Studio 57 has launched in central Paris, powered by a PMC 8-2 XBD studio monitor system, with plans for a complete PMC Dolby Atmos upgrade to follow. The speakers were supplied by Serge Glanzberg of Studio Dealers, PMC’s exclusive French distributor of professional products.
Situated in a traditional Parisian building near the Louvre, sensitively adapted for commercial use and in a neighbourhood rich in art, fashion and culture, Studio 57 is a high-end facility owned by mix and mastering engineer Frédéric Deces. Designed by renowned acoustician Chris Walls of Level Acoustic Design, the studio offers world-class recording equipment in an intimate, private atmosphere designed for creative professionals – a rare combination in such a central location. While Deces will predominantly use the studio for his own projects, it’s also open to other engineers and artists.
“I wanted a studio where I could focus entirely on the music, but without any compromise in sound or technology,” says Deces. “I’m mainly a mix engineer but I also use the studio for mastering, and I can record vocals and overdubs in a separate booth. The room had to do it all, and the monitoring had to be absolutely right.”
Deces purchased his first pair of PMC speakers last year – 6-2 active main monitors which he used in his home setup while Studio 57 was under construction. The transition to a PMC 8-2 XBD system, which combines PMC8-2 mid-field full-range monitors with PMC8-2 SUB subwoofers, was a natural evolution, providing Studio 57 with a perfectly integrated loudspeaker. Sophisticated DSP engines in each cabinet acoustically align the two units, and further enhancements can be made with PMC’s intuitive SoundAlign™ web interface.
“I tried them in different spaces and it felt like the right choice to go with them,” he continues. “I chose them because of their sound quality, musical reproduction and how my work translates when played back through them. They provide plenty of power and clarity, right from the bottom to the top end. They’re musical, fun to work with and, crucially, accurate. The DSP EQ was very useful for calibration and made the system sound so good.”
The studio is already equipped with the necessary wiring and acoustic treatment for a full Dolby Atmos setup, and Deces is planning to discreetly integrate PMC’s Ci series speakers into the ceiling for immersive work. “The Ci range makes perfect sense for this,” he says. “They’re visually minimal and they sound incredible.”
Chris Walls of Level Acoustic Design explains: “The studio occupies the top floor of a traditional Parisian apartment building, which posed challenges in terms of structure, ceiling height and the roof geometry. Our principal architect Eleni Papadopoulou and I came up with a layout which maximises the use of the space and really suits Fred’s workflow. We are very proud of Studio 57; we visited earlier this month to align the 8-2 XBDs and it sounds great!”
Fully soffit-mounted and precision-tuned, the PMC monitors are a permanent and defining feature of the room. “I needed monitors that could handle every mission, and these do that,” concludes Deces. “For the cost, there’s simply nothing else I’d rather have in here.”
