Binaural Albums
Mar 10, 2009 at 3:43 AM Post #16 of 47
Some songs on Binaural by Pearl Jam are recorded Binaurally.

See jacket cover (my avatar)

V.
 
Mar 11, 2009 at 1:16 AM Post #17 of 47
Yeah, I don't notice it so much but the dog snarling on Rival sounds better than ever on my IEMs when I checked it out.
 
Mar 11, 2009 at 1:19 PM Post #18 of 47
Quote:

Originally Posted by vsapra /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Some songs on Binaural by Pearl Jam are recorded Binaurally.

See jacket cover (my avatar)

V.


Binaural sounds really good on my 2-channel rig with the Polk Audio SDA-SRS main speakers.

Yield also sounds really nice if you are also a Pearl Jam fan. I think top to bottom it's their best recording.

Wes
 
May 3, 2010 at 12:32 AM Post #19 of 47
Old thread, but Ottmar Liebert, Up Close, is a binaural dummy head recording made for headphones and is available FLAC from HD TRACKS. Check it out.
 
May 3, 2010 at 1:07 AM Post #20 of 47
I have this one. It actually has both the regular version and the binaural version of all the songs on it. Great album but I dont see whats so great about binaural. Its just a different perspective.
rca88697489712.jpg
 
May 5, 2010 at 8:42 PM Post #22 of 47
I'm interested to check out some of these musical suggestions. All I've ever found in relation to "binaural" in the past have been annoying noise tracks that are supposed to like OPEN YOUR MIND and such...
 
May 6, 2010 at 5:26 PM Post #25 of 47
Here is some info for you that I compiled for Wikiphonia:
 
Delta-Acustic Record Label
 
This part of the article I want to devote to an overview of a very cool and long defanct German Record Label: Delta-Acustic. The information below if from a great book about Krautrock THE CRACK IN THE COSMIC EGG by Steven Freeman & Alan Freeman.
 
Delta-Acustic was a division of Membran Records, set up to promote the possibilities of the "Kunstkopf" (aka "artificial head") recording system, centred around the recording/engineering talents of Manfred Schunke.
 
The label could just have been an ordinary collection of demo discs, but, in Berlin, with likes of Klaus Schulze and other underground musicians involved, the catalogue of six albums included three Krautrock obscurities that are well worth investigating, namely by Code III, Sand and Seedog.

Some history of the studio as it was presented on Klaus Schulze's webpage:
 
1974 - Scientists of the Technical University in Berlin invented the dummy head (microphone) technology: "Kunstkopf". The two brothers Schunke wanted to make use of it in a new studio, and asked Klaus Schulze if he is interested. Of course! Rooms were rented and a studio was built. Even Klaus who never put a nail into a wall, he suddenly carried stuff, sawed wood, glued and nailed... In the final Delta Acustic Studio in Berlin, KS took the chair of the sound engineer behind the recording and mixing desk. (I don't know if the writing of "acustic" was intentionally chosen or if they just didn't know how to write it correctly?) After four pop and one classic LP as well as one sampler, the whole business was finished. The Schunkes moved away from Berlin, founded another studio in the north of Germany, and "Dummy head stereo" was almost forgotten. The former Berlin studios were used up to the late eighties (and probably still) as rehearsal rooms for Berlin rock groups; the first Nina Hagen band had its base in these rooms until they hit it big. Aside: Already the first Tangerine Dream LP was recorded in these rooms, five years before the "delta acustic" venture. (Postscript in 1998: The whole buildings are now renovated and sold to wealthy yuppies as "Lofts").

The sampler KUNSTKOPF DIMENSIONEN shows the full range of what was released, including some interesting sound experiments and a unique Code III track. Here's the full catalogue of releases...

LPs:

25-125-1 - Code III - PLANET OF MAN (1974) gatefold
25-126-1 - Seedog - WE HOPE TO SEE YOU (1974) gatefold
25-127-1 - v/a - KOPFSONGS FOLKLORE (1974) assorted folk soloists
25-128-1 - Sand - GOLEM (1974)
25-129-1 - v/a - ALTE MUSIK (1974) assorted medieval musics
10-130-1 - v/a - KUNSTKOPF DIMENSIONEN (1974)

I have heard Code III - PLANET OF MAN as well as Sand - GOLEM and they are one of the best albums for enjoying in headphones. Code III is very hard to find since it was only re-released on CD by some Korean bootleg label. Sand is also not easily accessible but it was re-released recently with bonus tracks in on double CD set.
 

