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Most people just think about fitness in terms of cardio or lifting, but you also have to consider your ability to remain calm and relaxed. Your body and mind go through a significant amount of stress throughout the day and that alone can ruin your health. Muse Meditation is a meditation headband manufacturer and they have designed a unique system that combines meditation with biofeedback.
Their headband detects how your mind, body, and heart are reacting to stress and it helps to calm you down and keep you at peace. Today we’re comparing Muse 2 vs S to see which is the better model. Muse S is the newer model, but Muse 2 is more affordable and might be the better choice depending on your needs.
| Muse 2 Meditation | Muse S Meditation |
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Muse 2 vs Muse S: Headband
Let’s start with the headband itself. Both are comfortable, but Muse S wins by a landslide. The Muse 2 headband is made from plastic. It looks and feels like you’re wearing wraparound headphones, but the headband is on your forehead instead of behind your head. It’s comfortable, don’t get us wrong, but the Muse S was a definite improvement.
Muse S uses a plush material and it looks and feels like a comfortable sweatband. It also wraps around the whole head and is adjustable in the back. This makes it easier to sit, sleep, and move with the Muse S.
Overall, the Muse S is more comfortable. However, the Muse 2 might be better if you tend to sweat or overheat. Muse S uses breathable material, but it’s still somewhat warmer than Muse 2. Outside of that we have to give the win to Muse S for the better headband.
Muse S vs Muse 2: App
The Muse app contains many different meditations for your heart, mind, body, and more. This helps you choose how to relax and what to measure when you are meditating. There are different soundscapes to choose from, like beach or forest, along with different meditations for mindfulness, heart-centered meditation, Deepak guided meditation and more.
Choosing a meditation is easy. You might feel a little overwhelmed at first due to the many options, but after a few times you’ll get used to how the app works. Be sure to hold your phone while meditating as this will help deliver accurate results with whatever metrics are being measured.
Now, how do we compare Muse S vs Muse 2 here? Muse S wins. Why? Because owning one unlocks the Go-To-Sleep Journeys feature on the app. These are meditations specifically meant for helping you fall asleep. You cannot listen to these with Muse 2. Besides, the headband with Muse 2 would make it hard to sleep anyway, so it makes sense that you wouldn’t have access to this section.
Aside from the sleep meditations, both are the same in this regard.
Metrics
Muse Meditation is supposed to mix meditation with biofeedback. This shows you not only how stressed or relaxed you are now, but also how your body and mind are reacting to the meditation. So, which meditation headband is better in terms of metrics?
In terms of metrics they are basically tied. While Muse S is considered more accurate as it uses newer technology (and we do want accuracy), both of them measure the same metrics. Those metrics are:
- Mind: Uses EEG feedback for real-time brain scans, helps you learn how to focus
- Heart: Uses PPG, pulse oximetry to sense your heartbeat to help you relax and learn self regulation
- Breath: Uses PPG and inertial sensors to detect your breath, helps to guide your breathing to a more relaxed and calming pace
- Body: Uses accelerometer and gyroscope to sense your body’s movements
All of these together allow Muse Meditation to garner accurate measurements about your body and relative stress levels. Both models are able to sense these and Muse S has been called the more accurate of the two, but both give you the same metrics delivered through the Muse app.
Muse S has another distinct advantage. Because of its better design and the Go-To-Sleep Journeys (see the App section for more), this headband is able to better track your metrics while you’re asleep. Muse 2 can do this to a limited extent, but it will likely fall off or get in the way when you’re trying to sleep.
They are very similar, but Muse S wins due to better tracking and superior metrics while sleeping.
Battery Life
Our Muse review found that both meditation headbands use rechargeable Li-Ion batteries and they last for several hours. However, there is a big difference in how long they live.
Muse 2 is able to last for 5 consecutive hours. That’s really good. It’s doubtful that anyone will be using it for that long in a single sitting. You can get at least several sessions with this without having to recharge.
However, like with everything else, Muse S beats it with having even better battery life. It has double to be exact. The headband lasts 10 consecutive hours. You can get a full night’s sleep and meditate for an extra two hours before needing to recharge.
Now, the Muse 2’s battery life is great as well. Both should last an adequate amount of time and you should have no problem charging between sessions without feeling inconvenienced. Muse S is better, but Muse 2 is good as well.
What’s the Difference Between Muse 2 and Muse S?
There are several notable differences to point out. First of all is the headband. Muse S has a soft plush headband that wraps around the whole head while Muse 2 uses a plastic headband that covers the front of your forehead.
The metrics are nearly identical and the app is almost the same, but Muse S gives you access to Go-To-Sleep Journeys. These meditations are aimed at helping you sleep and the headband makes it much easier to sleep than with the Muse 2.
If you plan on meditating during the day, then these two are neck and neck. They both have good battery life (Muse 2 at 5 hours and Muse S at 10 hours) and are comfortable while meditating. They also both measure the same metrics, though many consider the Muse S headband to be more accurate.
If you want all the bells and whistles, then Muse S is the better choice. If you’d rather save some money and get all the major features, then Muse 2 is a wonderful option.
| Muse 2 Meditation | Muse S Meditation |
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Final Thoughts
Meditating is tough, especially when you’re not sure if it’s working or if you’re doing it right. The Muse Meditation headband gives you biofeedback to show you how your body is reacting and how your stress is reducing since using the headband. When it comes to Muse 2 vs Muse S, both are great, but it depends on what you need.
If you need help with sleep meditation, then Muse S wins by a long shot with the better headband and Go-To-Sleep Journeys feature. However, if you’re meditating during the day, then it’s harder to say which is better. Muse 2 covers all the bases and is the more affordable choice while Muse S is more comfortable and somewhat more accurate.
Both are great, so which do you choose?