Music Made For Headphones

I listen to music almost exclusively with headphones which means I don't hear the music the way it was intended. Just simple L & R, no crossfeed between channels you hear if using a loudspeaker system. So I'm wondering, are there any recordings made for headphone listening. I'm guessing a recording would be engineered differently if it was made exclusively for headphones.

Any comments?

 

Funki Porcini - Hed Phone Sex

http://www.discogs.com/release/30946

 

There is a specific microphone/mic technique known as "binaural" recording, which aims to use two microphones spaced in such a manner as to mimic the placement of human ears. This allows for a sense of 3-dimensional space when listening on headphones to recordings using this technique. Some mic manufacturers have even gone so far as to design virtual "human heads" with microphones placed within "virtual ears." See this link for info on the binaural Neumann KU-100 "dummy head" microphone:

http://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=current_microphones&cid=ku100_description

There are many binaural recordings available. The Binaural Source web site is a good place to start looking (though I'm not sure if they still sell CDs):

http://www.binaural.com/serendipity/index.php

 

i believe lou reed's take no prisoners was recorded that way.

 

Led Zep's "Whole Lotta Love" sure sounds like it was tailor made for cans.

 

OK Computer, y'all. And for that matter, The Dark Side of the Moon.

 

Bach: Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1955 Zenph Studios re-performance)

Hybrid SACD from Sony with dedicated binaural hi-rez section

 

the Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour
the Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majesties Request
the Moody Blues, On The Threshold Of A Dream (side 2)
King Crimson, Lizard
Tears For Fears, Everybody Loves A Happy Ending
XTC, anything released since about '85 or so.

 

Absolutely, the best headphone experience I've ever had!!
Just incredible. You feel as if you were at the piano bench.

 

Sprit- Twelve Dreams. Have never heard a system that gives the same effects as through a set of decent high quality cans. Stunning on phones.

 

I just LOVE the 'Badfinger' track "You're so fine" on headphones.....it's beautiful and such a great song.

 

Ultrasone's S-Logic demo disc.

 

How about the song, "Moving in Stereo" by the Cars? That's pretty cool through headphones.

 

Oxygene and Equinoxe by Jean Michel Jarre.

 

Just about anything from Floyd, old Yes, old Rush, and Porcupine Tree.

 

I know you are asking for music specifically recorded for the headphone experience; nevertheless, I'd like to recommend Axis: Bold as Love, one of my favorite headphone albums. I feel the same about "Strawberry Fields Forever"--the svaramandal strikes the base of my spine and sends chills through me.

 

Well, if we are not talking solely about albums basically made for headphone listening you could try Jean Michel Jarre's "AERO." It sounds nice in surround too, but while originally recorded at 96/24 it was published at 48/24 and 44.1/16.

 

word on that. that disc is AMAZING!

 

You betcha!

 

Anything by Esquivel!

 

My own favorite - although I doubt it is binaural, just "ordinary" stereo - is the original LP version of the Mothers' "Burnt Weeny Sandwich": a total trip!!

 

'Edit The Dragon' on Colourbox (1986, 4AD) by Colourbox will make you swallow your tongue, or at least fall over. (It's on iTunes if anyone wants to fork out just 79p.)

 

I'll toss in a vote for Spirit's - Twelve Dreams. I can't think of any other album ever that throws the BASS GUITAR around in your head. Far the hell out!

 

A Day In The Life--you can really hear how Lennon's voice travels from right to left in the old cans.


Evan

 

Lou Reed's "Street Hassle" is a binaural recording.
Spiritualized's "Electric Mainline," while not binaural, is still very interesting on headphones. It is reportedly two mono mixes of the same album, one in the right channel and one in the left.

Cody