In this binaural microphone review, I will compare two different microphones from SR3D. So, if you’re looking at buying binaural microphones or just curious about binaural audio then read on.
What is Binaural Audio?
So what is binaural audio? The easiest way to explain this is to think of how we hear sounds as humans. We’ve got two ears! Consequently binaural audio uses two microphones, one for each year. In addition, the microphones are spaced to a similar distance to how our ears are spaced. The microphones are usually omnidirectional, so they pick up from all around. However, with binaural audio, there is a dummy head and fake ears to simulate the physical barrier between the two microphones.
SR3D Pro XLR and DIY Binaural Kit
One of my interests is spatial audio, so I was pleased when I SR3D contacted me and asked me to review some of their microphones. They sent me two different microphones. Firstly, the Pro XLR binaural microphone and secondly the DIY binaural kit. My tests included recording indoors and outdoors, with a mixture of quiet and louder sounds. Watch the video below so you can listen and make up your own mind about them.
Binaural Microphone Review
So, what did I think about the SR3D binaural microphones? I was very pleased with the pro-XLR version’s performance. If you have the budget for this microphone, it’s an excellent binaural microphone to try out. Firstly, it’s great for interior and exterior locations. Secondly, the microphones are low-noise and capture good-quality recordings. Lastly, it’s a nice small kit which you can easily pack up and take with you on the road.
DIY Binaural Microphone Kit
This is a great little microphone if you are new to binaural audio. Of course, I did have some issues with this microphone. I had an electrical hum that I just couldn’t seem to avoid when recording indoors. When I contacted the manufacturer, I was told that they hadn’t really had any issues like this in the past. I can’t say for sure what caused this issue. For instance, it could have just been the particular test kit that I was sent. In addition, I wasn’t able to test in other indoor locations so I cannot rule out issues with the electrical wiring in my house. Ultimately, be prepared you could have some issues when recording indoors.
DIY Vs Pro-XLR
When comparing the two microphones I did notice there was a little bit of extra noise from the DIY binaural kit. I suppose this is to be expected at this price point, but with most binaural recordings you would be recording at quite a low volume. When recording Fireworks I noticed an imbalance between the left and right microphones. However, this should be addressed by the matched stereo pairs that the manufacturer is now using. Finally, I was reasonably happy with the fireworks recordings but there was perhaps a little less high-frequency detail in DIY binaural microphones.
Microphone Options
There are some different options for the DIY kit microphones, so have a look at the SR3D website. If you do want to upgrade the microphones to the Em272 primo capsules, then you can pay a bit extra money and you’ll have a better quality microphone. Hopefully, with these upgraded microphones you wont have any of the issues I did.
Final thoughts
I do hope you found this binaural microphone review helpful. If you are interested in the SR3D range of microphones please use my affiliate link: SR3D Link
I really appreciate any purchases made using this link. In addition, If you’re doing any binaural recording of your own, please check out the audio tips section of the SR3D website. There is a lot of useful information here about getting the most out of binaural microphones. In conclusion, binaural recording is a little bit different from recording with normal microphones, so please check that out before you try any recording yourself!