Pioneer Pro Audio ticks all the boxes for Milan shoe store

Founded in 2018, Dropout is an Italian-based business specialising in the sale of limited-edition trainers and streetwear.

The company recently opened a flagship outlet in the Quadrilatero Della Moda, Milan’s high-end shopping district, with a raw industrial look that breaks with the patterns of traditional clothing stores. Metal elements create space on the apparently crumbling concrete walls, acting as hangers for clothing and brackets for footwear displays. A source of great pride for founder and chief executive Kola Tytler is that the store rubs shoulders with the world’s most famous fashion houses and brings Dropout’s style and expression to an ever-expanding audience.
 
Dropout was determined to capitalise on its location by presenting its products with impact. As part of the design brief for the new store, it was important to the Dropout team that its audio system was of high quality, and flexible enough to deliver not only background music, but also live DJ sets for special events.
 
Matteo Lualdi, who was responsible for the store’s design, proposed Pioneer Pro Audio loudspeakers for the project. Having heard Pioneer Pro Audio systems in flagship venues, he was confident that the audio would meet the required standard, while from a design point of view, he favoured the aesthetic of the manufacturer’s new commercial audio surface mount CM Series speakers.

“The white version of the speakers integrates well with the store’s general aesthetic in a co-ordinated design of light colours, concrete and steel,” he says. “They guarantee quality sound, whether we are using them for background music or performances.”

The Pioneer Pro Audio system at Dropout was installed by Andrea Leone and audio engineer Sergio Caio of Skeldon Società Cooperativa, who had to take into account the design f the store as well as the technical aspects of the audio requirement.

“When an installation is carried out in a shop, attention to detail and the positioning of speakers are fundamental because the audio system is conceived as a design element not just technical equipment,” says Caio. “At Dropout, after careful analysis, we created a minimal installation, positioning the four white CM-56T-W speakers in the four corners of the store, thus reducing the visual impact without sacrificing effective sound diffusion.
 
“Once the speakers were positioned, we configured the Powersoft amplifier and set up a Powersoft WM Touch. This is a small, colour touchscreen display that allows the point-of-sale staff complete management of the audio system. It allows them to control volume, turn the system on and off, and select various sound sources without using an external mixer. As well as being highly cost-effective, this considerably simplifies system management, allowing access by users who are not audio experts.”
 
The Pioneer Pro Audio system provides Dropout with a warm and defined sound. Customers can communicate comfortably with staff without intrusion from the system, while enjoying 360° background music.

Federico Pasquetti, Dropout’s founder and chief operations officer, says: “The sound is enveloping, clean and well-balanced. The configuration responds well to different musical styles, while the fact that the quality of the speakers allows the system to be used for events and DJ sets is a huge advantage. The Pioneer Pro Audio team was always available, from the initial contact phase to assistance with adjustments, and provided us with the information necessary to prepare the system during the construction phase. It might seem trivial, but it is important in our work to have our technical partners prepared and available to streamline the timing of project implementation.”
 
Luca Desina, Pioneer Pro Audio country manager for Italy, says: “This installation marks an important step into the retail sector for Pioneer Pro Audio. We are proud that we were the first choice of a prestigious store like Dropout, and that its faith in our ability to satisfy all their requirements has been repaid.”