We get asked all the time why we recommend headphones during our sound healing sessions. So we thought we would compile all the information you need to answer these common queries.
Sound healing or sound alchemy is a form of music or sound therapy. Sound therapy uses frequency and resonance to gently permeate the physical, mental or spiritual body. These frequencies that are emitted travel via a medium such as headphones, speakers or direct from a musical instrument. As most of our work is in digital form and listened through online platforms such as Youtube, speakers or headphones are the only way those frequencies can be transferred to you during a session.
Sound healing is ALWAYS best direct from the instrument rather than digital means due to frequency loss most digital mediums loose. We as human beings also have a limited frequency window that we can hear, so the loss of frequencies is even greater. Humans can detect sounds in a frequency range from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz. (Human infants have a slight advantage and can hear frequencies slightly higher than 20 kHz, but lose some high-frequency sensitivity as they mature; the upper limit in average adults is often closer to 15–17 kHz.) So any frequencies outside this range will only be felt and not heard.
There are equipment pieces that can minimise those losses (to some degree) by using headphones with a good wide range of frequencies really is the best solution currently on the market. Every headphone set has differences in their frequency spectrum too, this is why it is important to do your research and find headphones that have the widest range of frequencies in its spectrum.
Once you place the right set of headphones directly on your ears you will be receiving the full frequency response emitted by our sound healing session, directly into your ear. This direct signal will permeate the entire body, therefore, delivering the extended low/high frequencies that are unique to a Sound Therapy program.
Binaural Beats & Headphones
It is especially crucial to use headphones during a binaural beat session due to the way binaural beats wok. Binaural means two and the beats are two frequencies sounded at the same time which then create a particular set of sound beats which is perceived by the human brain as a separate frequency. This is particularly useful when dealing with frequencies below or above our hearing range. Sometime we use binaural beats within our sound healing sessions for this purpose, to target specific frequencies that we simply cannot hear or is below the range of the speaker/headphone capability. If you would like to learn more about binaural beats please click HERE
Why We Do Not Recommend Earphones ?
Earphones like a mobile phone have a very limited frequency range and will cut most of the beneficial healing frequencies within our sound sessions. There are currently no earphones on the market that has a wide enough frequency spectrum to aid in the healing process.
What Headphones Are Suitable ?
A headphone set that has a frequency response range of 5 Hz to 50,000 Hz is currently the highest range in a set of headphones - headphones such as Audeze LCD-4 Frequency Response would be ideal, however these have been discontinued due to their expensive price tag of $4500.
The next best thing are the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro with a Frequency Response of 8 Hz – 25,000 Hz. However these also come with a hefty price tag of $2000.
Finding a pair of headphones within the 6Hz - 22kHz range is generally classed a acceptable for the use within sound healing. As mentioned earlier sound healers use tricks to target those unreachable frequencies, such as use of binaural beats and by using as pure tones as possible.
We Recommend These 2 Headphones
Most of us are on a budget, finding the right headphones for an affordable price is quite challenging as the more expensive headphone sets tend to have a wider frequency range. They can range between $1000 - $6000. For most of us is simply not affordable. So we found a compromise in these two chosen headsets for you!
Recommended for Sound Healing: Sennheiser Momentum Headphones: https://amzn.to/3BLZyNJ ( 6Hz - 22kHz )
Recommended for ASMR: Beats Studio 3 Headphones : https://amzn.to/3BXczDZ (ASMR doesn't need to have a wide range of frequencies, they just need to sound great for this tingles) !
In Loving Resonance
Jasmine