Binaural Audio

Binaural Recording

Binaural recording uses two microphones placed at ear-distance apart, often in a dummy head that replicates the acoustic properties of human ears.

This captures ITD, ILD, and pinna filtering—creating immersive 3D soundscapes when played through headphones.

Our DIY Binaural Head Microphone

For this course, we use a custom-built binaural head microphone. This homemade setup captures true binaural audio for immersive 3D recordings.

The DIY approach allows us to demonstrate the principles of binaural recording with hands-on experimentation, and creates recordings that transport listeners into the acoustic space.

Key features of our setup:

• Matched omnidirectional microphone capsules
• Ear-spaced positioning for accurate ITD capture
• Head-shaped baffle for natural ILD and pinna effects
• Portable design for field recording

What Are Binaural Beats?

When two tones of slightly different frequencies are presented to each ear through headphones, the brain perceives a third "beating" tone at the difference frequency.

Brainwave Frequencies

Important Note

Binaural beats require stereo headphones. The effect is created by the brain, not in the air. Research on effectiveness is ongoing—many report subjective benefits for relaxation and focus.