Whether designing breathtaking high-performance home screening rooms or stunningly accurate monitor systems and home recording studios, Carl Tatz is master of both audio and visual experiences. As owner of Carl Tatz Design in Nashville, Carl designs home theaters and studios across the country, from California to Massachusetts.
With former careers as a musician, composer, recording engineer and record producer, Carl blends a wide-ranging background in many facets of entertainment, acoustics and customer service. For instance, he owned Recording Arts, a world-class music recording facility in Nashville that was named one of the “Great Studios of the World” by Mix Magazine in 1995 after garnishing multiple gold and platinum records, and he was nominated for a Grammy Award for his production of Jack Jones’ Tribute To Tony Bennett LP in 1999. The studio was sold to pop icon Sheryl Crow in 2003. In the 1980s, Carl was maitre d’ of Julian’s, Nashville’s legendary four-star restaurant.
After enjoying nearly two decades as a recording industry professional and studying with some of the top acoustic minds in the country, Carl began designing monitor systems and studios, both commercial and private, and he quickly evolved into home screening room design.
“My background in pro audio and acoustic design is one of the things that distinguish my services from hi-fi companies,” says Carl. “Typically, if you are sold a home theater package, the money will go into the most expensive speakers, amplifiers, projectors and other gear they can sell you. Expensive equipment, however, does not guarantee great performance. As an independent designer, I can choose the most appropriate components and integrate them visually and acoustically into a custom system for each client that produces the ‘wow’ response.”
One of the most dramatic resources Carl brings to the table is his ability to precisely tune the room with his trademarked ‘PhantomFocus System™”. “Only a handful of professionals across the country really have a handle on what is referred to as ‘small room acoustics’ like I do,” he says.
There’s much more to designing a home theater than fancy seats, a popcorn machine and a curtain in front of the screen, Carl explains. “Although the way a theater looks is extremely important to the overall enjoyment of the room, the ideal is to create a home theater that emulates the performance of a Hollywood dubbing stage where the director worked so hard to capture his vision of the film for his audience. That is my true forte,” he says. “Our home theaters always far exceed our clients’ expectations, which makes it so much fun for me.”
