Humongous Listening Cones

'Binaudios' Allows People to Listen to Distant City Sounds

British designer Dominic Wilcox and tech-inclined creative James Rutherford have created 'Binaudios,' a contraption that allows people to listen to city sounds from afar. Binaudios is set up in the Sage Gateshead building in the UK.

The contraption is influenced by iconic over-sized tourist binoculars, and can be pointed at over 50 different locations across the Tyne river. Consisting of a pair of giant listening cones, Binaudios can pick up voices, crowds and sounds of distant sites.

As the Binaudios are turned, each sound merges with the sound next to it, creating a DJ-like mix of unrelated sounds fusing with each other. As you turn the Binaudios, the sound of cheering football players merges with that of oncoming trains and chatty skateboarders.

Photo Credits: designboom, dominicwilcox

City Sound Experience
Creating immersive audio experiences that allow people to listen to distant city sounds in a unique way.
Urban Audio Mixing
Merging unrelated sounds from different city locations to create a DJ-like mix of urban sounds.
Novelty Listening Devices
Designing and building unique listening devices that offer a fresh perspective on urban environments.

Sectors Adopting This

Tourism
Integrating innovative audio technologies into tourist attractions to enhance visitor experiences.
Event Production
Incorporating dynamic sound mixing techniques into live events to create immersive audio experiences for attendees.
Audio Technology
Developing cutting-edge audio devices and technologies that allow for novel listening experiences.
SCORE
2.5 out of 10
GENDER
70% Men30% Women
MARKETTop markets: Europe
GENERATION
  • Gen Z
  • Gen Alpha
  • Millennial (primary audience)
  • Gen X (primary audience)
POPULARITY
Popularity 15%
Activity 52%
Freshness 8%