Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR - UPDATED 7/27/09

Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Dutch said:
I'm reading this as two options: the amps will be available at a myriad of places, i.e. shops everywhere,or at least through both companies. Or: in the future there will not be a difference between Fractal Audio and Atomic amps, i.e. one and the same company. As I gather both companies are top notch and dedicated to their customers, so in the latter case, I guess congratulations on your marriage are in order!

So Cliff gets hitched twice in one year. I hope he has nice honeymoons...
Click to expand...

Probably shops everywhere. Call it a happy 'fling' rather than marriage. But your comments on both companies is correct...
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Probably shops everywhere.
Click to expand...
Neither Fractal nor Atomic plans on setting up a dealer network at this point in time. We may have a couple of high end showrooms like Tone Merchants - but that's it.
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Hi Tom. I understand that by design, this box is different than the Atomic 50. But, the A50 was designed for modelers. Mine was OK, but I found that a few FRFRs sounded better to me, and so I sold the A50 and kept the FRFRs. This was all before I got the AFx. Now, I'm happy with my FBT monitor, but am also aware of the difference between the 'in the room' sound of my tube amps, and the FRFR. I guess what I'm wondering is whether you feel that the new AR really antiquates the old one.... but it was the bees knees a year or so ago... What am I getting at, besides rambling...... ??? I guess the question is, is this the FR box the old one simply couldn't be and there wasn't the compelling drive to have it be different until Cliff worked his magic on us?? I sure would like to A/B my FBT with the new box..... :roll:

And, wasn't the old one 50#? And this is 40#? If so, that's additionally compelling.... :eek:

btw, none of this alters the reality that I'll probably get one. After 49 yrs of (mostly lame) playing and 62 yrs of breathing, I'm at a stage of life when I need my tools to be the best available. There's no tomorrow I'm assured of... :roll:
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Sounds great! Is it possible to get any pics, either official ones from Tom or perhaps from someone who was at the show?
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Tom King said:
Probably shops everywhere.
Click to expand...
Neither Fractal nor Atomic plans on setting up a dealer network at this point in time. We may have a couple of high end showrooms like Tone Merchants - but that's it.
Click to expand...
In that case... It's possibly the other option...
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Hi Tom. I understand that by design, this box is different than the Atomic 50. But, the A50 was designed for modelers. Mine was OK, but I found that a few FRFRs sounded better to me, and so I sold the A50 and kept the FRFRs. This was all before I got the AFx. Now, I'm happy with my FBT monitor, but am also aware of the difference between the 'in the room' sound of my tube amps, and the FRFR. I guess what I'm wondering is whether you feel that the new AR really antiquates the old one.... but it was the bees knees a year or so ago... What am I getting at, besides rambling...... ??? I guess the question is, is this the FR box the old one simply couldn't be and there wasn't the compelling drive to have it be different until Cliff worked his magic on us?? I sure would like to A/B my FBT with the new box.....
Click to expand...
The other Reactors are not obsolete.

Prior to the Axe-Fx, the top end of a true full range system was not desirable with the available products, imho - many Atomic customers agree. The Axe is pioneering a new age and wants the full range capability so that it's outstanding top end as well as shimmer and synth effects, etc. can be heard.
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

snubz said:
Sounds great! Is it possible to get any pics, either official ones from Tom or perhaps from someone who was at the show?
Click to expand...

They are in this thread http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1466&start=0

IMG_2467.jpg
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

voes said:
Q: maybe to early, but any chance we see you and cliff on the Frankfurter Messe 2009? Would be great to see a pair of genious guys :)
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Oh yeah, that'd be very cool. I haven't been to the Musik-Messe for years, due to lack of interest.
Meeting Cliff there and getting to know his latest products would be reason enough to make a visit :D

Seb
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Hi Tom, can we also use the Extension Cab with any other poweramps?
I mean if i have an stereopoweramp 2x50 w which i love and use now
with 2 Guitar cabs - can i change them to your cabs without problems?
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Really, 7 bills is an exellent price for these.
I mean you pay "about" that much for any competitors unpowered cab. To have one designed for the AFX is going to be spectacular!
I requested 2!
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Hi Tom, can we also use the Extension Cab with any other poweramps?
I mean if i have an stereopoweramp 2x50 w which i love and use now
with 2 Guitar cabs - can i change them to your cabs without problems?
Hi Tom, can we also use the Extension Cab with any other poweramps?
I mean if i have an stereopoweramp 2x50 w which i love and use now
with 2 Guitar cabs - can i change them to your cabs without problems?
Click to expand...

