Lifelike 3D is billed by the manufacturer as the “world’s first 3D audio recording headset,” and the product is currently raising money via an Indiegogo campaign. The headphones work differently than traditional recording setups, recording sound from the human listening position outside each ear in an effort to recreate how we perceive sound, called binaural recording.
The Lifelike headphones feature an omnidirectional microphone embedded in each earbud, each one capturing a 180-degree hemisphere of sound which combine to form a full 360-degree audio image. When listened through stereo
Regardless of the company’s claims about being first in the field, Scenes is not the only brand with a stake in this emerging technology. We have previously covered the wireless Hooke Verse, which hit the market in May of this year, and the audio gurus at Sennheiser have also developed a pair of very similarly designed headphones for the brand’s Ambeo 3D audio system — a prototype of which we first got to check out at CES 2017. The Ambeo Smart Headset was expected to launch this summer, but we’re still waiting for news about just when exactly the
While Senneheiser’s Ambeo headphones have a slightly futuristic design and Hooke’s are essentially larger banded wireless in-ears, Scenes’ Lifelike
The Lifelike headphones are currently only designed to be compatible with iPhone and iPad devices, though the company is offering a USB-based PC audio adapter for those who are interested in using them for home recordings. For those who love recording video on the go, or those looking for a more affordable and portable solution than an expensive 3D microphone or microphone array, products like the Lifelike 3D
Lifelike’s Indiegogo campaign lasts until the end of September, at which point the headphones are slated to hit production for a predicted December release. As always, we recommend using caution when contributing to any crowdfunding campaign, as there’s never a guarantee the product will make it to market. If you’re willing to make the plunge, however, early birds can order a pair of the
Once out of the crowdfunding woods, Lifelike 3D is expected to retail for $150 per pair.
Update: We’ve updated copy to reflect the fact that we have previously covered the Hooke Verse.