Audio tips

Please use the best settings you can, minimum recommended settings are 16bit 44.100kHz WAV.

Switch off any limiters on your recorder

Do not use auto levels

Do not use standard recording techniques

Do not adjust the preamp on your recording device to boost sound levels, it will destroy the binaural effect and add extra noise that could spoil your recordings.

Make sure that meter levels only bob up and down now and then when in a quiet room, if the meters show above the minimum all the time it's too high, turn it down to the minimum deflection so that it occasionally bobs.

Do not use MP3 format it will remove some aspects of the "HRTF" (head related transfer function) information and be less effective.

For YouTube use export your video audio settings to: AAC, 320 kbps, 48 kHz, Stereo.
I import from 24bit 96kHz WAV files.

For HD sound, please use 24bit (or 32bit float) 192khz WAV (non video)


Please check that your authoring software is using the best audio quality settings it can use for exporting, using WAV, or just use the highest quality audio settings that your recorder used for the recording.

For the very best binaural audio experience try not to use equalizers or normalising. On playback on computers please switch off any enhancement settings.

Zoom H1n recording settings for the RCA type a level set to 5 on the dial is a good setting as it does not boost the recording levels too high for binuaral recordings.

Tascam DR40X levels set at default at -12db for XLR microphones, this does not boost levels for binaural recordings.

Sound devices MixPre 3 or 6 I use gain levels at about 35 to 40db, and headphone output level set to 70.


Playback is just as important as the recording technique, you must keep the levels of audio to a level of what it would be if you were there.

For example if you were to remove your headphones the sound would be the same level as what it was while monitoring the recordings, you should not be able to tell any difference, if it's louder you need to be sure that it is either the recording level, or the headphone volume of the recorder, once you have established the correct levels in both the recording level and the headphone volume level of your recording then the device is calibrated correctly.

Switch off any effects on your computers sound card (check playback properties).

Some listeners may think that the levels are a little low as they maybe used to standard recording/listening habits. When you have realised this technique you will experience very effective binaural recordings.

Still having trouble? please email us awi3@live.com