Miami’s beloved Paris Theater has long ago left behind its checkered history, emerging as an iconic venue as timeless as its classic art deco design. Beginning life in the 1940s as a live theater and first-run movie house, the building and surrounding neighborhood endured some challenging times in the 1970s, re-emerging in the ‘90s as a music and video production studio, as well as a stunning photo op for artists including U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Lopez.
Now, with the revival of the city’s 5th Street corridor, the art deco masterpiece has been restored and reborn and is home to the neighborhood’s trendiest new hot spot, Queen Restaurant and Lounge. As owner Mathieu Massa explains, the vision is for Queen to become a nexus for the city’s “sophisticated, educated, elevated, and more mature clientele.”
Extravagance is the hallmark of Queen, with no corners cut in creating a sophisticated, high-end restaurant and bar with exquisite, five-star food and drink, world-renowned DJs, and powerful, pumping music courtesy of E11EVEN Sound by DAS Audio.
Conceived by iDesign’s Michael Meacham and designed and commissioned by DAS Audio Hospitality and Nightclub National Sales Manager John Fiorito, the system was provided by Randy White of Washington Music Center and comprises 16 E11EVEN Sound by DAS Audio ES-10 10-inch systems, reinforced by 46 DAS Audio DECO-6-TB two-way ceiling speakers. Crystal clear, house-moving bottom end is where the system truly shines, with a cadre of E11EVEN Sound by DAS Audio ES-Series subwoofers, including ES-212 and ES-212.95 dual 12-inch cabinets and ES-221 dual 21-inch systems, flanked by ESBR-18 bass reflex boxes and DAS Audio Quantum Series Q-10 compact installation subs. The system is powered by DAS Audio EP-Series multichannel amplification. Installed by Guillermo «Willy» Rodriguez of Willy Tech Services with an assist from Koncept Systems, the system was tuned by DAS Audio applications engineer Geovanni Ortiz, with additional tweaks by Fiorito. System drive and processing is courtesy of BSS BLU 160 DSP and Crestron control, programmed by Santiago Riuz.
Like the surrounding neighborhood, Queen and the Paris Theater have been through more than merely a restoration; they have been part of the rebirth and renaissance of a legendary chapter of this city’s past, and a powerful marker for its future. Since its opening in February of 2023, the venue has stood as a beacon for the renewed energy pulsing through Miami’s downtown.
“The Paris Theater is a piece of Miami history, and Queen is truly one of the newest shining stars in this vibrant district,” remarked Fiorito. “The new owners have spared no expense in remodeling and creating a world-class venue, and we’ve cut no corners on creating a sound system that reflects that attention to detail.”
