of the reactor 600.
I was afraid of a shortage of midrange but I did not noticed any of that... in fact, me and my wife were quite impressed!
Now I am awaiting for my order to arrive in a few days!!
I'm verry excited!

Greets from the Netherlands
Reply
#9
Jean-Marie
Stereo Pairs - outside of loudness and bass quantity are the Reactors close to the Golds sound quality wise? They sure are nice and smaller.
Reply
#10
(22-May-2019, 22:13)Mr_Bill Wrote: Jean-Marie
Stereo Pairs - outside of loudness and bass quantity are the Reactors close to the Golds sound quality wise?  They sure are nice and smaller.

Unless you have a huge room or are used to throw disco parties at 90 db every night, I would go for the Reactor 600, since I own both the Phantom golds and the Reactor 600 and tested side by side at moderate volume with spotify connect high quality, it's hard to tell which one is playing: same velvety and warm sound like that of a tube system with high efficiency speakers...In my opinion the mids are more upfront and present in the reactors than in the Phantoms Gold, where the singer seems to be more in the background. Plus for ease of set up and ease of use, the reactors beat the phantoms hands down. Only drawback: you don't have access to internet radios directly from the app (but you can use a dedicated app like ABC lounge radio and listen to it with airplay from you smartphone).
Someone posted a frequency response here: it showed no lack of mids at all, but a roughly flat line from 20 hz to 15khz. For some reason, the graph is not visible any more in the thread but I attach it down here. .
   
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Any-in-d...ere?page=2
[img]file:///Users/philippepoirine/Pictures/Reactor%20re%CC%81ponse%20en%20fre%CC%81quence/Reactor-85dB.jpg[/img]
2 phantom Gold
2 phantom Reactor
Dione soundbar
Spotify connect 
Apple music
Audirvana 3.5.44 for Mac
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)