First contact - Atomic Reactor FR content

Hi Jochen

Great to see you posting, your early soundfiles was one of the things that made me take the leap of faith and buy an Ultra sight unseen when they were first released.
Also thanks for the review, the FR Reactor is a long awaited piece for a lot of Axe users.
I´ve gone with IEM myself, but would really like to have a FRFR monitor solution available to me as well for different situations.
So I have a few questions for you (or Tom King) if that´s ok.
Some might have noticed me speaking in favour of high end FRFR monitors to get the best from of the Axe Fx and expressing concerns that the FR Reaktor is tube based. I stand by all that, but my interest is genuine and I´m not out to find weaknesses to it, more I´m interested in confirming it´s strengths.
Since the FR Reactor is FRFR it should perform all the same duties as any other FRFR monitor, right?
You´ve already answered my first potential question (does it sound good with an acoustic guitar) with a yes, but
1) How about bass? The Axe has bass amp & cab sims - can the FR Reactor handle the low end of a bass guitar.
2) Vocals? I´m thinking both spoken and singing ??
3) could a pair work as a mini PA for a duo in a small bar - small mixer with (as a example) 2 vocal mics and two guitars ?
4) Would you mind sharing what the high end monitor you used and refer to is (brand, model and price i Euros), and how you think it and the FR Reaktor compaires with regards to sound, ease of use, versatility, weight and size (ease of transportation)?
Thanks
RB
 
Hi,

hm..., the thread has been moved. I posted it on purpose on the General Discussion subforum, because I thought that this could have been of a more general interest. Also the (at the moment 68 pages long) Atomic Reactor thread is also there.

Could I please ask who has moved this thread and why? I think it would have been appropriate or at least kind if someone had dropped me a line about the move. Just a short mail with something like: "Hi, I have moved your thread to the "Amps and Cabs"-subforum because...".

Instead there is also no information on the General Discussion page about the move. I came back to the forums and thougt that my post has been deleted. Why isn't there a notice/hint that it had been moved? It could have been done just like with the thread from "jzgtrguy" - "New Atomic FRFR" where you clearly see in the General Discussion that it has been moved.

Cheers

Jochen
 
Hi,

Sidivan said:
You're missing 1 vital piece of info: What's the retail cost per unit? There's been a lot of speculation...
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I'm only responsible for the support, everything about prices and availability should be send to Atomic Amplifications or if you're in Europe to G66.

Sorry,

Jochen
 
Hi,

gsegal said:
if you take the tweeter of and turn of the cab sims does it sound like the regular atomic reactor?
Click to expand...

as Tom already said, one could say it leads to this, but I'm happy that the tweeter is there and I'm using it. Don't forget, it's still new to me. Yesterday with my (electric) band i used them with the tweeters - just like I would use them with a PA - and I wasn't able to get the grin out of my face.

These are still first impressions. But the Reactor FR is a different animal. The perhaps most important benefit was, that the sound of the complete band was better compared to the rehearsals with the older Atomics and everyone noticed this yesterday.

Cheers

Jochen
 
Hi,

jb70 said:
very cool! are you planning on putting up some you tube videos or audio clips?
Click to expand...

no. At least not yet. I have my concerns with the audio quality on YouTube and I think that one should play with this combination to find out, if it suits your style, band and everything.

Both, Atomic Amps and G66 (for Europe) offer a 15-day satisfaction guarantee, so you can try them with your band and find out if it really works for you. To me that's way better than a vid on the Tube.

m lebofsky said:
First thing I did when I saw the picture was look on the floor for a test MFC101. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

You can't imagine how hard I'm waiting for this one too.

paulmapp8306 said:
Most important to me - and I guess a lot of others:

Do they actually sound like a real amp?

I know thats not the main pont - but for a fair % of us, finding a solution that sounds and behaves like a real amp but with the ability to use the cab sims for more acurate "modelling" of certain sounds is the grail. Its what is NOT currently available in FRFR solutions without paying many times the price of the Atomic.

