Why do you choose masked over ultrasonic tracks?

I’ve listened to ultrasonics here since I arrived in December 2018, but I’m running masked now from my PC. I have 2 reasons.

  1. I listened to masked tracks sometimes from another vendor in years back, and I would have a different reaction vs. listening to ultrasonics. Since I can hear masked sounds, my attention was often on the sub’s aim and goal, so I tended to be more focused on such goals. I also know I learn best by audio. I can mentally ignore visual cues and information, but my mind focuses on what I hear. Words and/or music grab my attention on any electronic device.

  2. I’ve begun using my Chromebook laptop to listen to ultrasonics, as it transmit sound much better than my PC speakers (aftermarket). However, I tend to turn on a lot of YT videos on my Chromebook (it’s in my lap), both for pleasure and education. However, it stops the sub playing as soon as I turn a video on. So I’m listening to masked Total Breakdown from my PC to see if and how things are different.

And I’ve never asked others who use masked tracks a lot: why do you choose masked? I’d like to know your thoughts. Thanks for your imput!

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Although I prefer ultras due to the fact that I can watch movies and listen to music or audiobooks, I’ve come to believe masked work better for me. As a result, I now put both in my loop. That way, I can be certain I get the most effective one half of the time. Although I long for something other than a constant monsoon.

The problem with masked is that the voice-track is softer compared to ultrasonics. If on top of that you also play YouTube, and you turn the volume of the YouTube up high enough to overcome the sound of the water, you might lose effectiveness.

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Thanks @DarkPhilosopher. I actually got in bed preparing to sleep, and I turned off masked. I found myself getting a little stressed with such focus, so I resumed ultrasonic on my laptop.

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The water sound helps me sleep and I know that if I don’t hear that sound something has gone wrong.

With the ultrasonics I need to check periodically to make sure the subliminal is continuing to run.

I listen to nothing but masked at home, but at work I run ultrasonics in my office as I don’t want people asking me about a masked track they are hearing.

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There is a setting called audio focus and not all audio players have it. So there are two audio players I can tell you off the top of my head you can find in playstore, musicolet and maven player. If you go into settings you can set it to not do that.

Also musicolet will allow you to set it up for your phone to where it won’t stop playing even during a phonecall which is how I have mine setup. That way you can truly implement set and forget method. :exploding_head:

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@dorfmeister, I’ve had that same concern at times using SC subs since they don’t use an instant-on feature where you feel it and know it’s running. Usually when I wake up, I can tell it’s been running since my mind is focused on completing something or moving forward. So I’ve not focused on “is it running?” much. Mostly when I began here.

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Thanks @R.E.M.P.O. I’ll check out those programs tonight. Sounds like the “easy” button!

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Welcome. I think maven player actually comes setup like that. At least on the version I have. The other one needs to be adjusted under settings.

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Using Musicolet. Works well.

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@DarkPhilosopher

I am really confused between the audio levels of Masked and Ultras.

The only thing I am certain about is using Masked with earphones and Ultras on speakers.
I have a few queries if you can answer.

  1. What is the acceptable threshold (in db) for Ultra audio to be heard ?

This questions bother me because the “comfortable” audio level for Masked seems to be low for Ultras. Here’s the screenshot of Frequensee.

If I raise the volume to -50 db for Ultra, the corresponding Masked sub volume is pretty high.

So what is the acceptable Ultra volume in -db ?

What audio level works for you?

  1. I tend to sleep longer when on Masked but not when on Ultras. Does that mean Masked is having a greater impact than Ultras? Or the comfortable audio level of Masked is not strong enough for Ultras to have the same impact?

What are your thoughts?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks.

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Hmm, good questions. I usually aim between -50 and -60 at my ears. I recall Saint posting somewhere he listens around -50.

I did notice that makes masked quite loud, yes. If you own a supercharger, you’ll notice the ultrasonics in it are quite soft as well.

