3Dio FS (FS-2W-001)

Product Information

All binaural microphones are designed for the same function, but not all binaural mics are equal. The design of the mic can completely change the recordings that can be made with it and how the microphone can be used practically.

During an interview with Chris Pike from BBC R&D in September 2012, Pike stated that "you may get good spatial impression but timbral coloration is often an issue". [21] The issue of timbral coloration is mentioned in a large amount of spatial enhancement research and is sometimes seen as the outcome of the misuse or insufficient amount of HRTF data when reproducing binaural audio for example, or the fact that the end-user simply will not respond well to the collected HRTF data. Francis Rumsey states in the 2011 article "Whose head is it anyway?" [22] that "badly implemented HRTFs can give rise to poor timbral quality, poor externalisation, and a host of other unwanted results". [22] Getting the HRTF data correct is a key point in making the final product a success, and possibly by making the HRTF data as extensive as possible, there will be less room for error such as timbral issues. The HRTFs used for Private Peaceful [20] were designed by measuring impulse responses in a reverberant room, done so to capture a sense of space, but is not very external and there are obvious timbral issues as pointed out by Pike. [21] Like the Sennhesier Ambeo, the Sound Professionals SP-TFB-2 is a binaural microphone that sits in the ear – but that’s where the similarity ends.Binaural microphones are an excellent microphone option, but if condenser microphones work well for similar purposes, is it worthwhile using a binaural microphone? The term "binaural" has frequently been confused as a synonym for the word " stereo", due in part to systematic misuse in the mid-1950s by the recording industry, as a marketing buzzword. Conventional stereo recordings do not factor in natural ear spacing or " head shadow" of the head and ears, since these things happen naturally as a person listens, generating interaural time differences (ITDs) and interaural level differences (ILDs) specific to their listening position. Because loudspeaker-crosstalk with conventional stereo interferes with binaural reproduction (i.e. because the sound from each channel's speaker is heard by both ears rather than only by the ear on the corresponding side, as would be the case with headphones), either headphones are required, or crosstalk cancellation of signals intended for loudspeakers such as Ambiophonics is required. For listening using conventional speaker-stereo, or MP3 players, a pinna-less dummy head may be preferable for quasi-binaural recordings such as the sphere microphone or Ambiophone. As a general rule, for true binaural results, an audio recording and reproduction system chain, from the microphone to the listener's brain, should contain one and only one set of pinnae (preferably the listener's own), and one head-shadow. The 3Dio Free Space provides an interactive recording experience because you can touch and press on the human ear-like microphone. Take the time to consider what you want from a binaural mic and find the mic that best suits your intentions. The best mic on the market is not necessarily the best binaural mic for you. References The 3Dio FS XLR Binaural Microphone is an upgraded version of the world’s most popular 3D microphone for ASMR, VR virtual reality, field recording and recording studios. Featuring two XLR outputs in addition to the 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo output, the XLR outputs are balanced to maintain a pristine audio signal for long cable runs as well and infinite use via phantom power supply. Used all over the world by hobbyists and professional recording engineers alike, 3Dio binaural microphones are a must-have for anyone looking for the best in 3D audio capturing.

This means there are some crucial aspects of binaural microphones to look for if you want to buy a good one. When considering large diaphragm condenser microphones for ASMR, there is a fine line between tingly and harsh-sounding. Vocal microphones typically focus on a balanced and accurate sound across the full audio range, and in many ways, the Rode K2 provides this. Where it excels against its competition is in the pleasing warmth in its high-frequency delivery. The vintage-style components of valve microphones like the K2 might not be as clinically accurate as their modern-day counterparts. But the glass tube at their heart provides a round and polished signal that is perfect for ASMR videos.There are plenty of binaural mics to choose from, but they are not all built the same, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Binaural is a recording technique that involves capturing sound using a stereo binaural microphone that is shaped and configured like two human ears. The 3Dio FS XLR binaural microphone is a special stereo microphone that contains two prosthetic, human-shaped ears with microphone capsules embedded inside each ear canal. Binaural microphones capture audio the same way your real ears hear sounds. Incoming sound waves are changed by the ear-shaped pinna of the microphone just like your ears would change the incoming sound waves. Our brains understand these changes as directional cues that allow us to pinpoint precise locations of any given sound. When you listen to binaural recordings using headphones, the result is a natural three-dimensional sound that gives the listener the sensation of being in the space where the audio was recorded. The 3Dio FS Pro II is the best binaural mic on the market, but there are several other excellent options if this mic is not quite what you are looking for or if it is out of your price range. Condenser mics and binaural mics, such as those 3Dio, are also excellent for content creation in studios or studio environments, such as creating ASMR content.

The Rode NT1-A is an unbelievably popular choice. It has some of the lowest self-noise of any microphone, which means you can crank the gain on your preamp to record those ultra-quiet ASMR whispers without amplifying the mic’s own electronic noise. The NT1-A is also known to have a bright high-end, would is perfect for capturing the detail of various ASMR sounds. 5. AKG C214 To experiment it's easiest to start with binaural sound. You can capture spatial audio using simple in-ear mics. Little can be changed in post-production but you can create good effects using free software plug-ins which can be used with most digital audio workstations and will allow steering of mono sounds around the listener. Now that we have established what goes into a good binaural microphone, we can consider which of these mics is the best available right now. s FS range of binaural mics rely solely on their prosthetic ears to simulate the human hearing system. Stand Up For YourselfThese mics should also have good noise suppression and high-quality noise cancellation where applicable, and they should be made as durable as possible with high-quality construction.

Every Free Space microphone ships with a 4.5 ft long (1.5 m) 3.5mm (1/8") TRS to dual 1/4" splitter cable. All Free Space microphones include the silicone ears.The 3Dio range of binaural microphones feature two silicone ear (pinna) moulds separated by 19 centimetres (7.5in)—close to average distance between human ears. Microphones are placed inside the ears range from Primo EM172 in the Free Space and Free Space XLR models, to DPA 4060s in the Pro II model. The 3Dio range is considerably cheaper than the Neumann KU100 for example and therefore used more on a consumer to prosumer level. The main difference with the 3Dio models compared to the KEMAR or KU100 is the absence of a head model. The 3Dio relies entirely in the use on pinna moulds to achieve a binaural effect from the stereo recording. It is a USB-powered condenser microphone that captures quite a detailed audio signal for the price. Why We Love It: The inscrutable chap you see at the top of the article is called the Neumann KU 100, and everything about him — his size, shape, ears and chiselled features — has been mathematically modelled to represent the average adult human head. Inside each of his ears lies an omnidirectional microphone, and the idea is that, by using a head with attributes that lie in the middle of the range of humans’ (ear height, inter‑ear distance, head density and so on), a recording made using the KU 100 should sound right on the widest range of listeners. Of course, these were still flawed - the material used, while more similar to the texture and density of human skin, still wasn’t absolutely identical, and the heads themselves were inconvenient to transport. Binaural audio is also used in ‘virtual control room’ plug‑ins such as Waves’ Abbey Road Studio 3, Embody’s Immerse Virtual Studio, dSONIQ’s Realphones and Slate’s VSX. These use impulse responses, either captured with a binaural rig or subsequently processed binaurally, of a high‑end monitor setup in a professional control room. Pipe your DAW output through them and listen on a pair of headphones, and hey presto! You’re mixing your band’s demo in Abbey Road, or Ocean Way, or even (as in Slate’s VSX) through a car sound system.