atelier 13 audio
ABOUT ATELIER 13 AUDIO
Founded by Constantin Gregg-Saad in March of 2013, ATELIER 13 AUDIO is based in Nashville, Tennessee, also known as Music City.
From the outset, we knew that we did not want to be a traditional store front operation, and chose to model our activity as a hybrid between a commercial Audio Dealership and a "high end audio consultancy" , serving both the local Nashville community and customers throughout the US.
Although we have two Auditoriums you can visit to listen to a variety of our components -- the first is 19' x 30' and the second is 15' x 20' -- we also advise customers on system design and composition, component selection, room integration and in-home set-up ... thus creating a collaborative interaction very much like what one would experience with an Interior Designer, only in our case it is all about the music, and a passion for bringing a truly special listening experience into people's lives.
I personally am a fervent music lover, and my taste in music spans the gamut of the genres. I am however also a lover of the visual arts. So, at Atelier, if given the opportunity, we also like to combine "form and function". Elegant and tasteful integration of the audio experience into people's lifestyles and home environments is an increasingly important requirement.
Most all audiophiles know that the most painful, thus least pleasant part of the passion for Audio is the commercial one. In an ideal world, you put together a great system, then forget it, and spend your free time on enjoying the music. If only it was that easy. To be perfectly frank, we spend many hours on the phone (or exchanging e-mails) helping audiophiles from all over the country figure out how to improve their "sound", solving system compatibility problems, or providing our views on "one or another" product that they are considering buying.
Our Philosophy
We have put together a few thoughts about what we think about what great Music Reproduction is, and how we think it can be achieved. Please click on the button below to read more ...
Solving the Equation
Solving the often different customer concerns is not easy because we obviously cannot physically hear their system from Nashville. But given our experience, we often succeed in isolating the issue. Sometimes this solution results in a sale, which is conveniently conducted and transacted online. Sometimes it does not, because we cant supply the "solution", and it thus needs to be sourced elsewhere. This is OK, because what counts is the audio ethic before everything else. With very few exceptions, we actually enjoy the process, regardless of whether we make the sale or not. And yes, we have been known to get on a plane to visit customers to experience and discuss their systems first hand. This type of arrangement is subject to a pre-agreed fee structure.
For the music lovers in the Nashville area, "solving the sonic equation" is much easier. In practice, you can come to us ... We have a nice selection of components you can audition in our 2 Auditoriums in Forest Hills which is about 10 minutes from the center of the city.
Call us and we'd be happy to have you come over for a listen !
The Team
At Atelier, we are a small team of two - myself (aka Constantin), and my associate David Robbins.
David is a "local". I on the other hand am an "implant from across the pond" as my wife Jenny, a native Tennessean, and I only recently moved to Nashville from Geneva in early 2010.
I first met David Robbins whilst advising a Production firm on Music Row. As part of my "induction" into this fascinating industry, and to appease my burning curiosity to witness first hand the creative process behind the media I listen to, I was invited to attend numerous recording sessions. David is their resident computer systems specialist.
As for my audio background, and going back in time -- I, as had many fellow music lovers, witnessed many of the positive developments and problems that Audio had experienced over the last 30 years. I had also done the “kitting” and “home-brewing” thing, and had, since my early twenties, walked the road much traveled by audiophiles in quest of the holy grail. My basement workshop was (and still is) full of NOS Tubes, Oil caps, transformers, vintage gear and stuff I had built over the years. Also, I was one those audiophiles that spent waaaay to much on gear, and have probably had over 300 different components in my personal systems over the years....and have along the way developed and understanding of how systems work (or don't for that matter), and an acute ear for sound quality, in all its "colors".
This voyage also included a 12 year stint as a High End distributor in Europe. In many ways, this represented my first entry into the commercial side of the world of Audio. This distributorship represented such brands as Sonic Frontiers / Anthem, EAR Yoshino, Simaudio, Spendor, Orca/Raven, Camelot Technology, Triangle, Cambridge Audio and REL.
Constantin Gregg-Saad
(615) 881 0427
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