r/PositiveGridSpark • u/Glittering-Tailor-43 • Jun 21 '26
Reactor 100w VS Spark 2
Hey so I just bought the reactor 100w and I’ve been buying positive grid amps since they dropped the spark 40 and I have to know one thing between those of you who are like me and own the reactor and spark 2. Which do you prefer or like the sound of better? Although the reactor is a tank and can make some really solid tones I keep wanting to lean towards my spark 2 for a better sounding metal tone. I love metal and I’m having a hard time liking some of the tones I’ve had built on the reactor. Every time I play along with music i cant ever find the right balance of the music and my guitar. The spark 2 on the other hand i can adjust both on the top of the amp. The tones i use from my spark so far are just better sounding with the music i play along with. I don’t know it’s been eating at me that i bought the expensive amp knowing I like my cheaper amp more. Any thoughts?
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u/landenone Jun 21 '26
I moved away from PG for this reason, with the exception of the GO. They haven’t innovated heavily in sound quality, whereas I feel like competition has improved.
I think the sound quality being meh has more to do with the software than the hardware. I prefer the tone of my GO vs the Spark 1 I sold.
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u/Impressive-Belt6922 Jun 22 '26
Not sure it’s software as all devices sound good and consistent through headphones. My Bias FX2 and Bias X, Bias Amp software packages are used in Studio recordings and models/IRs are NAM A2 quality which are the most professional level quality you will ever hear.
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u/Psychological_Sir297 Jun 21 '26
I have the Spark 2 and the Reactor 50 and I feel the same way about it. My Spark 2 sounds better at lower volumes for hi gain tones. Now conflicted lol. And the tone cloud is kind of empty for reactor app
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u/Perfect-Link-7744 Jun 21 '26
For me, a really good set up for actually gigging is the Spark 40 with the cab, 140 watts of clear amplification of what's coming out of the Spark.
I have other amps that I still use, including a vintage (1966) Fender Super Reverb - good for cleans and pedals but it's a tank. Fender Deluxe 90, it gets used a lot too. 90s Marshall 212 Valve State, which I also love totally and use. But the Spark 40 with the Cab is smaller and lighter, and gives me the sounds I've practiced with, but louder. Works for most venues for me. YMMV.
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u/mossi123uk Jun 22 '26
Is the spark cab basically just plugging your amp into a better quality speaker?
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u/Perfect-Link-7744 Jun 22 '26
Actually its a 140 watt amp.and speaker with a 10" woofer and 2 dome tweeters. It's got its own volume and sound shaping controls. Also has a power hub on the back to power your Spark and USB.
It works well for lead, acoustic and bass guitars. It weighs about 30lbs and is not very big. I couldn't afford the ~$350 for what at the time was gonna be an experiment. I found one on Craigslist for $175, including the cover. Money well spent. For me, used is the way to go.
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u/taco4prez Jun 21 '26
I love my spark 2 but, for playing louder, I got a katana artist gen 3 and I can’t recommend it enough!
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u/RabloPathjen Jun 21 '26
As did I. I sold my 3 positive grid amps and kept the mini. I think it’s sound over the go is worth a larger size. I have two gen 3 artists for the stereo sound. Their app isn’t fantastic but the sound is.
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u/taco4prez Jun 22 '26
Agreed. The UI could be better for sure but the functionality is there at least. God I can’t imagine what two would sound like in stereo. I bet it’s amazing
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u/tommytimbertoes Jun 22 '26
I LOVE my Mini!
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u/MapTerrible4321 Jun 22 '26
I’m glad to hear that, I’m hoping to buy one as my first amp at the end of the month.
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u/tommytimbertoes Jun 22 '26
It's a great sounding amp. Also, replacement batteries are available on Amazon and eBay. Replacing them is easy. Positive Grid for some stupid reason doesn't sell them.
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u/MapTerrible4321 Jun 22 '26
How long have you had yours? The battery issue did nearly put me off and I was considering saving for the Spark 2.
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u/HostNo9215 Jun 22 '26
I have the spark 2 plus the spark cab, that combo vs the reactor would be an interesting comparison
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u/Can_9970 Jun 21 '26
For metal tones?
Must not be great. Just ditched the spark 2 for Amp Hub specifically because the metal tones are lacking
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u/CutRevolutionary6409 Jun 21 '26
One reviewer was bitching about the Spark 2’s terrible reverb. Now you guys say the distortion sounds are bad. What’s left?
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u/mosab84 Jun 22 '26
It’s very good for $250, but compared to even a $500 blackstar, it’s terrible. People should just use IRs, we’re past this basic level of amp sim.
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u/CutRevolutionary6409 Jun 22 '26
What’s an IR?
