Editing Binaural recording (section)

==Recording techniques==
{{Listen
| filename     = BinauralPaper.ogg
| title        = Binaural recording of speech and paper crumpling
| description  = A binaural recording. The desired effect can be achieved only with [[stereo]] [[headphones]].
| format       = [[Ogg]]
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{{Listen
| filename     = One Man Rumba binaural audio demonstration.ogg
| title        = "One Man Rumba" binaural musical demonstration
| description  = A binaural recording. The desired effect can be achieved only with stereo headphones.
| format       = Ogg
}}

The simplest recording technique utilizes two small microphones, placed inside the ears of a human, a technique that can create very impressive first-person perspective recordings. The DPA 4560 was produced specifically for this type of recording.<ref>{{Cite web |title=4560 Binaural Headset Microphone |url=https://www.dpamicrophones.com/microphones/headset-and-earset/4560?variant=24 |website=DpaMicrophones.com |access-date=27 February 2025 }}</ref> This technique also clearly picks up the sounds of the person wearing the microphones, their breathing, clothing rustle, and any shifts in movement they may make, which can make it impractical for many types of recording.

More common is using a binaural head, also known as a dummy head, or ''Kunstkopf''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sunier |first=J. |title=Binaural in Depth |url=http://www.binaural.com/SunBinArticle.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213191154/http://www.binaural.com/SunBinArticle.html |archive-date=13 February 2020 |access-date=4 February 2024 }}</ref> These typically have two microphones, {{Convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} apart, facing away from each other, with a head shaped mass between them. Typically these microphones will be embedded within the head with a silicone mould of a pair of ears in front of them. 

Some binaural microphones go further and include elements of the human torso, aiming to simulate how sounds are reflected off the shoulders and absorbed by body mass, known as Head and Torso Simulators (HATS). They often include more intricate detail, such as a mouth simulator.<ref>{{cite web |title=Type 4128-C Head and Torso Simulator (HATS) |url=https://www.bksv.com/en/transducers/simulators/head-and-torso/hats-type-4128c?tab=overview |website=BKSV.com |publisher=Brüel & Kjær |access-date=4 February 2024 }}</ref>

[[File:Lokalisation.svg|thumb|upright]]

The distance between the ears, the size, weight and shape of the head and ears aim to roughly approximate those of an average human, though as very few people are actually the average size<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weller |first=Craig |date=13 September 2021 |title=Average Fails Everyone |url=https://www.buildingtheelite.com/average-fails-everyone/ |website=Building the Elite |access-date=27 February 2025 }}</ref> this explains some of the variance in how dramatically a binaural effect is heard by different people. 

The aim is that each microphone records sound in the same spatial relationship: each signal having the relative inter-aural time, level and timbral differences that the two ears of a human being would have if they were situated in the same position as the binaural head.

[[File:Lautsprecherwiedergabe-Göttingen.svg|thumb]]

The recordings are then listened to through headphones, with the microphone from the left ear of the binaural head routed into the left headphone of the listener, and the microphone from the right ear routed into the right headphone of the listener. Our brains are then able to interpret the spatial cues within the recordings to create a three-dimensional soundscape within our consciousness<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malinverno |first=Matteo |date=28 June 2022 |title=What Is Binaural Audio? How Binaural Recording Works |url=https://splice.com/blog/what-is-binaural-audio/ |website=Blog {{!}} Splice |access-date=27 February 2025 }}</ref> because it mirrors our own hearing system. 

Like our ears, a binaural head records sounds from all directions: all the sounds of a space and a clear impression of the room acoustics. A binaural head can create exceptional recordings of acoustic music concerts, for example. However, it will also clearly record any noises the audience make too.

A binaural head also mirrors the limitations of the human hearing system too. so for example when a sound is directly in front of us. there is very little difference between the sound hitting our left ear and our right ear. If a sound is directly behind us, again there is very little difference between the sound hitting our left ear and our right ear. Without the help of our visual system, we can struggle to tell if something is directly in front of us, or directly behind us, based on our hearing system alone.