From owning a pair of PMC result6 monitors and working in PMC-equipped studios worldwide, Cam Trewin – studio and live sound engineer for Australian alternative dance group Rüfüs du Sol – has now installed a pair of PMC6-2 monitors in his Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 studio.
‘I also have a pair of PMC Twenty 23s in my home theatre room,’ he says. ‘What I really like about them is their transparency and the bottom-end response from the ATL line. As soon as I installed my PMC6-2s, I was amazed by what I heard.’
Currently based in Melbourne, Trewin began his music industry career as an assistant engineer at Joe Camelleri’s Woodstock Studios in St Kilda in the early 2000s. Working with the likes of the John Butler Trio, Tim Rogers, Ross Wilson, Pete Murray, Saskwatch and Kingswood, he hone his skills behind a Neve mixing console. He subsequently took on FOH duties, working with Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys) and De La Soul as a part-time in-house engineer at the Esplanade Hotel.
His introduction to Rüfüs du Sol came in 2013 when the band was an up-and-coming dance act from Sydney who were on tour in the US. ‘I’d done a few laps around Australia with various acts, which led to festival plays at Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass and Laneways, and support slots for the likes of Foo Fighters, Kasabian, Wombats, Primal Scream and The Foals,’ he says. ‘This flew the door open to international touring and on a cold winter night, mid-tour with Alpine supporting Empire of the Sun in Denver, I was given another opportunity – the chance to work with Rüfüs du Sol. Eleven years and six continents later, we are playing sold out shows to millions of people.’
Rüfüs du Sol comprises Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt. Their debut album Atlas peaked at No1 in Australia in 2013 and their three subsequent albums have reached either No1 or No2 in their home country. The band also won an ARIA Award for Best Dance Release in 2015 for the single ‘You Were Right’, and a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording for Alive, a single from their fourth album Surrender.
As part of their 2021-2023 promotional worldwide tour for Surrender, the band played three stadium shows at Banc of California Stadium. They also headlined Oshega Festival in Montreal and Field Day Festival in Sydney. Their live shows are considered an experience rather than just a concert and invariably sell out.
‘The live shows strongly emphasised the visceral and experiential,’ Trewin says. ‘This is translated both visually and sonically. The band, being very credible producers and engineers themselves, along with myself and the team, push the boundaries to deliver an impactful, emotional, and dynamic show. Our audio team consists upwards of eight members for larger shows and includes monitor engineer James Gueness, who has been with the band for nine years. Together with our technicians, we have refined and developed the show into what it is today.’
The current live show is two hours long and takes the audience through all four Rüfüs du Sol studio albums. ‘It starts with a dark, brewing intro and progresses into high-energy tracks like ‘Eyes’, then transitions to more relaxed vibes from their earlier albums with songs like ‘Brighter’ and ‘Like An Animal’,’ Trewin explains. ‘The mid-point features ‘Solace’, a hard-hitting tech track with deep subharmonic elements, and leads up to high sweeping riser moment. This requires precise control and demands from my PA system.’
Beyond the live show, Trewin is responsible for all audio media releases, including broadcast, streaming, social media, and live albums. In 2020, he worked on Rüfüs du Sol’s live feature album/film, Live At Joshua Tree, where he was responsible for the recording, mixing, and delivery of both spatial audio and theatrical mixes.
Trewin describes his studio in Melbourne, Australia, as a hybrid environment that includes plenty of analogue equipment. ‘Having grown up in a very analogue studio, I’ve always had an affinity for the analogue domain, which is where I began my career as an engineer,’ he says. ‘I’ve maintained this approach even in digital environments, whether in a DAW or digital live console.
‘When I built my Atmos room, I opted for a hybrid set-up and introduced key analogue pieces, mainly for my two-bus and lead vocal processing. This includes the Crane Song STC-8, Manley Massive Passive, RND MBT with conversion from the Crane Song Interstellar, and Avid MTRX Studio. My vocal chain consists of Audioscape Opto (LA2A), Pultec, and 1176.’
Trewin’s new PMC6-2 monitors were supplied by the company’s Australian distributor Audio Chocolate, who initially lent Trewin a pair of PMC6 monitors to demo in his own studio – the impact these made persuaded him that he was making the right decision.
‘I told Audio Chocolate that I couldn’t let them go,’ Trewin says. ‘However, I was curious about the sound of the PMC6-2s. Given that my primary work is in pop and EDM where bottom-end response is critical, I initially worried the 6-2s might be too large for my room, but after consulting PMC and having the wide dispersion range explained to me, I realised these monitors would suit nearly any room so I opted for the 6-2s, confident they would offer the same sonic signature as the 6’s with greater detail.’
With Rüfüs du Sol’s tour over, Trewin is working on Dom Dolla’s Live Coachella set and producing an album for upcoming independent electronic duo FifteenØeight from Boston. Additionally, he is involved in other EPs, singles, and mastering projects.
‘The studio is busier than ever,’ he says. ‘Balancing live and studio work is the current challenge. Perhaps I need a portable studio – can the 6-2s fit in carry-on luggage?’
More: www.pmc-speakers.com
