Please Recommend a good Binaural Mic Set

[lofi_lothario]

Hi folks I'm looking for a decent set of binaural mics. I've seen some online for about $40-$50 but I'm skeptical of the quality. The Neumann head looks amazing but way way way over my budget. Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated. thanks!

[dlmorley]

Core Sound — Core Sound Binaural microphone set
these should be good but I haven't tried them.
I use some Sennheiser MKE2002. Sounds cool to me. Not a Neumann (damn I'd love that set), but I've seen a few go for $400 recently. False head is cool or you can wear them as headphones which is fun.

[lofi_lothario]

Hey dlmorley thanks for the quick reply! I've been eyeing the Core Sound mic set, looks very interesting, nice price too. Anybody else have experience with these?

[hughesmr]

Hi lofi,

PM'ed you.

[aaron_in_sf]

You might find my longer DIY section which covers my experiences in more detail helpful:

quiet american

That said, I've used about a dozen sets so far and have three top recommendations, depending on budget and the specifics of your interests.

(a) my first choice for my own purposes is always a pair of quasi-binaural Sonic Studios DSM-6S/EHs in a wind-screen headband. Not the quietest (they are electrets) but extremely reliable, accurate, and completely idiot-proof. These mics changed my life.

(b) Core Sound HEBs are slightly quieter but require some work to mount/wind screen. They are small enough to insert in your ear canals for true binaural recording. They have a slight mid-frequency bump as they are designed for speech reenforcement applications; if you're crafty you could match a pair of DPA 4060/4061s yourself to make a pair (though you will have to homebrew a powering solution).

(c) on a budget the Shure WL183 omnis have acquired a strong following in nature recoridng circles for being quite quiet and very transparent for the price (about US$190 a pair). These come terminated for use with a wireless transmitter however and need an adapter cable or some soldering to an 1/8" stereo miniplug for use with most portable recorders. Fwiw Shure also makes the MX183, a version terminated in full-size XLRs for use with phantom power, but I seem to recall reports that they are not as quiet as the WL183s(!?).

For sample recordings made with all of these (I think) root through this project on my site:

quiet american

best,
aaron

quietamerican.org
oneminutevacation.org

[Remoteness]

Wow, that's cool Randall

[Plush]

I recommend checking out the OKM SX binaural mics. They are small and worn in the ear or on a mount. I use the Neumann head and the OKM are the closest I have found to the real thing.

The distributor in the USA is Independent Audio in Portland, Maine.

[rubycakes]

when I used to recored to a mini disc I would clip the Core Sound mics to my glasses--one on either side of my head near my temples. It looked kind of funny but worked ok. The only problem was that in quieter passages (classical/orchestral) I could hear my own breathing and the crunching of the altoids in my mouth!

[Dr.Wu]

another thumps up for Soundman OKM mics.
cool sound and very convenient.
be your own dummyhead!

[lofi_lothario]

thanks for the replies! I've decided to get the Core Sound mic set. I'm getting a used pair from a fellow gearslut. perfect! Ahh I love this forum.

aaron_in_sf - I checked out your site, very informative! I'm sure i'll be using it as a resource as I start plunging into the depths of field recording.


rubycakes - I'll be sure to hold my breath and spit out the altoids when i'm recording.


hrm I may have to pick up one of those dummy heads too.

[dlmorley]

My Sennheiser dummy head or "Frank"

[big country]

here's my DIY PZM

sounds very good for using cheap Mic's

I'm working on a dynamic binaural that spins
It makes every thing I record sound like a Leslie
but its real stereo, meaning it utilizes the left a right speakers
sounds really cool

[BLP]

I know it's probably too late, but all of the researchers I work with use a DIY setup with off-the-shelf Sennheiser miniature mic capsules (diameter increased to fit in ear with shrink tubing) and a simple gain circuit that runs on 48V phantom...

[big country]

here it is in it,s raw state
I dont have pics of the finished product

you have to turn it by hand right now
but eventually I want to hook it up to a motor with a speed control

you can use it as a binaural , but its dynamic without a transformer so the source needs to be pretty close
any one know where I can get some cheap 1:5 tranies

Hi Guys!
I've been looking into the OKM Soundman II as a cheap binaural solution for field recording. With every non-binaural mic I've used so far I could hear myself breathe.

Now, some of you mentioned breathing noises when recording with headsets. How bad is it compared to using the internal mics of any field recorder?
I'd imagine it would be a lot more present given how close the mics would be to your nose and mouth, is it?

[aaron_in_sf]

Originally Posted by big country

I'm working on a dynamic binaural that spins
It makes every thing I record sound like a Leslie
but its real stereo, meaning it utilizes the left a right speakers
sounds really cool

Ah I love that effect!

I've made a good number of recordings in interesting soundscapes with my (head-worn) binaurals to make recordings while slowly (silently) spinning myself in a circle... There's definitely something in that that I've never heard reproduced synthetically.

One of these days I want to dig out all the recordings I made that way to make a piece from them called "Around the Whirled" (sorry) or something....

aaron

quietamerican.org
oneminutevacation.org

[big country]

Originally Posted by aaron_in_sf

Ah I love that effect!

I've made a good number of recordings in interesting soundscapes with my (head-worn) binaurals to make recordings while slowly (silently) spinning myself in a circle... There's definitely something in that that I've never heard reproduced synthetically.