The QSCs, RCFs, FBTs etc just dont do that.
Click to expand...

That's a good question. To me this combination of the Axe and the FR sounds like some really great amps. Not only one real amp but more like every amp I need. To me it's not the Reactor FR or the Axe-Fx, but the combination. Two of my tube amps (a Marshall JTM45 with a 4x12 with blackbacks and a Kitty Hawk Standard combo, which is poaching in the Dumble world, it's a german amp from the late 70's/early 80's with a very close look at the Dumble's interior because the builder of this amp imported the Dumbles in those days) are sitting in their cases in the room next door and they are collecting dust for more than two and a half years now.

Yesterday with the band I really had a blast with this setup. Perhaps I should add a bit more info about the style/songs we were playing.

First: No brootalz stuff! If brootalz is your world you really have to ask someone else. It would be mostly dishonest if I'd say this is a death metall guitarist dream come true, because I just just really don't know. What I can say is that they can offer an amazing amount of bass, but compared to the legacy Reactors the bass is more focussed and tighter. I'm really happy about this, btw. our bass player too, the overall sound of the complete band was simply better than before.

We played some songs from ZZ Top, Cream, Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Stones, David Bowie, AC/DC, Tom Petty and stuff like this, just to give you a picture. And with this setup I am able to get all the sounds I want and grin like a Chesshire cat. :D

nobbi said:
I´m waiting for the new reactor. There will be one question for me: Now I´m playing SS-amp and cab, sure that means a new tweaking. When I tweak the axe by ear I´m standing a certain distance away from the reactor and hear the combination of the tweeter and the speaker. What do you mean. Connected to a professional PA, set to neutral, by XLR: shall I hear the same sound there like in front of the reactor? Nobbi.
Click to expand...

Nobbi, I'm not sure if I got you right. First, you do not realize the tweeter as a tweeter. What I want to say is that you hear a well balanced, or better: a complementary sound. It's not a 12" and a tweeter in the sense that the tweeter stands out or might sound on top of it, perhaps with beeing harsh, it's one balanced sound it's very homogeneous to my ears. I tested the Reactor FR with some presets that I only use when I'm going completely direct and these presets sounded wonderful on the FRs. In fact every speaker/cab sounds different but I really think that I can use the same preset/signal for the Reactor FR and the FoH and though there might be some slight differences the tones would sound great on both systems.

Rocket Brother said:
Hi Jochen

Great to see you posting, your early soundfiles was one of the things that made me take the leap of faith and buy an Ultra sight unseen when they were first released.
Also thanks for the review, the FR Reactor is a long awaited piece for a lot of Axe users.
I´ve gone with IEM myself, but would really like to have a FRFR monitor solution available to me as well for different situations.
So I have a few questions for you (or Tom King) if that´s ok.
Some might have noticed me speaking in favour of high end FRFR monitors to get the best from of the Axe Fx and expressing concerns that the FR Reaktor is tube based. I stand by all that, but my interest is genuine and I´m not out to find weaknesses to it, more I´m interested in confirming it´s strengths.
Since the FR Reactor is FRFR it should perform all the same duties as any other FRFR monitor, right?
You´ve already answered my first potential question (does it sound good with an acoustic guitar) with a yes, but
1) How about bass? The Axe has bass amp & cab sims - can the FR Reactor handle the low end of a bass guitar.
2) Vocals? I´m thinking both spoken and singing ??
3) could a pair work as a mini PA for a duo in a small bar - small mixer with (as a example) 2 vocal mics and two guitars ?
4) Would you mind sharing what the high end monitor you used and refer to is (brand, model and price i Euros), and how you think it and the FR Reaktor compaires with regards to sound, ease of use, versatility, weight and size (ease of transportation)?
Thanks
RB
Click to expand...

