Café de Paris

Established in 1930, the Café de Paris is a traditional French brasserie imbued with the spirit of Saint-Tropez, serving a selection of fresh produce in a luxurious surroundings with an unmatched view of picturesque old port.

PM Production (PMP), which has an office in Gassin, just inland from Saint-Tropez, is something of a specialist when it comes to AV on the Riviera, having also designed and installed APG-based sound systems in a number of other local landmarks, including the Mido and La Môme restaurants in Cannes and the exclusive private Tahiti Beach in Pampelonne.

For the Café de Paris, the integrator’s brief was simple: to deliver high-quality, consistent audio fit for a world-class venue.

To achieve this goal, Pirotte selected products from APG’s iX series of coaxial indoor speakers, which, with a range of finishes, accessories and ergonomic options, are tailor made for high-end fixed installations such as PMP’s projects on the Côte d’Azur. All iX-series speakers combine coaxial technology with an integral baffle, with the front face of the speaker designed to eliminate diffraction and provide a consistent, linear acoustic field.

The result is an expertly balanced, reference-quality audio experience that meets the sky-high standards of the jet setters of the French Riviera, and which is capable of delivering a unique soundtrack to multiple audio zones (the bar area, the lounge area and the outdoor terrace).

In addition to designing and installing an audio system that could deliver a distinct audio experience to patrons in all areas of the Café de Paris, PMP had to deal with supply-chain issues caused by the lingering after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic; Pirotte explains that he appreciated how the APG team worked “hand in hand” with PMP on the project, “and, in particular when delivery times were stretched after Covid, to minimise disruptions as much as they could.”

Pirotte had the added pressure of configuring a sound system that would win the approval of the DJs who frequently play at the Café du Paris – and who are often responsible for connecting the company with its customers. “It’s often DJs who put us in touch with our customers, because they know that the emotions they want to convey are always much more effective with a well-integrated sound system,” he continues. “That means [we had to ensure] a homogenous audio level and, above all, a system that’s well configured and not aggressive in its sound.”

Inside the Café de Paris, PMP opted for 16 iX5 – a miniature two-way, full-range loudspeaker that offers studio monitor-like compactness and sound quality with improved performance and power handling – finished in sun-reflecting cream-white (RAL 9001), and paired them with two iS115 subwoofers.

Outside, one iS112 sub complements two iX8-O speakers, from the iX-O series, the IP54-rated outdoor sister range to the iX series. All iX-O models incorporate a coaxial loudspeaker with passive filtering and bass reflex for wideband operation.

According to Pirotte, the new sound system, once installed and set up, won “unanimous approval” from the Café de Paris team, who praised the high-quality, even sound, APG’s five-year warranty, and the budget-friendliness of the iX speakers – as well as their discretion, being colour-matched to the venue’s décor. 

“We’ve always been convinced by speakers with coaxial drivers, and APG fulfils this criterion perfectly. It’s a premium brand, but one which, compared with others, is more reasonably priced,” he explains. “The possibility of choosing colours is a real advantage, especially today, when we are often asked to make technology as unobtrusive as possible.”

The Café de Paris’s owners were also able to benefit from a bespoke financial package, and a three-year lease agreement was created for the products, to help them in the long term after a difficult time during and coming out of the pandemic.