My attention has recently been focussed elsewhere than the postings to this
list. Therefore, forgive a possible repetition re "binaural". Cook's
binaural Lps with discrete left and right cuts were always referred to by
that name. Columbia Records labelled its two-channel recordings begun in
1956 as "binaural", not stereophonic. My research suggested the term was at
that time used as a precursor to stereophonic, and there was no distinction
in terminology between playback on speakers or headphones. That distinction
came much later and was only partially adopted.

I am now deleting everything I have received with this subject heading.

DDR


On Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 6:31 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> This is true. The Mercury team referred to all the 2-mic experimental
> recordings as "binaural" to separate them as a class from "stereo"
> 3-channel recordings. Because thrre-track tapes were lost in a handful of
> cases, the "binaural" edited master was what was used for the CD. If I
> remember correctly it's fewer than 5 cases, maybe only 1 or 2. (There are
> other cases where the 2-track tape recorded from the live 3-2 mix when the
> LP was cut was used, again because the 3-track master was lost, only a
> handful of those cases too).
>
> I think, in the early stereo days, only Emory Cook consistently recorded
> true "binaural" tapes, in other words those designed to be listened to
> through headphones only.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Stamler" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 12:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Accidental stereo (again)
>
>
> On 9/3/2014 2:11 PM, DAVID BURNHAM wrote:
>>
>>> Traditionally, "binaural" means designed to be listened to using head
>>> phones. In other words, each channel is designed to reach only one ear.
>>> Usually these recordings are made using an artificial head or a single pair
>>> of mikes spaced roughly 20cms apart with a baffle in between. Spot mikes
>>> shouldn't be employed. It is difficult to convert such a source to a true
>>> stereo recording.
>>>
>>
>> All true, and this is the classic definition of "binaural". But for
>> decades the word was occasionally and loosely used to denote any
>> two-channel recording system. Caused no end of confusion.
>>
>> Peace,
>> Paul
>>
>>
>>


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