For almost 40 years, Phantom Sound has been at the forefront of cutting-edge audio design and technical ingenuity in Greater Cincinnati. Over that time, technology and expectations of home entertainment have changed considerably; today, the company operates from a polished 3,000-square-foot state-of-the-art showroom on Montgomery Road in Loveland.
“We're pretty unique in that no one else does what we do,” says owner Tommy Brand, who began leading the company in 2022. Since then, he's directed the company to embrace “smart” home solutions beyond the audio know-how it was established with. Brand, who lives in Loveland with his wife Lora and their four daughters, explains that shifts in remote work have impacted services, as well.
“Now that working from home and Wi-Fi has become so prevalent,” he says, “we've started offering networking solutions. That’s in addition to technology-based motorized window treatments, lighting controls, and even ‘smart’ lights themselves.”
Together, he explains, all that technology can be integrated into a single system, easily controlled from a handy touchscreen or a simple phone app.
Brand’s background is in accounting and finance. After about two decades of crunching numbers for leading companies in the area, he was ready for a new challenge, briefly working in the insurance industry before his entrepreneurial curiosity then led him to Phantom Sound.
“I had gotten to know the previous owner,” he says, “and we worked out a deal.”
The legacy of Phantom Sound is not one that he takes lightly.
Howard McGurdy founded the company in 1988. “He was a music guy in the music industry, and knew some of the famous people like James Brown and Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, those sorts of people,” Brand explains.
He adds that McGurdy studied ways to provide in-home speakers and related tech installed, but out of sight. “His goal was for it to be out of sight, out of mind — but still allowing clients to hear good music.”
Over time, the company eventually morphed to cover other aspects of home theaters, including projection and TV systems, Brand explains. Home security and surveillance systems followed.
Today, Brand estimates that Phantom Sound serves roughly 500 clients annually. “It's primarily been metro Cincinnati, but our work is in 32 different states and counting," he says, “and four or five different countries.”
Brand also points out that – while the company still provides top-notch A/V guidance and installation – business is growing for “smart” home functionality.
“Think about homes that were built even 10-plus years ago that have the big recessed 6-inch cans that are in the ceiling, and it's an actual bulb. Well, the lights that you can retrofit in that space, instead of having a big 6-inch opening, you can have anywhere from a 2- to 4-inch opening. You get the same amount of light, and the light is integrated into the lighting module, and you get a much quieter looking ceiling,” he offers.
Retrofits on existing window treatments are also growing in popularity. “A lot of people will have the plantation wood blinds in their window,” he says, “which was very popular for a long period of time. But a lot of people are moving to motorized roller shades — it's a sleeker, more modern look,” he says.
Interested in all that Phantom Sound could do for your own home? You’re not alone.
“A lot of people are getting quotes right now for home theater setups,” Brand says. “It makes sense: You're indoors more, and you want to have that fun family time or romantic time or whatever that may be. Whatever the reason, we’re ready to help.”
To learn more, visit PhantomSound.com
“We're pretty unique in that no one else does what we do”