Spark Reactor Amp...

[The Shark]

Okay, so I purchased the Spark Reactor amplifier and the wireless foot controller.  I buy stuff from Sweetwater, so it's on back order.  It's less than $600, so the cash outlay isn't massive.  What I think is "massive" is a product that uses AI to craft the sound I'm looking for.  

Now, never misunderstand.  The Galien Krueger 250-ML was the greatest solid state amp with effects that would power two 4x12 cabinets, and it was ground breaking.  I remember going to see Michael Bolton at Tom's Point After in Orlando after band practice on a Sunday night.  The venue could hold about three hundred fifty (according to a girl I dated for a few months that worked there).  There were seven at our table and about ten other people in the venue, when the show was to start.  

A guy came out and said that the band was all set up to play and they would play a one hour set, if we wanted them to.  If not, they would refund our money and head to Fort Lauderdale early for their gig the next night.  I had both of Michael's first two albums and they were great.  His song Fool's Game was a hit on MTV and Everybody's Crazy was the latest MTV video at the time.  We opted for "the show".  

The guitarist, some guy named Bruce Kulick, came out and did the sound check.  It was one of the most phenomenal guitar sounds I'd ever heard.  He was playing this little box on top of two Marshal 4x12 cabs.  The drummer was Chuck Burgi.  He was from Rainbow.  The show was epic.  Michael Bolton was one of the best singers I've ever seen.  I know.  I know.  It was Michael Bolton.  If you've never listened to his first two albums, you don't understand.  And he played for about twenty people that night, if you count the staff.  

They played a version of Turn the Page that was extremely memorable.  Kulick did the sax parts on guitar.  I think some pretender band called Metallica covered it too, but it was nothing like this.  Michael, if I'm honest, is one of the top five singers I've ever seen.  Freddie, Paul (the one from Bad Co), Lou, and Steve (from the mid-west) were the others. 

But the guitar sound was the star that night.  I bought one and played it in stereo for about two years.  It gave way to great rig I had that was three 2x12 Boogie slant cabs with a Simul-Class Mark III in the middle and the 250-ML in stereo on either side of the stage. 

In closing, I'm going to query the AI App on the reactor to capture the lead guitar sound on Gary Moore's Still Got the Blues, Carlos' Santana on Europa (live from Moonflower), Robben Ford's tone on the "Talk to Your Daughter" album and Eric Johnson's tone on A Via Musicom.   If it isn't close, I'm sending it back to Matt Masek at Sweetwater for a refund. 

My point is that all the technological advancements that have occurred during my tenure with the same band for 48 years have been amazing.  There's also that thing called a cell phone.  Some day, your phone and your amplifier will replace everything that's come before.  I'm a Kemper guy, but I think the only redeeming quality of AI in my life will come from having a rig that creates every sound in my head.

I might not live long enough.  But the technological advancements in my life have been epic.  If this amp, at $379, is the new GK amp, I'm going to have fun.

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:50 AM by The Shark

[velorush]

I had the 1983 album, "Michael Bolton" my freshman year of college and thought it was phenomenal. My perception was it didn't gain much traction as no one else had ever heard of him.

I was amazed when he was suddenly a worldwide phenomenon as a crooner. Great move for him, but the rock albums were great IMO.

I have the original Spark and hate it. The amp actually sounds fine (albeit a bit noisy), but the fact that I have to have my cell phone linked to it is a deal killer. I need to sell it, but it won't bring enough to justify the effort in even listing the thing. It's relegated to a keyboard amp at this point and works fine for that running the synth into the aux input.

Does the Reactor have the same interface (i.e., cell phone app)?

[The Shark]

25 minutes ago, velorush said:

I had the 1983 album, "Michael Bolton" my freshman year of college and thought it was phenomenal. My perception was it didn't gain much traction as no one else had ever heard of him.

I was amazed when he was suddenly a worldwide phenomenon as a crooner. Great move for him, but the rock albums were great IMO.

I have the original Spark and hate it. The amp actually sounds fine (albeit a bit noisy), but the fact that I have to have my cell phone linked to it is a deal killer. I need to sell it, but it won't bring enough to justify the effort in even listing the thing. It's relegated to a keyboard amp at this point and works fine for that running the synth into the aux input.

Does the Reactor have the same interface (i.e., cell phone app)?

I believe it's a totally different app.  They have pretty good reviews on YouTube.  It's super easy.  The AI thing just fascinates me.  It's real time "profiling" which I think will get much better, if it catches on.  

I sold my Spark at the Sarasota show for $150.  I thought I made out like a bandit.

[RobB]

I hope it works out, and I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on the new technology. Spark has left quite a legacy of old technology in their wake, so if this is successful, maybe they’ll stick with the platform.

 

Edited yesterday at 06:46 PM by RobB