Like the other entertainment industry businesses, the audio industry has become wider and more entertaining to customers and business owners alike.
We have talked about Dolby Atmos technology on our blogs many times but it’s not the only immersive technology that you can start working with. Another impressive 3-D sound technology is Binaural Audio that creates spatial bearing while making a song or other projects.
But how effective Binaural Audio technology is in respect to Stereo Audio mix. What should you choose and how things are going to turn out for your project after choosing either of them.
In this article, I am going to discuss a detailed comparison among both.
Read the whole article to find out the best for your project.
(Also Read About- Dolby Atmos Podcasts- How To Create and How they Impact?)
What is Binaural Audio?
The Binaural Audio technology is an 3-D immersive sound format that creates an effect of relatedness in the ears. The sound produced seems more real and authentic than general stereo audio mixed & mastered.
The audio replicates the way we listen to any real life sound. This lets the audience feel the origins & progressions of the sound while listening to a track.
Just like the consumption of natural sound environments, 3-D Binaural Audio uses spatial bearing. This allows the free conscious movement of sound elements in an open environment.
( Read More- Dolby Atmos VS Spatial Audio- How the Audio Industry Is Going to Change Forever? )
What is Stereo Audio?
Stereo audio creates the illusion of a 3-D immersive technology but doesn’t offer you a 3-D version in real life. It uses two separate audio channels. The whole concept of Stereo Audio lies in the variation of sound from each side of the headphone.
Each side dissipates a different amount of sound that makes you feel like the sound is travelling from one side to another creating an illusion of 3-D sound. In reality, it is not multidimensional, immersive, or 3-D.
(Read More – 9 Reasons Why Mixing & Mastering is Much Needed for A Song )
Difference between Binaural & Stereo Audio:
1. Recording- Binaural VS Stereo:
Stereo Audios are made by manipulating the sound elements produced in each headphones by a fraction of seconds only. The audio engineers create slight differences in both sides of the headphone which produces mono signals.
A minute of change in the frequency and delay can create a perfect illusion of width and space in a mono recording. This helps listeners to feel like they are listening to 3-D audio. However they are not.
Binaural Audio is recorded with old equipment only. Unlike the Dolby Atmos, you don’t need big & advanced equipment but your old setup is enough to create the effect. However, that brings some major drawbacks.
It features old tech and is very simple to record. You can do it by placing a dummy head in the middle of the studio, drilling his earpieces, placing a microphone there, and recording the sound kf the orchestra in real life. Results will be your audience feeling blissful as they have the best seat in the musical event.
Let’s talk about the drawbacks Binaural Audio has. First, the audio costs way higher than in general. Notably first ever Binaural audio was produced in the 19th century and it had cost $400 then.
Second, the audio effect is fixed in the recording giving you manipulation later according to your bead position of system alignment. There are no dynamic changes available to it. ( Also Read About – What Audio Engineering Looks Like From a Musical Perspective? )
2. Listening Experience- Binaural VS Stereo:
Stereo audio tracks work with only two ends left & right. The space effect illusion is created by manipulating the sound frequency on both ends. Now let’s talk practically. If you remove one earpiece, you will only listen to the other one, cancelling all effects at once.
The sound at the right earpiece (if you have removed the left piece) will vary but you will not feel the width effect as there would be nothing to compare.
Using speakers in a room, you will be in the centre and both the speakers will work accordingly. However, as the number of speakers increases so does the complexity of the sound progression.
Binaural Audio sets you in the centre of the orchestra. The technology records a 360 degree sound environment that lets you feel the space around you and you being the focal centre of the space. The 360 degree lets you feel a realistic sound environment that is focused on you only.
But here is the biggest drawback of Binaural Audio. This is fixed and does not support dynamic changes. It means no matter how your head moves. It will impact greatly only when you’re headphones on and not on the speakers.
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3. Technology- Binaural VS Stereo:
Stereo audio technology is nothing but manipulation of an already recorded mix. While presenting the sound clip, the engineers actually two distinct sounds from each headphone end. These two sound clips, though, are the same but represented with minor variations and delays. This causes a space effect illusion to the listener.
Binaural Audio, on the other hand, is an old technique that asks for a studio filled with all the instruments and sound elements across. A dummy head is placed inside the room and given a headphone. Engineers set microphones in the ear sockets and record everything that comes naturally through the instruments.
This setup records the sound in 3-D space and thus represents the entire song in the same 3-D alignment.
4. Relevance to the Modern Technology:
The Dolby Atmos and Apple’s spatial audio tech is already shaking the market with its dynamic audio manipulation features. Unlike both of these Stereo & Binaural Audio, both are non-dynamic. Listeners only cna listen to a pre-fixed version of the audio and that too with both the headphones on.
But here is one thing to understand. Your song quality is more important than any effect. If you’re using 3-D effects on your audio, make sure it sounds good & smooth in your ears.
I will always suggest you to go by the latest technology such as Dolby Atmos. However, if not possible, understand what you need. Does your audio necessarily need a 3-D effect? If yes, you may go with Binaural Audio setup.
Conclusion:
Stereo Audio & Binaural Audio, both technologies were once very demanded. However factors such as money and headphone dependency makes things tough to adapt completely.
If you’re looking for recording a sound and are confused between both of these, we have discussed the comparison very briefly. Follow the needs of your sound and choose one among both.
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