MikeG Posted February 5, 2002 Share Posted February 5, 2002 I have one binaural recorded album, oddly enough it's Pearl Jam - "Binaural". Additionaly, Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra from 2001: a space odyssey was recorded in the binaural format. My questions to anyone who's heard binaural sound: Does binaural audio make a difference? (subjective) Does binaural have to be heard on headphones versus loudspeakers?What are some albums you own recorded with the binaural "head"? ------------------ Mike G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BobG Posted February 5, 2002 Share Posted February 5, 2002 I've heard a few binaural recordings from Sennheiser (I think). They are phenomenal in their rendition of spaciousness - true immersive surround sound. They can only be listened to via headphones. I believe the recordings are made with a 'dummy' head using mics placed in the 'ears'. If you get a chance, check this out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted February 5, 2002 Share Posted February 5, 2002 The Pearl Jam album is NOT a binaural recording - that's just the catchy name of the album. True binaural recordings are made under very specific conditions - two mikes, a "shadow head" between them. The most realistic binaural recordings use a dummy head with microphones in the ears. The way the pinna of the ear modulates the frequency and phase response of sound is captured by the mics, and when you listen through headphones, the effect is truly astonishing. I have several binaural CD's. My absolute favorite is the ST.-Saens Organ Symphony, available on Newport Classics sub-label AUracle (NCAU 10001) from The Binaural Source at http://www.binaural.com . Listening to this late at night over headphones, I sometimes find myself jumping up out of my chair and dashing over to the system because I'm afraid I forgot to turn off the speakers and I'm gonna wake everybody up. To me, most recordings over headphones have an unmistakeable closed-in sound. Until you've heard a good binaural recording over headphones, you don't really realize how unnatural regular recordings sound. The CD I referenced above is on sale for $16 at the Binaural Source website. If you EVER listen to headphones, spend the $16. Whether you like classical music or not, or whether you like organ music or not, this recording has got to be heard to be believed. The CD also includes Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss (you know, the opening theme to 2001: A Space Odessy). Some folks (like the producers of this CD ) claim that they also sound tee-rific over speakers. Well, maybe, but the binaural effect is only heard correctly over headphones. I suppose you could put your La Scalas a couple of feet apart pointing towards each other and sit between them, but I've never tried that... ------------------ Music is art Audio is engineering Ray's Music System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeG Posted February 8, 2002 Author Share Posted February 8, 2002 Mr. Garrison, you seem to be an expert in audio I see. Thanks for the word on ST.-Saens Organ Symphony, i'll check it out 'a.s.a.p', there's something about "Also Sprach Zarathustra" that makes me feel...victorious (i almost ripped off Lt. Colonel Kilgore). However, Pearl Jam - "Binaural" was indeed recorded with a binaural head (therefore it's definitely not "just the catchy name of the album"). I did my homework, I knew Pearl Jam wasn't up to something as lame as using a catchy name for an album title. http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/chords/binaural.html -- Mike G "Disneyland. F--k, man, this is better than Disneyland." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 MikeG, Thanks for the correction. I had assumed that the album was not binaural because I've listened to it a LOT, both over headphones and speakers, and it didn't sound like a binaural recording. After reading you post, I did a bit of poking around. It's kind of difficult to figure out exactly WHAT they did, but from what I can tell they MIGHT have used a binaural dummy head to record a few of the tracks without any other processing, but for the most part the binaural mics were used to add some of the room sound and a sense of ambience to the recordings, with most of the recording done with traditional multi-mic techniques. I found this short note posted on Tchad Blake's website (he produced the album): "Binaural= hearing with two ears. Binaural recording tries to capture and reproduce sounds as someone would hear them. To hear binaural recordings properly headphones should be used. The Pearl Jam album has a couple of fully binaural recordings on it but the technique was used mainly for the drum overheads and room ambience. Hope this clears some things up. I'm sorry I can't reply to all the letters individually. Thanks for writing. Later. Tchad. 17.03.00" End of quote. For more info, also check out http://www.nudeasthenews.com/sections/reviews/p/story/051500aaa.html has some interesting stories about Pearl Jam and this album. Ray, shortly after opening mouth and removing foot. ------------------ Music is art Audio is engineering Ray's Music System Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 Ray, You mentioned about putting your LaScalas right up close to your ears: one on the left and one on the right. Wow, that would certainly be interesting, and I would LOVE to give it a try! But, one important difference between any speaker configuration versus headphones has to do with the fact that with headphones, if the sound is only played through the right speaker, ONLY the right ear can hear it. However, if you listen to a pair of speakers, even in the configuration you are talking about, and turn the balance all the way to the right, and cover up your right ear, you will hear some sound in your left ear. Thus, you don't achieve the same level of seperation that makes binaural recordings really work with headphones. But it would certainly be a step above the conventional stereo arrangement of speakers. Sort of inbetween stereo and headphones/binaural. I remember seeing an article in an old stereo magazine where I guy made a wall in between his two speakers that ended just six inches from his sitting position. He sat with his nose to the edge of it. The wall blocked any left channel information crossing over to the right side, and vice versa. Sort of an extremist approach but curious nonetheless. Made quite a picture. This wall, with a speaker on either side, then a guy sitting there, his nose to it, achieving total channel seperation. However, that wouldn't be natural because no conventional recording was engineered this way. Jon ------------------ markvi82@hotmail.com 1981 Cornwall I's Yamaha DSP-A1000 integrated amp Acoustic Research AR3A's for Pro-Logic rears (Music only setup) Marantz CD Player Yamaha Turntable with Stanton EE Cartridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seb Posted February 12, 2002 Share Posted February 12, 2002 LOL!!! I can just imagine how stupid the guy must've looked, especially to non-audio savvy people... Was there a picture? If so, we HAVE to find it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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