Why are headphones needed?

Channel separation

Headphones keep the left and right channels apart. With a speaker, both channels reach both ears. Because binaural layers rely on this separation, Frekans Studio's session cards say "Stereo headphones required".

On some devices the "mono audio" option in accessibility settings merges the two channels; if it's on, you won't hear a binaural beat.

How do I know they're on correctly?

The headphone test tool plays separate tones to the left and right ears and runs a stereo headphone check (the Woods et al. 2017 method). If the channels are reversed, you can swap left and right in the player; the choice is remembered on this device.

Frequently asked questions

Do Bluetooth headphones work?

Yes, as long as they are stereo the channels stay separate. Some models add latency, but that doesn't affect the beat.

Can I listen with one ear?

Not for binaural sessions. If you're listening without headphones or with one ear, choose monaural, isochronic or noise sessions.

Listen and try

• Headphone test
• Library