{"id":16199,"date":"2019-05-02T13:42:58","date_gmt":"2019-05-02T13:42:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/?p=16199"},"modified":"2019-12-04T10:37:37","modified_gmt":"2019-12-04T10:37:37","slug":"devialets-900-watt-wireless-phantom-reactor-speaker-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/devialets-900-watt-wireless-phantom-reactor-speaker-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Devialet’s 900 watt, wireless Phantom Reactor speaker (Review)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Devialet revolutionise the amount of power you’d expect to be possible in the size of their speakers. We got to experience that first hand.<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n

We’ve been wanting to get our hands on a Devialet speaker since we first saw their incredible, face-melting Phantom speaker in 2015. In 2016 they launched their tour de force; the Gold Phantom with 4,500 watts of bone-rattling power. With this year’s launch of the more compact Phantom Reactor (still capable of an incredible noise) we put it to the test to hear for ourselves how Devialet have been changing the speaker game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Phantom Reactor takes things down a notch from its predecessors but still packs an impressive 900 watts of pure, un-distorted power. Coming in at the size of a slightly deflated football with it’s clean, ‘fresh-out-the-mothership’ aesthetic – the fact that this small speaker can push out so much sound is truly special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We lugged it down to our large open studio downstairs to test it out at full volume with plenty of space. The first thing we noticed when we plugged it up and switched it on was the quality. Considering it has a big<\/strong> sound it sounds good. Really good. Probably the most impressive thing about our time with Devialet’s speaker is just how consistent the quality is whether it’s at the highest possible volume and shaking the walls or playing at its quietest depths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 900w behind it, the speaker is more than capable of filling a room with sound and the sound it produces travels better than any speaker of this size we’ve heard. When the Phantom Reactor is emitting music it travels distance, moving above, below, and around surfaces so it feels like it’s next to you even when you’re 20 metres away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst it’s a powerful speaker, it really is – when we were playing it full volume it felt like it needed just an extra notch of volume. Don’t get me wrong, it plays music *loudly* and is more than enough for a party, gathering, or any other reason you could have for loud music. Perhaps I’m tainted by my love of ear-bleeding levels for music, and the knowledge of its far louder older brother – the Phantom Gold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It just felt like it needed one extra bar on the volume-up button. Me and a colleague were able to talk without raising our voices whilst standing next to it at full volume. I suppose it’s personal preference, and the context you’re using a Phantom Reactor in, as to whether that is a good feature or a small shame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Reactor is multi-directional but I found the sound was at its best when you’re standing anywhere in front of it’s geometrically carved sound hole. When standing anywhere on either side of it’s Heart Bass Implosion (HBI) panels the sound feels a little less enveloping but still brilliant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of it’s HBI panels, they’re a truly amazing piece of technology. They are what allows for Phantom speakers to push out such large-sounding, incredible bass levels from such a small compact device. It makes for a truly impressive low-end and it also makes it look hella cool when it’s sides are shaking out of their casing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting your device up for playback is simple and intuitive. You can easily cast music from a Bluetooth device, plug it up with an auxiliary, or connect it to the internet for Airplay connectivity from the majority of major online casting features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n