Thanks RocketBrother.
Yes, just to confirm it again, it sounded great with my acoustic, really wonderful. I'm using a Furch built Standford OM5 Vintage with a B-Band UST with my Ultra and one of the custom IRs someone made from the DTAR Mama Bear body images and the tones were wonderful and sweet.

1) and 2) I have not tried it with a bass or with vocals. I gave them a listen with some CDs and got fine results, so
3) I think that this could work really fine.
4) the powered monitors are KS CPA1, which I really love and know, we bought them a few years ago, are using them on every rehearsal and with every gig where we have to provide the sound system. We have a few of them (also subs) so we even can do open air gigs (if not too large) with them. They sound fantastic, so we often even bring them along if the local sound system doesn't look so ... good. They are small, lightweight and the system is assembled in almost no time. But the retail price for one single CPA1 is 1.739,- Euros (equals $2.500 for each cab). Ease of use, weight, transporbility are similar.

The KS is my reference point for a small, transportable sound system with a wonderful sound and enough power. If you listen to a CD with the KS and the Reactor FR the KS still has some pros, but hey, they cost twice as much.

And, I don't want the Reactor FR for CDs, I want it for my Axe-Fx and to me this combination is fantastic. I already compared the Reactor FR with the KS using my acoustic guitar and while both systems sound great, the Reactor might perhaps sound a bit sweeter. Perhaps I should do a comparative test with the electric guitars, but at this moment I'd say that I feel more comfortable with the Reactor FR, because it gives you a more "amp like" feel. If you'd asked me if I would take the KS and the Reactor FR to our next gig you'll get a "Definite YES!" The Reactor FR would be for me and the KS for for the audience if needed.

Cheers

Jochen
 
Hi Jochen,

that's good news to me because I ordered a pair of those babies from G66 - Ican't wait.

cheers,
Uli
 
Joe said:
Thanks RocketBrother.
Yes, just to confirm it again, it sounded great with my acoustic, really wonderful. I'm using a Furch built Standford OM5 Vintage with a B-Band UST with my Ultra and one of the custom IRs someone made from the DTAR Mama Bear body images and the tones were wonderful and sweet.

1) and 2) I have not tried it with a bass or with vocals. I gave them a listen with some CDs and got fine results, so
3) I think that this could work really fine.
4) the powered monitors are KS CPA1, which I really love and know, we bought them a few years ago, are using them on every rehearsal and with every gig where we have to provide the sound system. We have a few of them (also subs) so we even can do open air gigs (if not too large) with them. They sound fantastic, so we often even bring them along if the local sound system doesn't look so ... good. They are small, lightweight and the system is assembled in almost no time. But the retail price for one single CPA1 is 1.739,- Euros (equals $2.500 for each cab). Ease of use, weight, transporbility are similar.

The KS is my reference point for a small, transportable sound system with a wonderful sound and enough power. If you listen to a CD with the KS and the Reactor FR the KS still has some pros, but hey, they cost twice as much.

And, I don't want the Reactor FR for CDs, I want it for my Axe-Fx and to me this combination is fantastic. I already compared the Reactor FR with the KS using my acoustic guitar and while both systems sound great, the Reactor might perhaps sound a bit sweeter. Perhaps I should do a comparative test with the electric guitars, but at this moment I'd say that I feel more comfortable with the Reactor FR, because it gives you a more "amp like" feel. If you'd asked me if I would take the KS and the Reactor FR to our next gig you'll get a "Definite YES!" The Reactor FR would be for me and the KS for for the audience if needed.

Cheers

Jochen
Click to expand...

