A Special Encounter
I have long been fascinated by the idea of capturing sound as we actually hear it: three-dimensional, physical, and filled with the subtle information our brains use to perceive direction, proximity and depth.
Binaural microphone technique is the key—and my DIY project brings it into the studio in a very personal way.
01 / The principle
Two ears, one spatial perspective
Two high-quality microphone capsules sit exactly where sound reaches our eardrums, embedded in detailed replicas of human ears.
The ears are mounted on a head model whose shape does more than look convincing: it bends, attenuates and reinforces sound realistically, just as the human head does.
The photographs show several details: the microphone inserts inside the silicone ears and the completed head in studio use.
02 / The one-off piece
Built, adapted, heard
Naturally, this is not an off-the-shelf product, but a one-off piece assembled with care over many hours.
The microphone capsules are carefully recessed and the wiring is minimal and orderly, with every decision aimed at clarity and transparency.
Anyone who has visited my recording room knows that I like to build, modify and adapt things until they truly do what I hope they will do.
This project belongs exactly in that line of work. I am curious to hear where this head will take me next.
The effect
Suddenly, you are no longer merely “in front of” the sound, but right in the middle of it.
03 / The listening experience
Immersive sound for concert and nature recordings
Recordings made with this setup create a remarkably immersive listening experience, especially through headphones. It is ideal for field recordings, sound installations, spatial music and atmospheric narrative formats.
Binaural microphone technology captures sound as our ears perceive it. Two capsules aligned with human ear positions create a genuine three-dimensional listening experience that unfolds fully through headphones.
He is back in the Matrix ;)
Applications
Sound from the listener’s perspective
01 / Orchestras & ensembles
Space, depth and placement
At classical concerts and with orchestras or ensembles, a binaural head captures the space, depth and placement of the musicians.
Unlike standardised stereo techniques such as Decca Tree or M/S, it offers a lifelike sense of listening—as though you were in the room among the instruments. Voices, strings and winds remain distinctly separated, with distance, direction and natural body.
02 / Field recordings
Nature sounds with direction
Birdsong, street sounds and environmental ambience also benefit greatly from binaural technique.
Spatial depth—such as a bird flying past or distant traffic—is reproduced precisely. Many nature and ambient recordists use binaural setups for immersive soundscapes. The listener feels present on location: the sound unfolds inside the head, not merely across a stereo field.
03 / Live acoustics
The atmosphere becomes audible
In live settings, binaural microphones reveal their strengths by capturing reflections, room response and audience sounds as natural parts of the sonic environment.
The result is a vivid, detailed reproduction that conventional multichannel setups often cannot provide, because it preserves the viewpoint of a listener in the space.