What fundamentally limited the scalability of recording methods like **dummy head recordings**?
They created a personalized 3D experience designed for a single listener wearing headphones
Pioneers utilized specialized equipment, often involving dummy heads with microphones positioned inside the ear canals, to capture the nuanced spatial cues necessary for realistic 3D audio. While this technique was highly effective at creating a near-perfect, personalized spatial experience, its scalability was inherently restricted. Because the resulting audio relied on those precise binaural cues being fed directly to each eardrum, it necessitated the use of headphones for accurate playback. This inherently tied the recording to one listener in one specific listening position, making it entirely impractical for the goal of modern immersive formats, which aim to fill large, multi-listener environments like cinemas or living rooms.
