Binaural recording: alternatives to expensive dummy heads?

[KT]

Is anyone aware of an alternative to the expensive Neumann or Aachen dummy heads for binaural recording?

Thanks,
KT

[DragonMaster]

Maybe these links?
http://webpages.charter.net/tidmarsh/binmic/
http://www.minidisc.org/homemade_mics.html
http://www.binaural.com/binlink.html

Or if you want to look for an other format there are a couple named here :
What we can never achieve

[el`Ol]

You could use a so-called Jecklin disc.
http://www.josephson.com/tn5.html
It`s important to have true onmidiectional microphones, not variable characteristics. I have a recording with the Sennheiser MKH20 that is very good.

[soongsc]

The Linkwitz site has some eyeglass mounted mics which should work if you can keep your head still. I've done some recording with DIY mics in earplugs which produce good spacial image, the only down side was the mic rubbing against your ear can get recorded as well.

[poobah]

You can get styrofoam heads at a wig store...

[I_Forgot]

I made my own dummy head (hah, hah, yes I know how it sounds...) using a hollow fiberglass head and some mic cartridges that I modified for 9V operation based on Linkwitz's info. I suspended the cartridges inside wire screens and installed them inside the head with holes drilled in the ears. Then I stuffed the head with strips of cloth until it was as dense as I could pack it. It seems to work as well as my modified headphones, except I no longer have to be there while making a recording, so i don't pick up my own breathing, swallowing, sneezing, coughing, swatting mosquitoes, and etc. Suspending the mic cartridges pretty much eliminates low freq vibrations transferred from whatever the head is sitting on.

I will be putting some stuff on my web site about it shortly, see link in my sig, below.

I_F

[Pjotr]

Hi,

Used my own ears for that and put some Panasonic WMA60 electrets in it powered from my portable DAT recorder. It gave fabulous results when listening through a pair of headphones. Did recorded concerts outdoors and it was funny to see afterwards listeners (with different ears) to look up at the birds in the tree above them You don’t get such results with a Jecklin disk although that gives a good stereo perspective.

Also a plastic toy football covered with soft fabric (thick felt) with some electrets mounted on it gave good results, although not that true 3D spacial image.

Cheers

[AdamZuf]

I'm interested in building a pair of binaural microphones, and use a dummy head.
First, I don't know much about electricity, I just do possible simple stuff from time to time, so talk simple to me, guys.

I assume that the weakest part of cheap recorders (MD's or HD recorders) are the preamps. So, it's logical to push the mics to line level, and adjust the proper output impedance.

Looking at Linkwitz's design (is this guy thrustworthy or what?) :
http://www.linkwitzlab.com/sys_test.htm#Mic
Do you guys think that it's a good base for a stereo schematic?
How should this simple preamp compare to the ones found in sub $400 recorders? (and even the new Sony Hi-MD's?)

If so, what will happen if I share these batteries with the second mic? What should I change in this schematic if I want to add the second mic?

Thanks
Adam

[AdamZuf]

Originally posted by Pjotr
You don’t get such results with a Jecklin disk although that gives a good stereo perspective.

Is there some area that the Jecklin tops binaural mics with a dummy head?

[soongsc]

Originally posted by Pjotr
Hi,

Used my own ears for that and put some Panasonic WMA60 electrets in it powered from my portable DAT recorder. It gave fabulous results when listening through a pair of headphones. Did recorded concerts outdoors and it was funny to see afterwards listeners (with different ears) to look up at the birds in the tree above them You don’t get such results with a Jecklin disk although that gives a good stereo perspective.

Also a plastic toy football covered with soft fabric (thick felt) with some electrets mounted on it gave good results, although not that true 3D spacial image.

Cheers

Just curious as to how you can avoid recording the noise of the mic rubbing against your ears and your breathing, etc. I've also tried this with very good results but there was additional noise that I could not avoid.