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I'd like to start creating my own binaural recordings but the microphones are kinda expensive, can i make my own from any old cheap stereo mic? or should i try HRTF via software?

Hi,
For about 60€, I highly recommend the Soundman OKM1
I think Roland also has a similar in ear mic system for even cheaper (Though I haven't tested nor heard much of the quality.)

These in-ear microphones will give you binaural recordings, via:
1) The right ITD Inter-aural Time Difference being the spacing between your ears. (Like A-B stereo)
2) HRTF Heard Related Transfer Function (having meat between both microphones and the acoustic of the ear etc... affecting both ILD (Inter-aural Level Difference) like a XY mic system would. But also the frequencies coming from each side.
(I sound like GPT right now, I just want be clear for anyone tuning in the conversation to understand.)

If you'd want to make your own, the essential would be to have the microphones spaced about 17cm appart. Be it in a ORTF setup with directional microphones. Or a A-B setup with a thing in between "Jecklin disk" (could be in the ORTF Setup too?)

You could of course combine it with some processing too.

IMO
A 32bit recorder (Zoom H1e), and the soundman OKM-1 is a relatively cheap, portable, compact, easy to set-up solution. If you don't mind having plastic caltrops in your ears that is lol.
The Zoom F2 being 10€ more seems tempting, but beware the "stereo input" cannot give a stereo recording, it's just a "balanced" mono input :/ Would have been a killer setup otherwise!

I have done a review of the OKM 1 here : https://youtu.be/ZDHIxFt8A5k?si=hOTx29bP_YZcQm3I
You can hear my recordings with them here https://freesound.org/browse/tags/?f=tag:%22okm1%22
(Keep in mind, Youtube compresses the audio, and Freesound's preview even more! You may want to judge from some downloaded files!)

Amongst my recordings, those are interesting : Village Market walkthrough https://freesound.org/people/Sadiquecat/sounds/730108/
Perpignan walkthrough https://freesound.org/people/Sadiquecat/sounds/785846/
Sitting at Toulouse train station https://freesound.org/people/Sadiquecat/sounds/754529/

Hope it helps,
Don't hesitate if you have any other questions.
Cheers!

Hey there !
I own OKM I too, and they are nice cheap headworn binaural mics.
Here are the recordings I made with them :
https://freesound.org/search/?q=kevp888+%2BOKM
However, spending a bit more money (about 110 euros instead of 60), you could also get the Immersive Soundscapes Earsight binaural microphones.
Here are the recordings I made with them :
https://freesound.org/search/?q=kevp888+%2Bearsight+%2Bbinaural&page=2#sound

Hope it could help.

Wishing you all the best !

Kevin