Run by four generations of the same family, bicycle shop Emrin has been in existence since 1908. Located in Flemish Brabant, Belgium, the shop has a proud history of delivering exceptional customer service, and remains passionate about matching the right bike to the right rider. This principle has seen the business thrive and grow to encompass every aspect of the cycling world, from sales and leasing to repair and maintenance, clothing, accessories and bike-fitting measurement.
Such is the popularity of the shop, that in 2022, Emrin took the decision to move to brand new premises. Designed by architects Mossoux Architecten, the new, high-tech, ultra-modern store has more than 700sqm of floor space and comprises a sales unit, mechanics unit, maintenance unit, high-end race bicycles unit, basement storage and offices.
The importance in a modern retail space, particularly one that fosters a close sense of community, of providing the right in-store atmosphere, has been demonstrated time and again. With this in mind, the Emrin team chose to equip its new premises with a high quality Pioneer PRO AUDIO sound system to perfectly match the store’s concept, both technically and aesthetically.
Prior to the move to new premises, Emrin had arranged for Iwan Fol of specialists FOL Sound, Light and Vision, and Joeri Verholen of Pioneer PRO AUDIO, to present a short demonstration of CM-Series commercial audio loudspeakers at its old store. Having established their suitability for the project, installation then took place across the new store’s three large areas, on the ground floor, first floor and mechanics department.
Emrin’s owner David Gilis explains why the store audio had to be perfect:
“Our store is about experiences of all kinds. From the moment you enter, you experience a special smell that has been developed for the store. Customers can then try out all our bikes in a virtual or real setting, and all of our products are supported by a state of the art service department, cleaning division, and even a special tracking system to follow up on repairs. With Pioneer PRO AUDIO, we wanted to be sure that the audio quality complemented our vision in the best way.”
FOL installed 16 x CM-S54T-K 4” in the store sales unit. and 4 x CM-S56T-K 6” surface mount speakers in the mechanics unit, achieving effortless coverage and perfectly complementing the look and feel of the large spaces. The Pioneer PRO AUDIO CM-Series draws on the brand’s rich heritage of making dynamic club speakers to provide systems that save space, complement interior design, and deliver outstanding audio in any venue, no matter it’s layout. The system is powered by 2 x Powersoft Mezzo 604 AD 600W/4 channel compact amplifiers with DSP and Dante™️.
Iwan Fol, of FOL Sound, Light and Vision comments:
“The purpose-built store comprises a lot of concrete and raw materials, so speaker positioning was very important across the different spaces. We needed to reduce reflections as much as possible whilst making sure there was no loss of coverage, and took our time to tune the system via the DSP in the Powersoft Mezzo amplifiers.
“For discreet high quality audio in the showrooms, we used the very compact Pioneer PRO AUDIO CM-S54T attached to the walls, and opted for the larger CM-S56T in stereo in the workshops. This means that the technicians can enjoy louder music with more bass while working on the bikes! The sound throughout the store is well-spread, clean and present, enabling clients to take time to consider their choices in a relaxed atmosphere that is never intrusive.”
Store Manager Romy Roef is enthusiastic about the system:
“We’re really pleased with the installation, which completely fulfilled our expectations. All our colleagues, particularly the technicians, are very happy with the system. Pioneer PRO AUDIO is the audio equivalent of cycling brands like Specialized or Stromer, where once you ride it you are sold. In the same way, Pioneer PRO AUDIO sound is flawless – an addiction for the ears! At Emrin, we stand for service, speed and friendliness and we expect the same of all the brands we do business with – Pioneer PRO AUDIO certainly meets this requirement!”
The new Emrin store was inaugurated in March 2023 with two well-attended Grand Opening days complete with DJ sets – unsurprisingly, the sound system was by Pioneer PRO AUDIO, and featured the brand’s recently released, powerful and versatile XPRS2 active speakers.
The CM-Series system at this carefully designed, cutting edge store is yet another notable installation in the retail sector for Pioneer PRO AUDIO – the response from the customer reflecting much about the exceptional quality of the brand’s commercial audio offer.
Info: www.pioneeerproaudio.com