Nine-time TEC Award nominee Carl Tatz Design receives its second win, this time for long-standing Taylor Swift lead guitarist Paul Sidoti’s Scarlett Sound Studio state-of-the-art 9.1.4 PhantomFocus Dolby Atmos MixRoom™.
Nashville, TN: Studio design firm Carl Tatz Design (CTD) has received a 2025 NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC) Award in the category of Studio Design at the 40th Annual NAMM TEC Awards, held on Thursday, January 23, at the 2025 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. The design firm has been nominated nine times over the years, and this is the company’s second win, this time sharing it with Paul Sidoti (long-standing Taylor Swift lead guitarist) and his Scarlett Sound Studio state-of-the-art 9.1.4 PhantomFocus Dolby Atmos MixRoom™. Presented annually by NAMM, the TEC Awards recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and multimedia.
CTD principal Carl Tatz comments, “We’re always thrilled and grateful to be selected along with our talented colleagues to be a finalist in this prestigious award program; however, to win is that much more of an honor. I would first like to thank the amazing Paul Sidoti for trusting us to employ our unique PhantomFocus Dolby Atmos MixRoom™ protocols in designing and implementing this singular room. I would also like to give thanks to all the talented participants who helped make this the room that it is.”
Tatz continues, “That would include acoustic installation engineer and lead installer Taylor Dunn, along with Sam Cannon and Todd Fales; my assistant and lead PhantomFocus installation engineer Adam David Smith; Mike Rhodes of studio wiring company SkinnyFish Audio; CTD custom acoustic modules by Auralex Acoustics; custom studio furniture builder Todd Beeten of Difoustics; amp closet builder 2B1 Construction; studio furniture company Argosy Console; Ashly Audio amp/processing; Rational Acoustics SMAART analyzing software; Earthworks Microphones; Part Science Space Couplers; Sound Anchor PhantomFocus monitor stands; PFM HD-1000 Master Reference Monitors; PhantomFocus eChairs; Adaptive Technologies ceiling monitor mounts; and CTD Axial Mode Absorber™ contributor Denis Foley of Acoustic Fields.”
Scarlett Sound Studio owner Paul Sidoti shares his observations on the project: “Scarlett Sound Studio goes far beyond anything I could’ve imagined or dreamed of. I literally can spend hours listening to my favorite classic albums now mixed in Dolby Atmos. We have a long list of clients eagerly waiting to experience this amazing tracking and mixing facility. I’d like to thank Carl Tatz and his installers, along with Mike Rhodes, for their tireless work and countless hours they devoted in the building of Scarlett Sound Studio. And thanks to my dearest friends at Avid, API, Universal Audio, Undertone Audio, Fractal Audio, AMS-Neve, Roland, Yamaha, and my guitar companies Fender, EVH Gear, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, and Duesenberg Guitars. Most of all my incredible wife, Ashley, for her love and support, without whom this project would not be possible. My kids, Scarlett and Sammy, and to my parents, who took out a loan for $5,000 in 1985 to get my first recording studio setup, a Tascam 388. Their love and support started me on this path, and for that I’m forever grateful.”
Photo caption: Carl Tatz (at the podium) accepts the 2025 TEC Award for Studio Design Project shared with Scarlett Sound Studio owner Paul Sidoti