Here is a bit form info about Code III - PLANET OF MAN album from THE CRACK IN THE COSMIC EGG book:

Code III were never a proper band, but were an impromptu group created for an album dedicated to showcasing the amazing sound characteristics of the Kunstkopf Artificial Head Recording System. Principally, Code III were Berlin studio engineer Manfred Schunke and American multi-instrumentalist Ed Key.
The music on PLANET OF MAN is a sonic depiction of the history of the Earth, from the void of empty space, via the formation of the planets, the evolution of life, through to man's domination of the planet, and ultimately back to the void. The opening and closing excursions, involving atmospheric electronics, injections of a dreamy folk song, and disembodied resonant female voice, hint a little at Brainticket's CELESTIAL OCEAN, although the mood is much spookier. Confusingly "Dawn Of An Era" (the lyrics are sung in the previous track) involves what sounds like demented Neanderthals involved in some weird drum ritual. "Countdown" adds up to a blend of atmospheric electronics with abstract use of voice collage and effects (and Indian music), onto a remarkably clever accelerating space-rock burn-out featuring Klaus Schulze at the drum stool! Returning to weird space music at the end, it all adds up to a remarkable and unique album.

Here is a bit form info about Sand - GOLEM album from THE CRACK IN THE COSMIC EGG book:
Originating from lower Saxony originally, the musicians of Sand were like many Berlin bands, being people drawn there by the unique possibilities Berlin had to offer. An early incarnation, as a five piece band, were known as P.O.T. (Part Of Time) who toured extensively, and settled for a while in Cologne, but never released anything. So, as a trio (without the bassist or drummer) Sand were formed in 1972 when they moved base to Berlin. Inspired by the spirit of the scene in Berlin, they went out of their way to be as original as they could.
 
Sand only made the one album: GOLEM, which has remained a little-known obscurity, due to being issued as one of the special projects organised for the Kunstkopf demonstration series on Delta-Acustic. Notable for being produced by Klaus Schulze, and also the unique creation of combining cosmic synthesizer, folk and rock musics, sans drums or any conventional instrumental structures, GOLEM is a mystical album rich with the creative spirit of the era. A little hint of Pink Floyd here and there, and obvious Schulze influence, are the only references I could quote as pointers. A really trippy album, with swirling string-synthesizers, cosmic electronics, beyond the nether regions of cosmic Witthüser+Westrupp. Magic!
The ULTRASONIC SERAPHIM release includes the GOLEM album, and also documents many other unreleased demo and rehearsal recordings by Sand, as well as solo recordings by Hannes Vester, and also by his later band Johannes Vester And His Vester Bester Tester Electric Folk Orchestra. It amounts to the definitive Sand history.
 
 
Klaus Schulze - Blackdance (1974)
 
Another excellent album recorded at Delta-Acustic studio, but not released on Delta-Acustic Record Label is Klaus Schulze's Blackdance that came out on influential Brain record label. A seminal record in the history of electronic music it has incredible "out of the head" vivid sound. Highly recommended to anyone interested in early Berlin school electronic musics and soundstage tricks in recorded music.
 
Can - Flow Motion (1976)
 
Yet another krautrock album that sound great in headphones, recorded 1976 at INNER SPACE STUIDIO by Holger Czukay & Rene Tinner but mixed at, surprise, Delta-Acustic studio. Flow Motion is the eighth Can studio album. It was mixed by Manfred Schunke at DELTA ACOUSTIC STUDIO, Wilster - Germany using the ARTIFICIAL HEAD SOUND TECHNIQUE aka Kunstkopf. As all other albums optimized using Kunstkopf technique it has wast soundstage and spooky realistic 3D effects in addition to excellent inventive music that Can is known for. I wish more albums were recorded this way. Another label that used similar technique for some albums was German Sky Records. The Sky label was established by Günter Körber, formerly one of the top team at Brain/Metronome, in 1975. I will write more about this label in the next section.
 
Jan 3, 2011 at 12:13 AM Post #26 of 47
Looks like there are several potential contributors to the "binaural recordings" entry on Wikipedia. I swear they'd had a number of albums listed when I went there a couple of months ago under "examples," however upon returning this evening (after reading CNET's Audiophiliac blog entry) that section is gone save for the title.
 
Mar 22, 2012 at 9:40 PM Post #27 of 47


Quote:
intoart said:
I had a whole pile of binaural CDs. I sold almost all of them. The novelty wears off really fast! The only ones I still like are Up Close by Ottmar Liebert and a nature recording called The Living Air.
While not true binauaral albums, the best uses of similar effects in a musical context that I have heard are The Final Cut by Pink Floyd and The Soul Cages by Sting. (Holophonics and Q-sound, respectively.)
Click to expand...



Who is "The Living Air" from? I cant seem to find it
 
Mar 23, 2012 at 5:24 AM Post #29 of 47
There's supposed to be some Stax demo CD- or maybe even a series of CDs-   recorded binaurally.  Never heard it myself, but I'm told the sound is fantastic.
 
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