Super- and Subliminal Binaural Beats

Abstract

Based upon the work of Lane (1925) and Lehnhardt (1961), the phenomenon of binaural beats was further studied. The behaviour of the beats as a function of frequency points to three distinctly different frequency regions with an optimum audibility in the range from 90 to 800 cps, less clear from 850 to 1100 cps, audibility falling rapidly beyond 1100 to 1400 cps, disappearance at 1500 cps. In the optimum range the loudness modulation of binaural beats is comparable to that of a monaural, about 2 db modulated tone. Binaural beats are detectable at levels of 20 db below threshold in one ear, if the level in the other ear is above or near threshold.