Binaural Mixing

Binaural mixing prepares audio specifically for headphone listening, using techniques that recreate how the head and ears shape sound to place sources convincingly in three dimensions.^[1] By applying these cues to a two channel signal, a binaural mix can suggest height, depth, and sounds that seem to come from behind or beside the listener.

It is widely used for immersive content delivered to headphones, including virtual reality, mobile, and personal listening. Because the effect depends on the differences between what each ear receives, binaural mixes are designed for headphones rather than loudspeakers, where the illusion breaks down.^[2]