We will be doing a passive version. There may be an adapter kit to switch active to passive but not likely the other way around.
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

I mentioned this to Tom in my "getting on the list" email, but I am thinking out loud... 2x50 tube power is a bit much for some of us. I was thinking a twin pair of AR FRFR 18watters would be great, with XLR out for FOH. About 30lbs each in the $400 range.... just dreaming for the future...... ;)
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

If I read this correctly... You chose a tube power amp because it was the flattest and most cost effective instead of using other technologise, but there's no DSP for making the EQ flat, so you can also offer the cab in a passive form.

Am I missing something? That sounds like I can hook the cabinet up to my Carvin DCM600, with the passive cabinet, and enjoy FRFR goodness without tubes...

Sounds like there may be some difference between the tube-powered version and the passive version. Are you basically saying that lots of other SS power amps really aren't that flat, and the tube power amp that your designer came up with is more transparent? I'd just like to find out what the potential differences are before I get on the wait list for one or the other.
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

jiagap said:
I mentioned this to Tom in my "getting on the list" email, but I am thinking out loud... 2x50 tube power is a bit much for some of us. I was thinking a twin pair of AR FRFR 18watters would be great, with XLR out for FOH. About 30lbs each in the $400 range.... just dreaming for the future...... ;)
Click to expand...
Your assumtion about the weight is unfortunately incorrect. The 50w power section only weighs about 1 pound more than the 18 watter because we use torroidal transformers in the 50w vs. standard EI transformeres in the 18w. Furthermore I'm not sure how you are coming to $400 when the current 18w Reactor is $499. You lose the dock but add a tweeder, crossover network and more.

Never say never but this one is not high on the list at the moment. The good news is that other great things are! :p
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

an other thing -

if i like to (and i do) that stereo, i need! two of them...
In that case i will have the same horrible groundloop hum problems
as i have had with two Atomics ?? (that´s why i have sent them back!)

Please make provisions to solve that
Or built one cab with an stereopoweramp + Extension cab - that was my
suggestion again and again over the last two years........
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Tom King said:
Your assumtion about the weight is unfortunately incorrect. The 50w power section only weighs about 1 pound more than the 18 watter because we use torroidal transformers in the 50w vs. standard EI transformeres in the 18w. Furthermore I'm not sure how you are coming to $400 when the current 18w Reactor is $499. You lose the dock but add a tweeder, crossover network and more.

Never say never but this one is not high on the list at the moment. The good news is that other great things are! :p
Click to expand...

Well, I did say I was dreaming..... Ok, 39lbs and $550......

........dream on...
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

dongrosh said:
an other thing -

if i like to (and i do) that stereo, i need! two of them...
In that case i will have the same horrible groundloop hum problems
as i have had with two Atomics ?? (that´s why i have sent them back!)

Please make provisions to solve that
Or built one cab with an stereopoweramp + Extension cab - that was my
suggestion again and again over the last two years........
Click to expand...

The Reactor FR has a balanced input and output that is transformer isolated so this should NOT be the case. FWIW, at the amp show, Cliff and I were running 2 Reactors plugged into different outlets and connected to the Axe 1/4" outputs and had not hum at all.
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

jiagap said:
Well, I did say I was dreaming..... Ok, 39lbs and $550......

........dream on...
Click to expand...

I think 50 watts is just a number for headroom. From what I read these are not needing to be run at '7' for them to sound their best. Cliff did mention that you could use this in a Stereo system (like the high end tube jobbies.) That means it adds warmth, punch, and a degree of fidelity to the signal without imposing it's own personality upon it.

While the other Atomic products might be designed around *kind* of a tube poweramp to your Pod or Tonelab, (thus, an 18 watter with cooking power tubes would be applicable), I think this is more to cleanly amplify what is already there...using tubes.

IMO.

R
 
Re: Announcement: Atomic Reactor FR

Finaldo said:
If I read this correctly... You chose a tube power amp because it was the flattest and most cost effective instead of using other technologise, but there's no DSP for making the EQ flat, so you can also offer the cab in a passive form.

Am I missing something? That sounds like I can hook the cabinet up to my Carvin DCM600, with the passive cabinet, and enjoy FRFR goodness without tubes...

Sounds like there may be some difference between the tube-powered version and the passive version. Are you basically saying that lots of other SS power amps really aren't that flat, and the tube power amp that your designer came up with is more transparent? I'd just like to find out what the potential differences are before I get on the wait list for one or the other.
Click to expand...

I thought I responded to this earlier but now I can't find the post. If this is a double, I apologize. The gist of what I wrote before was:

1. We used a tube power amp because after doing significant R&D is sounded better than any other option we had heard. This is NOT a statement about the Axe's cab simulation - stricly about good amplification.
2. The passive cabinets will be the same as the active without the power. So, "yes!" you can use them with whatever power solution that suites your needs.
3. Just because an amp is flat, doesn't necessarily mean that it is going to sound good (tube solid state, hybrid or otherwise). The Reactor FR sound more lively and present (read: in the room) to our ears that any of the many other options we tried.
 
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