Defected HQ

Founded by DJ and producer Simon Dunmore – who still leads the company today – Defected has never ‘sold out’ or lost its place at the forefront of the underground scene. Somehow, Dunmore and his team manage to keep finding the tracks that can cross over to the mainstream without losing club kudos. It’s an elusive recipe for most brands – to grow so big yet retain your credibility with purists – but, over the years, Defected has maintained the perfect balance time and again.

Recently, as it emerged triumphantly from a challenging period for the music and entertainment industries, the brand finished renovating its headquarters in Shoreditch, London. But this isn’t just an office. This is a broadcasting and media hub from where Defected can fulfil its ambition of becoming a ‘New Era Music Company’. Naturally, a bespoke sound system was needed, and the Defected team chose Pioneer Professional Audio as its official audio partner, setting the challenge to install a set-up that could deliver the sound quality people would expect from a company synonymous with club music.

The challenge was simple in its complexity; Defected needed a system that would seamlessly connect the various spaces in the building, blend with the new interior design and deliver outstanding audio for every kind of event.

The main system in the club space was a straightforward installation, says Damon, who made sure the subwoofer can be easily removed for certain types of events when it isn’t needed, such as Q&A sessions. The speakers in the rest of the building were wired to create a stereo sound in all areas, and low-frequency reinforcement from XY-115S subwoofers ensure the audio is always full. “By combining the XY units with the CM series ceiling mount speakers – which we hung inside custom pendant housings – we were able to supply the same high-quality sound throughout the building without compromise,” explains Damon.

To enable audio to be routed to any zone in the building without losing sound quality, Cosmic Electronics designed and installed a fully adaptable Dante system that can be controlled via a smartphone app. As Wez Saunders, Defected’s Managing Director, puts it, “Sonically, we can manoeuvre around the office space without the volume being too high. We can switch off the sound at the desks so, if somebody wants to concentrate, they can. And, if someone else wants to listen to music, they can.”

As Damon from Cosmic Electronics mentioned, the ‘club’ area was a straightforward installation. But does the system also produce audio that’s suitable for an office environment? “The sound is clear throughout the building and that’s great because it doesn’t interrupt your thoughts, so you can work,” says Dunmore. “The dynamics are consistent pretty much wherever you are in the office. It’s created a great environment for people to work and listen to music at the same time.”

So, after another successful project, will Defected be keen to partner with Pioneer Pro Audio again? “I always find it a pleasure working with Pioneer Pro Audio,” says Saunders. “They’re extremely professional and have always done a great job, not only in the office space but in all the club environments where we’ve worked with them”