Devialet's Phantom speaker line screams opulence. From their sci-fi stylings to their expressively wild side-firing bass reflex ports, they appear in contrast to the rest in the marketplace – however the audio system have additionally been large, heavy, and intimidatingly costly, too.
The corporate is now seeking to make its wares just a little more approachable with two new audio system, the Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 and Devialet Phantom Reactor 600. We’re trying on the former of the 2, with its 900W output in comparison with the latter’s 600W. Smaller and more reasonably priced than the full-size Phantom audio system, the Phantom Reactor 900 nonetheless packs a punch, and nonetheless appears to be like like a prop from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Area Odyssey – and that’s no dangerous factor.
However by pointing the shrink ray on the full-size Phantom has any compromise been made? And is that smooth design definitely worth the premium price ticket?
[Update: The Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 has been given a name change – it's now known as the Phantom II. And, it's currently available in another color – Sage Green. There are only 1000 units, so it's pretty exclusive.]
Worth and availability
The Phantom Reactor line up is available for purchase now. Costs begin at $999/ £990 / AU$1990 for the Phantom Reactor 600 and go as much as $1299 / £1290 / AU$2490 for the Phantom Reactor 900, which is reviewed here.
It is nonetheless not low cost, however it's uniquely designed, providing superior audio high quality over nearly all of single standalone Bluetooth audio system, although not fairly the audio efficiency you’d get from much less lavishly-designed stereo methods of an identical worth.
Preserve that in thoughts if audio efficiency is your absolute precedence, although to all however probably the most extremely tuned ears, it’s a really pleasing unit.
You will discover it in shops together with Selfridges, JohnLewis.com, Amazon UK and Harrods within the UK, and Corso Como, B8ta, Nordstrom, Microsoft Retailer, Barneys and Amazon within the US, in addition to Mr Porter worldwide.
Design and connectivity
You gained’t discover a speaker that appears something just like the Phantom Reactor from any producer aside from Devialet – it’s a very distinctive design.
Coming in both a gloss white end or matte black, it appears to be like a bit like some type of space-aged vitamin capsule, being broadly ovaloid in {shape}. The Devialet brand, lower from the chassis itself, sits like an eye fixed on the entrance of the speaker, with air flow grills curving down from the again.
Given its 219mm (size) x 157 mm (width) x 168 mm (top) measurement, it is an astonishingly loud system – corresponding to a symphony orchestra in your lounge if blasting at full quantity.
Likewise, the 18Hz infra-bass would lead you to consider there is a devoted subwoofer within the room – made all of the more dramatic by the best way the bass-reflex ports on both facet of the Phantom Reactor pump air rhythmically and forcefully in time with the beat.
Nonetheless, don’t confuse this for a transportable speaker – you’re going to want a mains provide to energy that mad output, and it stays deceptively heavy at 4.3kg.
Alongside the highest of the speaker you’ll discover 5 touch-sensitive capacitive buttons – quantity up, quantity down, play/pause, Bluetooth pairing / enter choice and the link button that’s used when establishing the gadget with its accompanying management app.
They’re a welcome addition, given how all management of the Phantom line was decided by app alone in earlier fashions.
Bodily inputs now embrace a hybrid minijack and optical level for TVs, in addition to an Ethernet connection if that’s your greatest wager for secure broadband. Wi-fi connectivity consists of Bluetooth, AirPlay, UPnP and Spotify Join, however you don’t get any assist for voice assistants, be that Amazon’s Alexa, the Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri.
For the value, it seems like an oversight, given as they’re in principally all the things today. You’ll have to leap into the app to manage the speaker from afar then, but it surely’s no less than mercifully easy, with simply playback controls and supply choices taking on nearly all of the applying.
All in, it’s a fantastic-looking speaker. Should you like your tech to be as a lot speaking level as gadget, the Phantom Reactor 900 will set tongues wagging.
Efficiency
Fortunately, the Phantom Reactor 900 is greater than only a fairly face too – it sounds phenomenal, if falling just a bit wanting the price-to-performance ratio we’d hope for in a more-than-a-grand speaker.
Regardless of the small bundle and excessive quantity ranges, the Phantom Reactor 900 is ready to ship its output with out as a lot as a touch of distortion because it approaches louder peaks.
Its Analog Digital Hybrid (ADH) amp delivers the standard of an analogue amp in a digital-sized bundle, whereas the corporate's Speaker Lively Matching sign processing system retains element even on the Phantom Reactor 900's 98db max quantity.
Because of its 24bit/192kHz hi-res DAC and Wi-Fi connection, you’ve room to mess around with high-resolution audio sources, too.
Bass impression will likely be an enormous draw here. Primal Scream’s Kill All Hippies from the XTRMNTR album is awash with processed guitars and samples, however when its bass line crunches in, the Phantom Reactor delivers it with weight, and taut power.
It’s much more pronounced through the percussive ‘Why So Serious?’ ingredient of Hans Zimmer’s Darkish Knight soundtrack, the place an intense sub bass motion holds its integrity immaculately, whereas nonetheless permitting the sharp stopwatch-like clicks to be current.
It doesn’t lack intimately with softer moments both. James Rhodes’ tackle Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune noticed the Phantom Reactor 900 fantastically signify the piano piece’s twinkling highs and comforting mids, with out smothering both part. There’s a dynamism current that may reveal particulars at each probably the most gentle and dramatic moments.
However there may be the feeling of all the things feeling a bit slender – bands crammed onto a soapbox slightly than a stage. It stays a heartily pleasant hear, however the design here does little to offer a more pure, wider sense of area.
Remaining verdict
Devialet’s Phantom Reactor 900 is a marvel to witness in motion. There’s no different speaker on the market (aside from one other Phantom, that's) that, via its design, may give the sense of kinetic motion your music delivers. It’s futuristic, detailed, and enjoyable.
It suffers in its soundstage although, missing the width you’d hope to search out in such an expensive speaker.
It makes the Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 troublesome to wholeheartedly advocate on pure audio high quality alone – but it surely’s a single black mark in opposition to its title, slightly than one which sullies the entire.
It’s general a fabulous piece of engineering, and an pleasant audio gadget in its personal proper even when taking its placing appears to be like out of the equation.
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