What are monaural beats?
How it differs from binaural beats
When 200 Hz and 206 Hz tones are summed in one channel, the waves alternately reinforce and cancel, and the sound swells and fades 6 times a second. This is physical interference; you can even see it in the waveform of the audio file. With binaural beats, by contrast, each ear hears one steady tone and the beat arises in the brainstem.
In one EEG study monaural beats produced a stronger cortical response than binaural beats, yet mood did not change in any condition. A stronger EEG response has not been shown to mean a better outcome.
When is it used?
If you'd rather not wear headphones, are listening through a speaker or with one ear, monaural beats offer a listening experience in place of binaural beats. That is why Frekans Studio's headphone-free sessions are built with monaural, isochronic or noise layers.
What does the evidence say?
Evidence for effects on relaxation or focus is insufficient; we offer it as a listening experience.
■ D · Insufficient evidence- What do we know?
- Monaural beats produce a measurable EEG response at the beat rate; in a 16-person study it was stronger than for binaural beats, while mood did not change. The linked sources have no EEG data for isochronic tones. In people prone to mind wandering, monaural theta beats reduced mind wandering compared with a sine tone; a reduction compared with silence appeared only in a subgroup.
- What don't we know?
- Very few controlled studies test effects on relaxation or focus directly. In a surgical trial with 90 patients in Türkiye, isochronic tones did not reduce anxiety compared with no sound.
No method has been shown to be superior.
■ D · Insufficient evidence- What do we know?
- In a 16-person EEG study, monaural beats produced a stronger cortical response than binaural beats, but mood did not change with either. In a surgical trial with 90 patients, there was no anxiety difference between binaural and isochronic groups. In a 221-person home study, monaural and binaural beats did not differ from each other or from a beat-free sound in sleep latency.
- What don't we know?
- There are not enough studies directly comparing the methods on meaningful outcomes, and a stronger EEG response has not been shown to mean a better outcome.
Evidence levels and sources come from the database; the article adds no new claims. Evidence methodology
Frequently asked questions
- Are monaural beats more effective than binaural beats?
- There are not enough studies directly comparing the methods on meaningful outcomes. A stronger EEG response alone does not mean a better result.
- Why can I see it in the waveform?
- Because the two tones really are summed in the same channel. The envelope view in Frekans Studio's visual panel shows this amplitude fluctuation.
Listen and try
Last updated: 1 October 2026 · This article is for information only; it is not medical advice.