Topic by kamil.t

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  • kamil.t
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Topic: Is anyone happy with binaural mode?

Hello! I'm not trying to bash our fav piano I'm just curious.

So, I play 80% of time on my headphones (Sennheiser HD598, so decent ones) and 20% on speakers. I own Pianoteq 5 Stage.

Prime reason for me to upgrade to Stage was because I was excited about binaural mode (I don't care, I appreciate the product immensely anyway). I had a memory of some sound tech demo of a bee flying around my head when wearing headphones - incredible experience. Somehow I projected that memory on my expectations of binaural mode.

But it is nothing like that I am simply unable to get anything useful from that mode. There is no sense of 3D. Of course delay and reverb changes a lot when I move dummy head around, but it does not produce proper results at all.

I would love to be able to sonically position myself in front of the piano and add some nice reverb to it, but it seem impossible.

Or maybe it's just me? Does anyone have any success stories with binaural mode?

Last edited by kamil.t (20-04-2015 11:11)

Reply by matthew

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Re: Is anyone happy with binaural mode?

If you search the forum, you'll find several topics about this. Some are quite recent.

Short answer: No. Nobody seems to be completely happy with it. I have reached a compromise myself. It doesn't sound real, but it works for practice.

Reply by geert

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Re: Is anyone happy with binaural mode?

Yes, this topic, and the use of an outboard headphones crossfeed emulator instead, can be read about on this forum.
I am quite happy with it, and in fact, with ALL my headphone listening, I do this via Reaper and the Toneboosters Isone plug-in.

You could also choose a hardware crossfeed solution, is fairly simple schematic, but the software solution is much more flexible.

The advantage of a hardware solution is, that it is available all the time, without the need to start up some software, as it sits inside your headphone amp.

Look also on this website:

http://headwize.com/?page_id=654

Greetings,

Geert

Reply by kamil.t

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Re: Is anyone happy with binaural mode?

Thank you matthew and geert!

I did some solid research since yesterday, searched this forum and spent so much time with Isone trying to adjust it to my liking that I became completely indifferent - my ears need a rest now. But I know it's impressive, because yesterday I was in awe. First time I tried to play with it I was sure I forgot to turn off my speakers and I was afraid I accidentally might have woke up my neighbours. I then made a blind test on my gf and she got fooled too.

geert, the article you mentioned is pure gold - thanks!

Reply by geert

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Re: Is anyone happy with binaural mode?

ok,Kamil.

One more thing: in Tooneboosters you can also mimck a certain speaker-setup-mimick to use on phones.

Tha can be handy for recording people who like to hear on phones how the speaker-sound in a given situation could be.

But I suggest you first try to make a setting without this "room designer".
This gives the minimal coloration to the sound, and only places the piano a bit more in front.

I also use this with Hauptwerk for organ playing, and is very useful.

Somehow it seems I cannot paste a picture here. Strange, as i see it done often....


Greetings,

Geert