Chesky's Binaural+ Aims to Recreate the Live Music Experience

Chesky Records aims to re-create the experience of listening to live music from the best seat in the house with its new Binaural+ Series of high-resolution 24-bit/192-kilohertz recordings. Specially calibrated microphones implanted in the ear canals of a dummy head are used to capture a “stunningly accurate and realistic” 3D representation of the soundfield. With traditional binaural recordings, which have been around for decades, distinct left and right channels are recorded as they would be heard by a pair of human ears and played back through headphones—left channel to left ear, right channel to right ear—to create the illusion of a 360-degree soundstage. But when the recordings are played over speakers, the illusion breaks down because sound from the left and right channels becomes commingled. To overcome this obstacle, Chesky uses filters that preserve the three-dimensional soundfield when the recording is played over speakers.

“It’s the first time in history we can make a binaural recording that will sound just as good on speakers as it does on headphones,” says David Chesky, a three-time Grammy nominee who serves as producer and artistic director for Chesky Records. Binaural+ recordings can be downloaded at HDtracks.com, a Chesky-owned site specializing in high-resolution digital music. Among the initial offerings is Dr. Chesky’s Sensational Fantastic and Simply Amazing Binaural Sound Show!, a collection of test tracks for headphones, speakers, and subwoofers and a diverse selection of music, ranging from funk and rock bands to world music ensembles and jazz groups to classical orchestras and female vocalists ($24.98 in 24-bit/192-kHz FLAC format, $17.98 in 24-bit/96-kHz FLAC, $14.98 in 16-bit/44.1-kHz FLAC, MP3, or AIFF format).

Chesky Records
(800) 331-1437
HDtracks.com

COMMENTS
vinht23's picture

I still don't get why there's a difference in prices for 192kHz vs. 96kHz? They're charging different prices for perceived quality? Why can't they just have a flat price for all formats? It's all digital.

Jaci Smithe's picture

I'm more of a visual learner,I found that to be more helpful well let me know how it turns out! I love what you guys are always up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the great works guys I've added you guys to my blogrol. mspy.com

martinrush's picture

I can also work round this by playing the music file through normal music player software, and pressing the play button in hydrogen at precisely the right time to start the drum track (ie at the end of the count-in clicks on the audio file), but I've got to be bang on with my finger on the mouse button or it's not in sync!
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