One of these days I want to dig out all the recordings I made that way to make a piece from them called "Around the Whirled" (sorry) or something....

aaron

quietamerican.org
oneminutevacation.org

you could probably do it with some 57's and some tape
by taping the two Mic's together and letting it hang by the cords (pan hard left and right)
attach a string to the bottom of the Mic stand so it does not spin recklessly
attach the cords to the top of the Mic stand
pad the inputs and let-her spin

[big country]

I was thinking it would be even better with two spiny Mic's on one source,
one spinning clock wise, the other spinning counter clock wise
maybe run it in quad
panning one spiny Mic to the back the other to the front
I will have to try that today

[big country]

has any one tried to record a Leslie with a binaural?
Leslie speaker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

here is a good read

Inside the Fender Vibratone


sorry for the high jack BTW

Originally Posted by big country

sorry for the high jack BTW

Do you have anything to say about my problem?

BTW, the leslie cabinet-thingy is a very cool idea thumbsup

[big country]

[quote=thx1138;1553542]

Do you have anything to say about my problem?

what is that?

BTW, the Leslie cabinet-thingy is a very cool idea thumbsup

spiny Mic or micing a Leslie with a binaural

[big country]

Originally Posted by thx1138

whats the problem?

BTW, the Leslie cabinet-thingy is a very cool idea thumbsup

micing a Leslie with a binaural or the spiny Mic?

Originally Posted by big country

BTW, the Leslie cabinet-thingy is a very cool idea thumbsup

micing a Leslie with a binaural or the spiny Mic?

The spiny mic!

I was asking how audible your own breathing is when using binaural headsets in the field, compared to the internal mics of a field recorder.

[big country]

Originally Posted by thx1138

The spiny mic!

I was asking how audible your own breathing is when using binaural headsets in the field, compared to the internal Mic's of a field recorder.

interesting
I have never tried those Mic's
but their are allot of folks around here that have
just by guessing ? I kinda wonder if their would be some acoustic coupling
going on.

BTW
is that a Mic hanging from the guys ear in your avatar?
looks like a cool design
I'm thinking something like that but having the Mic facing the inner ear to kinda reverse what your ears pic up
in a PZM fashion
it might create some interesting or non desirable phasing
in actuality there has to be allot of phasing going on in the human ear
due to the ear canal and the outer lobe

I think you would be more likely to hear breathing with an omni
as your breathing path might be in the polar pattern?
if you used Cardiod Mic's I think it would take away some of the three D imaging
that makes the binaural do what it does
my guess BTW

Originally Posted by big country

interesting
I have never tried those Mic's
but their are allot of folks around here that have
just by guessing ? I kinda wonder if their would be some acoustic coupling
going on.

BTW
is that a Mic hanging from the guys ear in your avatar?
looks like a cool design
I'm thinking something like that but having the Mic facing the inner ear to kinda reverse what your ears pic up
in a PZM fashion
it might create some interesting or non desirable phasing
in actuality there has to be allot of phasing going on in the human ear
due to the ear canal and the outer lobe

I think you would be more likely to hear breathing with an omni
as your breathing path might be in the polar pattern?
if you used Cardiod Mic's I think it would take away some of the three D imaging
that makes the binaural do what it does
my guess BTW

My thoughts exactly! And I don't wanna run around with a dummy head
The stereo image of the mics of my Microtrack recorder suck, so those OKMs sure would come in handy. I guess I just have to stop breathing*

*at least when I'm recording tutt

BTW, those OKMs are only available as omni-directional mics (naturally) and work just like PZMs.

EDIT: About my avatar... no, that's the film poster for "thx1138", one of my favorite movies. Clips could be an interesting approach to binaural recording, though

[big country]

Soundman OKM microphone features — nnyman.com

pressure zone Mic
or boundary Mic's
work by catching the First reflection
not the original sound source

meaning the sound pressure wave bounces off of a surface, and then capturing the 1st reflection with the Mic capsule

normal Mic's pick up first reflections, second reflections and the original source , creating a comb type filter built from bad phasing

what makes PZM's so great is their usually is no phase issues

[big country]

Originally Posted by thx1138

My thoughts exactly! And I don't wanna run around with a dummy head


EDIT: About my avatar... no, that's the film poster for "thx1138", one of my favorite movies. Clips could be an interesting approach to binaural recording, though

that do hickey that hooks to the ear lobe looks like a stellar design

for one it hooks to lobe and has no contact with any bone
so the lobe acts like a shock mount
thus meaning no acoustic coupling

now, if one where to make something like that but point the Mic strait into the ear

probably would solve your problem
and you would be hearing first reflections?
thats if the sound pressure waves do not create a havoc of phase in your ear
it's definitely worth trying

Originally Posted by big country

that do hickey that hooks to the ear lobe looks like a stellar design

for one it hooks to lobe and has no contact with any bone
so the lobe acts like a shock mount
thus meaning no acoustic coupling

That actually makes a lot of sense thumbsup
I could also build mic into piercings spy-style and run around with my recorder all day and thus recording hours and hours of interesting stuff

No, I guess I'm better off just trying the headset, learn how to breathe properly when recording and be done with it

[boojum]

I have used the OKM II's in my ears and gotten excellent sound. Even Aaron at thequietamerican liked it and used a track of mine. They are small, good sound, and you look like you are listening to your Walkman.

[rav]

Hello everybody,

After reading this post i have decided to buy the Okm microphones.

I want to record mostly sound atmospheres.

Wich model should i take for best recordings?

Will be any problem when listening the recordings through the speakers or will be like any other stere recording?

Thanks in advance.

Best.