The volume of a clicktrack relative to the music playback through a monitoring system is an artefact that may damage the performance and the performers’ aural health. This user study compared two monitoring methods across four recording situations with five performer participants. The first method served as a control test using traditional headphones. The second introduced Active Headphones (AH) that binauralized the signals captured from microphones fastened around the head, mixed with a stationary clicktrack. Participant feedback unanimously revealed that the AH design contributed positively to the overall recording experience. I also found an overall average difference of 18.42 LU between the clicktrack and the music playback when using the AH, vs. 7.84 LU with the controlled method.
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