On the other hand, ultras have only voice, and we often find it easier to listen to a loud voice compared to loud ambient sounds. What you could do (I think I’m going to try that myself later) is to look up a TEDx presentation on YT (one that I think everybody here, even the illustrious Saint and Fire would appreciate is this one, so watch these 17 minutes, even if you don’t intend to perform this experiment, it’s totally worth it). Measure using FrequenSee how loud -50dB is when it’s only voice. Is it still way too loud?

It is theorized that if ultras are too loud (like someone is shouting at you), that your subconscious blocks it out. So who knows, maybe keeping it somewhat softer is better indeed. But considering you’re listening on speakers and you’re moving around, you’ll need to find a good balance for yourself. Somewhere between your harem girls gossiping about your awesomeness to each other just out of earshot and the neighbor’s dog howling for mercy. :slight_smile:

I wish I could give you an exact number, but I honestly don’t know. I think -50/-60 is most commonly used.

As for masked making you sleep longer, I know of many people that sleep longer with nature sounds in the background. We are creatures of nature after all, the sound of rainfall, crickets or a gentle river has a psychologically relaxing effect on us. Maybe it even causes a chemical/hormone release in the body that makes you sleep better. So it doesn’t mean it’s subliminals, it could just be the water sounds (I do miss the crashing waves though).

Although sleeping next to a waterfall may cause even the best of us to buy earplugs (even though that house totally made it onto my visionboard).

Finally, if you’re in need of a less serious TED talk after the previous one, may I recommend the ever awesome James Veitch). Just don’t get any ideas. :wink:

PS. I’m sorry if I ruined Led Zeppelin for you.

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Thank you @DarkPhilosopher.

The -50 to -60 dB range seems good. I will try it out.

All the more reason to maintain a moderate and pleasant level for Ultras, because we will not realize how loud it really is.

I checked out both the TEDx presentations. Thank you for sharing. (I promise not to scam the scamsters !!).

Thank you very much for the advice.

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Does listening to music or watching tv really diminish the effects of the sub if you are listening to it masked?

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Not necessarily. But imagine this…

You’re sitting on a couch next to an open door. Outside it’s monsoon season, there’s a downpour of rain so loud it sounds like the white noise on an old radio or TV when it doesn’t have a signal. Since you’re watching TV, you’ve set the volume of the TV loud enough that you can hear it over the noise of the rain.

Now in the background, someone at the dining table is trying to explain advanced math to you. You can barely hear their voice over the sound of the rain if you focus. Hearing it over the sound of the louder TV is even harder.

The subconscious has the amazing ability to pick up on things your conscious doesn’t. It will hear what is being said provided it is loud enough to be physically heard. And there is a good chance you’ll spontaneously remember some of that advanced math even though you don’t recall being able to hear the teacher very well.

But it may not be the best delivery method. Without TV, it would have been easier to focus on the teacher. And without the rain, it would have been easier to hear them.

It’s all just theory of course. I’m looking at it from a logical standpoint, but not everything the subconscious can do makes logical sense. If you can hear the masked voice over the sound of the water, why should it matter that you’re listening to music or TV even louder than that? I suggest you just experiment with it. If it works well for you, keep doing it.

EDIT:

And there, I suppose, is how powerful the subconscious is. If he can make it work quietly, you should be able too…

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Thanks for the response. What you are saying makes a ton of sense to me now.

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@DarkPhilosopher is it good enough to run the masked on Volume 2 ( the total being 10) on my Ipod with headphones , while going to sleep ? because I find that anything more than that makes it hard for me to sleep . With this I can hear it as a faint sound but yet it is good enough for me to sleep with. I have been running eog stage 1 like this for a month. Can you please advice.

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Saint has indicated that masked work even at very low levels, so you should be fine. I do the same, my masked run at a level that is comfortable enough to sleep with.

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Thank you for letting me know :slight_smile:

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