Better binaural recordings using the real human head

There are many artificial head measurement systems available. Their quality varies a little but their sound does not satisfy the requirements of critical psychoacoustic lis ten ing tests. Real head recordings are known to yield better results. Dummy head re cord ing systems have many benefits but if we want real quality in evaluating of sound, the only solution is individualised real head recordings. Sound quality is one of the important features of good product design and dummy heads are mainly used in evaluating the psychoacoustic descriptors. Car industry, for example, invests a lot of money in evaluating car interior sound quality. We have studied sev eral tractors and loaders by recording the sound of the machine with a dummy head and real heads. Our system is portable and it consists of a little battery powered pre amplifier and a DAT recorder. We used miniature electret microphone capsules (Sennheiser KE-4-211-2) within E-A-R earplugs. The sound was picked up at the en trance of the ear canal. The binaural technology originates in the philosophy that our perception of sound is controlled by the sound pressure signals at our two eardrums. Authentic auditory ex perience is reproduced if the real life sound pressures are exactly reproduced at the listeners' eardrums. At least at higher frequencies, the filtering characteristics of a mannikin - even the best one - differ from those of a human. In this paper we explore how well do the results of listening tests achieved using dummy head and real head recordings correlate each other. How good are the dummy heads really? We will figure it out by listening tests with a high quality dummy head (Cortex Manikin MK2/ Neutrik) and real head recordings.