The New Soundscape
The Grand Brasserie, an opulent restaurant in New York’s Grand Central Terminal, is the perfect showcase for French acoustic company Devialet’s groundbreaking sound systems.
Designing a space in 2025 isn’t merely down to the visual and tactile – increasingly, the soundscape is becoming an integral element of good design. French acoustic engineering firm Devialet has been taking a future-thinking approach to sound since 2007, with its revolutionary audio equipment changing how speaker acoustics are experienced. It works closely with the international A&D community to realise projects that are both striking and create deep, physical and real connections through sound.
The Phantom collection is protected by 88 patents that deliver ultra-dense sound with unmatched power and accuracy – free from distortion, saturation or background noise.
Devialet’s designs push boundaries. It holds 250 patents across its range, from the Devialet Astra integrated amplifier and Devialet Phantom speakers to the Devialet Gemini II wireless earbuds, the Devialet Dione soundbar and the Devialet Mania portable speaker. Its signature Phantom collection alone is protected by 88 patents that deliver ultra-dense sound with unmatched power and accuracy – free from distortion, saturation or background noise.
The spherical Devialet Phantom I speaker – the shape removes the sharp edges that bend and refract sound – is composed of 1,431 meticulously assembled parts and fuses analog and digital technologies to create true-to-life sound. Although inaudible to the human ear, the Phantom speaker plays low frequencies that replicate the sensation of entering a concert hall or being at a music festival, bringing a depth that goes beyond the sonic into the physical.
Creating these kinds of all-encompassing experiences is encouraging more designers and architects to integrate soundscaping into their work. The impact of a 360-degree sound environment is perfectly illustrated at the Grand Brasserie, a French restaurant in New York’s Grand Central Terminal. The cavernous heritage space features ceilings that peak at 38 metres, presenting unique challenges around sound, challenges that Devialet’s world-class speakers helped to resolve.
Bryan Bilgore, president of Sensorium House – a company that combines spatial design and sound technology – was charged with overseeing the brasserie’s audio systems. He chose the Devialet Phantom for its powerful sound and ability to increase treble and bass to fill a space without distortion.
The cavernous heritage space features ceilings that peak at 38 metres, presenting unique challenges around sound, challenges that Devialet’s speakers helped to resolve.
“The restaurant patrons are expecting an entire experience … not only with the cuisine and the service, but one that’s enhanced by the soundscape we’re creating,” says Bilgore. “Devialet is one of our favourite brands, especially in a commercial environment, when we need to get balanced sound to all parts of the restaurant.”
Justin Blatstein, president of Vizz Group, which opened the restaurant in 2024, acknowledges the importance of getting the soundscape right. “Sound is almost everything,” he says. “It sets the mood, it sets the vibe, it creates something people will definitely remember.”
At the Opéra national de Paris, Devialet created bespoke editions of the Phantom I and Phantom II to immerse audiences in ‘ultra-dense’ sounds.
Sensorium House installed custom mounts that blend with the restaurant’s decor and respect the building’s heritage. “We were able to get speakers where we need them and the Devialet Phantom took them the rest of the way, because it allows this incredibly wide range of EQ options that we need to hit every part of the restaurant,” says Bilgore.
While sound is key to dining out, it’s even more crucial at performance venues like the Opéra national de Paris. At the hallowed institution, Devialet created bespoke editions of the Phantom I and Phantom II to immerse audiences in ‘ultra-dense’ sounds. Devialet has also partnered with airlines and aircraft manufacturers to bring premium audio to business and first class, as well as to private planes.
Through groundbreaking design and cutting-edge engineering – and a considerable amount of French flair – Devialet is reshaping how spaces are created and experienced, elevating what can be achieved through sound engineering.
