I've experimented with many microphone types & techniques, but I've found that the simpler the set-up, the more consistent and believable the results are. I started to use binaural recording - placing microphones where the ears would be on a dummy head - some 15 years ago. The results are very impressive, particularly when replayed through headphones.

How much better?

We are used to hearing sound from all directions, but nearly all recordings only offer us a fairly narrow horizontal sound source in front of us. Listen on speakers, and the balance setting is critical to give any width of image. Listen on headphones, and often the sound appears to be coming from inside your head. However good the equipment, the results are often not "believable"

Binaural recordings help preserve more of the directional information of the original sound. Replayed on speakers, there is often more sense of depth. Using headphones can create the illusion of really being there.

How can you know?

 If you can, try it for yourself. Art Simon has an excellent web page describing how to make an inexpensive binaural microphone rig at http://art.simon.tripod.com/stealth.html 

Or you can download bell.mp3 which is a few seconds recorded as a test recently. This was made using the JVC HM200E binaural headphones and a Sony WMD6C Pro Walkman. I was standing by a stream as the church clock struck the half-hour. I hope to post more interesting examples in the near future here!

JVC HM200E Headphones.

 These include microphones built into dummy ears on the earcasings. They rekindled my interest in why the recordings made this way sound so much better. I have planned to do more research as time and suitable audio sources permit. See Sound Recording.    

My Binaural Dummy Head

Many of my binaural recordings have been made using a polystyrene wig stand, begged from a local hairdresser, in conjunction with two tie-clip omni-directional microphones from RS components. The microphones are the same type as used by George Hooley of Quad - see Hi-Fi - An Original Approach 

Mike Skeet with one of his Binaural Dummy Heads

I recently met a fellow binaural enthusiast, Mike Skeet, who has developed a series of binaural dummy heads, some with an integral mini-disc recorder. This makes a superbly effective and simple to use binaural rig. My only reservation on seeing the design was the proximity of the mechanical transport of the mini-disc recorder to the microphone elements. However, on the recording I heard, my reservations were totally unfounded.  

Mike uses binaural and other specialised microphone techniques for commercial recordings. He has a web site at www.skeetmusic.com ,which has further details of binaural recording, sound samples, and the opportunity to purchase his recordings, or arrange for him to make recordings for you.   

Anyone with an interest in microphone recording methods will also find the section on Mike's website about Mid & Side microphone placement particularly interesting.

 I find it encouraging that Mike, with an enormous breadth of experience in audio recording, has come to similar conclusions to me that simple (i.e. few) microphone methods give much truer results than multiple microphones/complex editing.