Sweetwater Airstream
The SSL System T console runs on a Dante® backbone that provides flexible digital routing, serving Sweetwater’s True North cable brand as the reliable host for all analog signal paths. Avid’s MTRX II hosts Pro Tools HDX and DSP processing for professional immersive workflows.
The treated control room measures 79 1/2 inches wide and is comfortably centered in a North/South configuration in the center of the trailer. The console sits over the trailer axle for balanced weight distribution. A full-height screen wall separates the control room from the rear service volume and is intentionally designed to be acoustically “leaky” at low frequencies, allowing the space behind it to aid in extended bass trapping. Entering from the hitch end, the studio opens through the classic Airstream dinette and curved aluminum shell into a tightly resolved listening environment, which again aides in the low end management of the tightly designed space.
The Hisense PX3-PRO ultra short-throw projector sits just a couple inches from the screen wall, behind the console, flaunting its nimble design and facilitating the nominal listening position for the engineer. Isolated from sound vibrations with a resilient mount on a telescoping pedestal the PX3-PRO boasts a triple laser technology that delivers a cinematic image quality and ultra quiet operation.
The 7.1.4 PMC audio reference system is unassuming as each L/C/R speaker is positioned behind the woven Harmony G3 Acoustical Screen by Stewart Filmscreens. The legendary accuracy and detail that PMC is known for remains untouched by this transparent screen material and timeless pallet of carefully selected acoustical fabric on the side walls and ceiling. Bearing the weight of the PMC 6-2 LCR loudspeakers are the ADJ-4 stands by Sound Anchors, providing stability and precise placement with minimal sound transmission into the floor and screen. Custom mounting solutions for the ultra-low profile PMC ci65 and ci30 loudspeakers in the side walls, rear surround wall columns and ceiling are built to withstand an impressive EF3 rating on the Richter scale—a classic metric used to anticipate mobile trailer transit activity. This high-demand requirement is imposed on all aspects of the interior build and equipment integration, commanding the expertise of RBDG to engineer nuanced and thoughtful acoustic solutions, particularly to the low-frequency energy delivered by the PMC 8-2 SUB subwoofers, also situated behind the screen wall.
A calibrated mix of absorptive materials, mass, air space, porous finishes, and reflective surfaces supports the neutral decision-making position for the producers and engineers alike while energizing observers and collaborators with a dynamic and immersive musical experience. Carefully designed wall and ceiling assemblies are finished behind a field-fabricated stretch-fabric system. Breaking up the walls are perforated metal panels bridging the design elements of the classic Airstream design and RBDG’s timeless approach to incorporating natural light into the production environment.
