I’ve recently bought a set of Roland CS-10EM binaural microphones. Here are a few test recordings. Monitoring is a strange experience; a strange hollow sounding output which is completely unlike the played back recording. As headphones, these units are OK for a quick review but detail is quite poor.
As with all binaurals like this, moving your head is a problem and produces some cable movement noise. Roland have provided a slip knot type ring on the headphone cable which holds things a bit more securely but not a solution to the problem. The microphones come with silicon earbud fittings. I’ve swapped these for foam based fittings and I’m unsure whether this is an improvement or not. These recordings are using the standard silicon earbuds.
All recordings using Olympus LS-5 using a variety of settings. Getting the setting was a problem although combined with the limiter on the LS-2, the microphones handled sudden noises quite well. Handling wind noise was a real failure.
Recording 1
Street recording, busy traffic and people. LS-2 set with low gain and mid recording volume.
Roland CS-10 test recording 1
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Recording 2
Wind noise a problem with low cut turned off. Olympus set in high gain with mid recording volume.
Roland CS-10 test recording 2
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Recording 3
A quieter recording inside the London Underground station at King’s Cross, London. Low cut is on, gain setting high and mid recording volume.
Roland CS-10 test recording 3
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