Hi Jochen
Thanks for the answers - they help a lot.
I for one would be really, really interested in hearing your thoughts - if you were to do a real A/B test between the FR Reactor and the KS CPA1.
Do I understand you correctly when I say that you acturally prefere the FR Reactor to the KS for acoustic and electric guitar, but the KS is better at other PA duties ?
That would be a strong testament to the FR Reactor if you prefere it over a FRFR monitor costing more than dobble of it´s price.
The FR Reactor is not a coaxial design as far as I know, do it have a sweetspot similar to a conventional amp (one place on the stage only) or is it bigger? One of the advantages with IEMs or a coaxial FRFR is that your sweetspot is everywhere on the stage. How does the FR Reactor stack up there?
I don´t want the FR Reactor for CD playback, I´m interested in getting the FR Reactor or another FRFR solution primarily for the Axe Fx, as a second choise to the IEM.
I´d like whatever solution I get to be very versatile, as in being able to handle electric and acoustic guitars with the Ultra and make it sound like real amb/cab rigs.
But I would also like it to be able to handle bass guitar well. On the few occations where I´ll play bass I´ll definately use the Axe bass amp and cab sim, and I don´t want to have to buy another amp or FRFR for that.
Furthermore I could on occation use the "FR Reactor mini PA" for laid back duo stuff, as I have a little such project coming just for fun.
Sometimes we do mini-clinics at the music schools in the area and I´d like to be able to run a backing track through it as well as the Axe and being able to speak through it there as well.
Thanks
RB

PS for the ones asking about the European prices go to http://www.G66.com - they have the prices up on the site.
 
Jochen,
How are the Atomics working out for you now that you've had them for a couple of weeks?

Did they break in as you had hoped, and do they get loud enough before breaking up?

I used to have a pair of QSC HPR122i's that were LOUD as a monitor but the sound dispersed quite rapidly as you increased distance from the cab. How do the Atomics fare in this regard?

Sorry for all the questions but it's getting close to the decision day and I'm still on the fence about the Atomic FR or just getting the QSC K12's. I can save about $300 on a pair of K12's vs. a pair of the Atomics and the K12's could double as an acoustic gig PA so I am just trying to decide if the Atomics are really worth the extra $$$ and make the Axe-Fx sound THAT much better.

Thanks
 
Hi,

sorry, I'm really late. The last few days were very busy, had a few gigs in the meantime and spent a lot of time with the new Reactor FR.

To me, or for what I want, the Reactor FR is a perfect match to the Axe-Fx.

Rocket Brother,

I have not made further real or explicit A/B tests of the Reactor FR against the KS CPA1 - because as you I don't want it to playback CDs, I want to rock with it - but I played the one on several occasions and the other one on others and yes, I prefer to amplify my guitars (or the Axe-Fx) with the Reactor. I'm a bit leaned towards vintage tones when it comes to guitars and I love what tubes can do for a great guitar tone, so maybe it's only a gut feeling, but I really love that combination.

Regarding your question if the Reactor FR has a sweetspot on just one place on stage like with a conventional amp or if it's different, I have to say that the sweetspot with the Reactors (I use two of them) is perhaps not everywhere in the room or on the stage, but it's wider, the dispersion, or spreading is way better compared to a "normal" amp, but it's still traceable if you know what I want to say - it's not washed-out, weak or faded into the background, it's still present, full, rich, detailed and complex.

With the acoustic guitar and compared to the KS it sounds - to my ears - more musically, if that makes any sense. I love the tone.

Ringleader,

breaking in a speaker is a constant process, so it's a bit difficult to determine this, but I can say that it sounds sweet and is never harsh but it has all the sparkle you want. Can't say if they will still refine, but that would only be the icing on the cake.

If they are loud enough before breaking up? Hell yeah! :lol: Absolutely. We are a loud band and I'm still far from setting it up to eleven, one loader is always possible. ;)

Sorry that it took me so long to answer your questions.

Best,

Jochen
 
Hi all,

I am going to buy one with an Axe Std but I have a question about the amp.
I play, most of the time, at home. I would like to know if it can be used not too loudly with a good sound. Just tryin to keep my neighbours alive.

Do you know how long it takes between the order and the time I play with. I know that they won't be available before the 14th but hope that you will have enough for all customers :)

Thanks for your help.
 
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