As a contributing editor to NXT Magazine, I get to review some pretty extravagant products sometimes. The Devialet Phantom Reactor landed on my hands for a review and so I wrote this separate article for my readers for an alternative view.
The Devialet Phantom speaker series is an elaborate effort to pack massive power into a small size. The Phantom Premier delivers 4500W and up to 108 dB of sound pressure. The Phantom Reactor packs just 900W and up to 98 dB within a 3-litre pod that feels so dense and heavy, it feels like some space exploration gadget. Despite its size, the Phantom Reactor delivers pure ear-gasm for people who loves some audio steroids for the home without overcrowding their homes with huge speakers.
If you ask me, 900W is an overkill, and turning it all the way up does not mean you get lovely loud sound. In fact, once you cross a certain point, the sound gets overbearing, unless you are a party animal and your house is large enough to let the sound waves resolve the pressure.
The wow factor is really watching the insane bass driver movements. With the right audio track, the sub-bass is just mesmerising. Honestly, the sub-bass does not match dedicated sub-woofers that easily reverberate every loose material in the room. No, the Phantom Reactor could not deliver that level. What it achieves is quality sustainable sub-bass frequencies enough to balance the single treble driver, not to over-power it. When listening at normal levels, the treble sings clearly, slightly recessed, while the bass achieves far better responses than most single-cabinet speakers.
There are numerous ways to connect to Phantom Reactor, from the basic Bluetooth and 3.5mm to optical cable and Wi-Fi, allowing owners to play music directly from Spotify, Apply Airplay, and uPnP. Devialet promises support for multi-speaker set up that will provide a more balanced musical output.
Verdict
The Devialet Phantom Reactor retails at S$1890 (600W) and S$2390 (900W), which is a good price for a piece of art-tech. It is small and beautiful enough to be displayed in a house, with a sound massive enough to replace the cumbersome multi-unit sound systems.