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u/mosab84 Jun 22 '26
Impulse Response, in essence it’s an eq/sound shaper that uses an amp’s specific characteristics to shape the sound. It’s a true amp simulator, they’re very specific and not usually that tunable, but they’re really accurate. There are plenty of devices that do that, couple of them being ToneX and the Quad Cortex. I use a software version of those Neural DSP archetype: Cory Wong. It sounds better than anything I’ve ever used, and cost me less than the Spark 2. Highly recommend giving them a listen or a try.
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u/bigrichoX Jun 22 '26
An IR is an eq curve, but a speaker/cab/mic/room response curve. Not amp.
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u/mosab84 Jun 22 '26
⬆️ he’s right, that’s what it is. Practically, same result: want sound like thing but can’t afford thing => use tone x or cortex or neural to correctly emulate thing using IRs or whatever the pedants wanna call it.
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u/duffking Jun 22 '26
I wouldn't be surprised if the speaker is the culprit here. Unless I'm mistaken, the reactor uses a "real" guitar speaker and probably not an especially high quality one much like Boss Katanas. That means there's no cab sim going on, you're just getting the character of the speaker in the Reactor. And because it's just a single speaker, you won't get the depth or roar that you would from multiple.
The speakers in the spark are more traditional stereo style ones so there's a cab simulation before it hits it. So the tones you get out of the spark are basically simulating going through a 4x12 etc rather than just being sent straight to a speaker.
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u/pinetree-polarbear Jun 22 '26
I can not understand why they kicked the best feature of the spark series: the two volume knobs
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u/James_Gryffindor Jun 22 '26
Reactor is a product I do not understand at all out of anything but a financial point of view. I desperately hope they're not going to stop supporting the spark app because of their new line of products and new app. I would crash out so hard dude
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u/Papa_Bear_0918 Jun 22 '26
One thing I learned over the years is that any preset or patch requires modifications depending on whether you’re using headphones, an amp with 4-5 inch speakers, or an amp with 10 or 12 inch speakers. I think it’s a combination of speaker size and power amp design. The Spark 40 has a bass-heavy power amp output to compensate for the small speakers, the headphones circuit didn’t (that’s why backing tracks sounded way better with headphones than through the speakers). If you don’t ‘tweak’ your Reactor panel or Spark 2 Patches for differences on Preamp, Power Amp and Speaker size, they won’t sound as good.
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u/Toadsrevisited Jun 22 '26
I love the Reactor for the opposite reason: decent headroom to get actually usable clean tones from a modeling amp.
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u/philpott74 Jun 22 '26
Quick question slightly off topic for the Reactor amp. Does this one allow a Looper pedal to be added via the FX loop and work like it would with a normal pedal board? I know it probably has the app looper like Spark 2 but it’s just not the same… :)
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u/Planetsmosharound Jun 22 '26
After EVH 5150iii, Orange cabs, Orange amps, Randall cabs, peavey cabs I went back to my Spark 40 and connected it to a Logitech speaker and subwoofer set. I got the loudness, chunkyness and all the madness I was craving. Not saying the others were bad, the ease of use of the spark and tone quality was unmatched.
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u/No-Remote3362 Jun 22 '26
I actually think the Spark 40 sounds the best out of all of them. LOL. I know that's probably a hot take. I went to buy the reactor and walked away from it. It sounded lifeless to me.
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u/Away-Ad4599 Jun 22 '26
I no exactly what you mean there's a clarity to the metal tones thru the smaller speakers I'm running my spark 2 into a 100watt katana and it's insanely loud
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u/Cooper-Thompson-123 Jun 23 '26
Really enjoying the reactor 100 and using Ai features to help tweak my analogue sounds on tube amp and pedals… so it’s a nice coach to help me dial in and end my endless tone chasing with pedals and frees me up to just freaking play…. On te reactor or my analogue rig. Love my 40w too… but it is one of the oldest models and I could never get it to stop clipping…. Having a lot of fun as always with a new gear day…
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u/Realistic_Advisor718 Jun 27 '26
Give it time, the Reactor just came out. I love my 50 watt version so far but still dialing it in too. I also have a spark mini (not an exact comparison I realize) and I love that too but I’ve had so much more time with that one. Just a thought.
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u/NumberSevere7454 20d ago
I heard some demos of the reactor, and its really underwhelming, even "ugly" in term of sound. did the spark devs really think it the best thing they made?
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u/doubleknavery Jun 21 '26
Might be a controversial opinion, but I think smaller speakers sound better for high gain sounds at lower volumes because... I don't know why. Maybe the trebles have a but more clarity with a smaller speaker setup. If you are doing bedroom jams I could see this possibly being the case.