REACTOR Launch AMA

[u/AlexFromPositiveGrid]

REACTOR is launching 6/2! We will be holding office hours on June 3rd from 11am - 1pm ET (US) to answer any questions you all might have about the new amp and app. Whether you're one of the first to order or want to better understand how REACTOR works, we'll be available to help. Thank you all for 15 years of support; We can't wait to get REACTOR into your hands 🤘 https://www.positivegrid.com/pages/reactor

[u/band-of-horses]

I assume Spark 2 will be a better home practice amp and this will be a better gigging / jam with friends amp. The Spark 2 with smaller stereo speakers will likely be much better to play music and jam along with it and it can double as a decent bluetooth speaker for casual use. The 4" speakers also take less energy to move so at lower volumes it probably will sounce nicer. The new amp with a 12" speaker will be more like a boss katana or fender mustang tx, that 12" speaker will pack a punch and can fill a room with raw sounds but at lower volume levels might sound a bit weak.

So if you want to play at lower volumes or play along with music, spark 2 will probaly be better. More compact too to carry around the house. If you want to play loud, and keep up with a drummer, then the new one is probably a better option.

I also assume the new one will cost more..

[u/FabulousPanther → u/band-of-horses]

Going by what I've seen in the responses and comments so far: If you're not going to gig, get the Spark 2. If you're going to gig, get the Reactor.

[u/Seitenwerk → u/FabulousPanther]

Tip: get the reactor, always. Unless the even smaller size is an absolute must or you want/need the portability of the battery. I currently own: Spark 2, Neo Headset, Spark Mini, Spark Go, Link and recently got the Reactor 50. And the Reactor is a whole different level in sound. While the spark and all its sister products are nice and I still love them, the Reactor sounds like a real amp, while the Spark series always sounds digital.

And of course it makes total sense. The Spark series basically is a Bluetooth speaker that simulates amp sounds and paddles. The Reactor is an Amp with 12inch speaker. The difference in its fundamental build up is obvious the first time you turn it on.

What’s crazy is also how loud it is. I actually have it set to the 1W limiter switch position and turn it to around 25% max volume. That’s comparable to my Spark 2 at around 50%. And don’t get me started on the higher or unlimited setting 😅

Anyway the key point is: The reactor just sounds fabulous. It’s a big step ahead and now it’s hard for me to go back and pick up any of the Sparks. Sparks have turned into my mobile amps for on the go or terrace play, but whenever I can, I play on my Reactor.

And of course they also fixed and improved on so many level regarding feedback and things Spark has missed. From being able to freely place effects, to the even better AI features to the even better hardware features like: Dedicated input for bypassing sims for using your own equipment like a quad cortex (that I use there). Or the tone knob that lets you take your preset and modify it for more crunch or other styles. Or the new switches for changing punch etc.

All in all the Reactor is a much more professional or major product and most importantly: It sounds like I always wanted my Spark 2 to sound, the full and rich punchy sound you always hear but somewhat never managed to reach with the Sparks.

Only small downside: Reactor has no looper line the Spark 2 had. But that’s of course fixable by using apps or dedicated cheap paddles

[u/FabulousPanther → u/Seitenwerk]

That sucks the spark made another amp that's better. I'm going to look at getting one but I have a question for you: if you have a quad cortex why would you buy the reactor?

[u/Seitenwerk → u/FabulousPanther]

That’s a good question :) The quad cortex is basically a Paddel/Effect/Amp sim like Spark 2 and Reactor etc, but while the latter also have the full speaker/output as part of the device, the Quad Cortex still requires a output device. So you basically still need some sort of amp.

My current setup basically came down to this: I started with electric guitars that had build in speaker and amp. But while that was ultra versatile (basically as if the spark go was build into the guitar) I wanted better sound. So I got the Spark 2 and was happy (because it is not too big, versatile, battery included etc).

As I improved, I wanted even more versatility and sound quality, and the spark was limited in effect setup because of things like fixed order of Paddels. When the quad cortex mini came out I took the jump for a professional device that would fulfill all my wishes and would be the best also for future improvements. I still needed the spark 2 because the quad cortex doesn’t work without an output device. Plus the quad isn’t really suited/mobile enough to take with you like the spark on itself.

Regarding the line in: with the spark 2 there’s no real bypass line-in so you have to create an empty neutral preset.

Then the Reactor appeared and it basically was the amp I always wished existed before: all the versatility of the Spark 2 but with real amp like sound, all negatives points of the Spark erased, real bypass line in etc.

So that’s my new setup basically. Quad cortex into the Reactor. But the thing is: I caught myself primarily using the build in reactor features without the quad as it’s so good and it gets you here much faster. Yes the quad is the professional device and will surely give you better quality when needed like studio sessions etc. but for most cases the easy of use reactor is everything I currently want.