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What's a binaural headphone?

post #1 of 11
10/12/11 at 3:46pm
Thread Starter 

I was just randomly browsing Amazon.com for headphones that they have (since I saw someone wearing a model I didn't recognize), and I found this pair.

 

Sennheiser PC 166 Binaural Multimedia/Gaming Headset with Noise-Canceling Microphone

 

1. How do you have a binaural headphone? I thought binaural was a method to record sounds/music.

2. How do you have a noise-cancelling microphone

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post #2 of 11
10/12/11 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by miceblue View Post

I was just randomly browsing Amazon.com for headphones that they have (since I saw someone wearing a model I didn't recognize), and I found this pair.

 

Sennheiser PC 166 Binaural Multimedia/Gaming Headset with Noise-Canceling Microphone

 

1. How do you have a binaural headphone? I thought binaural was a method to record sounds/music.

2. How do you have a noise-cancelling microphone


1. A binaural headphone is another name for a stereo headphone. What you are thinking about is a binaural microphone.

2. Search google for how noise-cancelation works and you'll have your answer.

 

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post #3 of 11
10/12/11 at 3:53pm

LFF is correct.

 

binaural may be closely associated with a recording technique, but in actuality it simply means "hearing with two ears".

 

the same way "binocular" means "seeing with two eyes".  but if someone said "binocular" you would think immediately of binoculars.

 

 

 

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post #4 of 11
10/12/11 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LFF View Post

1. A binaural headphone is another name for a stereo headphone. What you are thinking about is a binaural microphone.

2. Search google for how noise-cancelation works and you'll have your answer.

 

 

2. Yeah sorry about that. I should have used a Google search beforehand. I knew that some microphones had noise reduction properties, but I didn't think it was noise canceling per se.



Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWuss View Post

LFF is correct.

 

binaural may be closely associated with a recording technique, but in actuality it simply means "hearing with two ears".

 

the same way "binocular" means "seeing with two eyes".  but if someone said "binocular" you would think immediately of binoculars.

 


Ah I see. I haven't heard the term used for a stereo headphone before. I thought it would bea stereo headphone, but I wasn't quite sure. Usually when I think of binaural, I immediately think of binaural recordings where they use the special "dummy head" to create a more realistic 3-D sound environment.

 

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post #5 of 11
10/13/11 at 11:18am

Guess it's sort of like saying "Stereo binoculars"

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post #6 of 11
10/19/11 at 3:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrspeakers View Post

Guess it's sort of like saying "Stereo binoculars"

Rather like saying 'stereovisual electromagnetic focusing device' smily_headphones1.gif

But indeed, binaural means 'for two ears'
Bi = two
Auris = ear
Edited by Tilpo - 10/19/11 at 3:07am
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post #7 of 11
4/1/12 at 3:46pm

No stereo illusion from headphones, authority here: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec03/articles/mixingheadphones.htm#5

 

IRCAM sound research center in france developped a DSP about HRTF processing into making headphones reproducing a stereo image like speakers. Pretty secret stuff, all head fiers seems to hear a stereo image while there is close to none on headphones!

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post #8 of 11
4/1/12 at 5:29pm

The dummy head with microphone placed at the ear placement is used to recreat the cross talk effect and the time coherent phase shift that occurs when the sound travel around the human head, Read the article , so much NON BS in there! Dig in!

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post #9 of 11
4/2/12 at 8:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by telecaster View Post

No stereo illusion from headphones, authority here: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec03/articles/mixingheadphones.htm#5

 

IRCAM sound research center in france developped a DSP about HRTF processing into making headphones reproducing a stereo image like speakers. Pretty secret stuff, all head fiers seems to hear a stereo image while there is close to none on headphones!

Over the years I've written a couple of times that there is no real stereo image with headphones, just unnatural separation and fatigue as a result unless you're used to it. People ignore this / don't want to hear it.


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by telecaster View Post

The dummy head with microphone placed at the ear placement is used to recreat the cross talk effect and the time coherent phase shift that occurs when the sound travel around the human head, Read the article , so much NON BS in there! Dig in!

I've developed a fb2k plugin that also incorporates cross talk and phase shift and head shadow (all configurable). Never listening to headphones without it. :)
 

 


Edited by xnor - 4/2/12 at 8:26am
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post #10 of 11
4/2/12 at 8:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by xnor View Post

Over the years I've written a couple of times that there is no real stereo image with headphones, just unnatural separation and fatigue as a result unless you're used to it. People ignore this / don't want to hear it.


 
I've developed a fb2k plugin that also incorporates cross talk and phase shift and head shadow (all configurable). Never listening to headphones without it. smily_headphones1.gif

 

Is that the component that looks like this?
If it is, then you are my hero. After I got used to crossfeed and found a good DSP, I never listen to it without it. Even on my phone I have a player with crossfeed. (Poweramp)

225
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post #11 of 11
4/2/12 at 10:13am

Yes it is, glad you like it.

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