Binaural Recording
Experience 3D Sound – Almost as if you were listening to our Sarasvati audio furniture at your place.
IMPORTANT: Only with Headphones!
Binaural recordings work ONLY with headphones. Via speakers, the 3D effect is completely lost!
What is a binaural recording?
Imagine you could record sound the way your ears hear it – with all spatial information, distances, and directions. That's exactly what a binaural recording does!
Binaural means "with both ears" and describes a special recording technique that simulates natural human hearing. The result: via headphones, a realistic, three-dimensional sound experience is created.
How does it work?
The Recording Technique
For binaural recordings, a special dummy head is used – a head with two highly sensitive microphones positioned exactly where the eardrums are in humans. This dummy head simulates the sound reflections and shadowing of the head, the angle of incidence through the outer ear, natural resonances in the ear canal, and time delays caused by the distance between the ears. This way, the recordings capture the room acoustics and sound as a person positioned in front of the speaker would perceive it.
The "Dummy Head Effect"
When you listen to a binaural recording via headphones, your brain "forgets" that you're wearing headphones. The sounds seem to come from outside – from different directions and distances. A 360° sound space is created around you! An image of the sound at the location where the dummy head is positioned.
Why we use binaural recordings
At The Beauty of Sound, we want to give you the opportunity to experience our Sarasvati audio furniture – even if you can't visit us in person. Binaural recordings are the best method to give you a reasonably realistic impression of the sound.
🎧 Ready for a listening sample?
Put on your headphones and experience the Sarasvati audio furniture! Listen to the recordings and then search for the tracks on Spotify and listen to them for comparison via your current speakers.
Recordings of the Sarasvati I Audio Furniture
For the recording, a Sennheiser ambeo Smart Headset (iOS) was used. This is worn like normal in-ear headphones and records sound via two microphones. Afterwards, the sound was only level normalized.
Classical Music
Not quite classical but still a concert in a concert hall. Listen to short excerpts from Jeff Mills' Techno Live Album, Blue Potential, which he recorded together with the Montpelier Philharmonic Orchestra. Then the recording of Mozart's Requiem / Confutatis by the Academy of Ancient Music with the King's College Choir.
Electronic Music and Sound Effects
Tennyson with Like What in excerpts, so you can hear the spatiality of the sound. To finish, the beginning of Shirley Bassey with Goldfinger from the Best of James Bond album.
Pure Vocals with Sparse Instrumentation
A.A. Williams sings Where is my Mind. Then Julia Stone with Beds are Burning. Feel the purity of the sound.
Why binaural recordings are not a substitute for test listening
As good as binaural recordings are – they cannot completely replace the real experience:
- Physical Experience: Feeling the pressure of the bass in your chest
- Dynamics: The dynamics of the music do suffer through the multiple conversion steps
- Your Headphones: Only what your headphones support can be reproduced
- Room Acoustics: Your own room sounds different from our recording
- Shared Experience: Sharing music with friends is different from listening alone on headphones
The real experience awaits you!
Binaural recordings give you a first impression. But to experience the full brilliance of our Sarasvati audio furniture, there's nothing better than a personal test listening session.
We're happy to come to your home – free and non-binding!
Schedule test listening now!Frequently Asked Questions about Binaural Recordings
No! Any headphones or earbuds work. Higher-quality headphones can of course enhance the effect, but even simple earbuds are sufficient for the 3D experience.
Technically yes, but the entire 3D effect is lost. It then sounds like a normal (and not particularly good) stereo recording. So: Please only with headphones!
This is due to the quality of the recording and your individual HRTF. With very good binaural recordings, the sounds should be heard "outside" your head.
Yes! There are special binaural microphones for smartphones or in-ear microphones. However, professional dummy heads cost several thousand francs.
Yes! Some artists and labels release binaural recordings. Search streaming services for "binaural" or "3D audio".
Conclusion
Binaural recordings are a fascinating technology that allows us to give you a realistic impression of our Sarasvati audio furniture – even from a distance. They are perfect for a first impression but cannot completely replace the real listening experience with our speakers in your room.
Our tip: Listen to our binaural recordings, and if you're excited, schedule a free test listening session at your home. There you can experience the full sound of our Sarasvati audio furniture in your familiar environment!