NextSense Smartbuds vs Muse S Athena
Smartbuds vs Muse S Athena
Two of the only consumer devices that read your brain with real EEG. One wraps around your head. One disappears into your ear.
Try Smartbuds →The honest verdict
Muse built its reputation on daytime meditation neurofeedback, and the S Athena is a genuinely capable headband — EEG plus fNIRS sensors, with a Deep Sleep Boost feature that plays timed pink noise when it detects slow-wave sleep. If your primary goal is seated meditation training with brain feedback, Muse is a fine choice. If your primary goal is sleeping — every night, in your real bed, in your real sleep positions — the question becomes what you can comfortably wear for eight hours. That's the problem Smartbuds were designed around: clinical-grade EEG inside sleep-ready earbuds that also deliver the audio, so sensing and stimulation happen in the same place.
| NextSense Smartbuds | Muse S Athena | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | In-ear earbuds with soft tips + wings | Fabric headband across forehead |
| Brain sensing | Clinical-grade in-ear EEG | EEG (4 sensors) + fNIRS |
| Active sleep improvement | Real-time brain-guided audio for deep sleep, plus nap, focus and calm modes | Deep Sleep Boost pink noise during slow-wave sleep |
| Audio | Built in — it's an earbud; masks snoring/noise | None — separate headphones needed for other audio |
| Sleep-position comfort | Designed for sleep incl. side sleepers (tips + wings in 3 sizes) | Forehead band; pressure points reported by some sleepers |
| Daytime uses | Meditation, focus, naps — same buds | Meditation neurofeedback (its heritage strength) |
| Price | From $199 | $474.99 (+ optional premium subscription) |
The core difference: where the device lives
A headband holds sensors against your forehead — great signal placement when you're sitting still, harder to keep sealed through a night of position changes. NYT Wirecutter's reviewer reported waking with a forehead mark and mornings of missing sleep data when the band lost contact. In-ear EEG puts the electrodes in a naturally anchored location that moves with your head, and because Smartbuds are earbuds, the stimulation audio needs no extra hardware.
Don't take our word for it
NYT Wirecutter's 2026 review of brain-wave sleep wearables called Smartbuds "the only in-ear EEG device for sleep assistance currently available" (read the review). Our in-ear EEG platform is built on peer-reviewed, clinically validated research — including a 2026 study in Bioelectronic Medicine conducted with Emory University. See the full clinical evidence.
Choose Muse S Athena if…
- Daytime meditation neurofeedback is your main use case
- You dislike anything inside your ear
- You want fNIRS (blood-oxygenation) data alongside EEG
Choose Smartbuds if…
- You want to actively improve sleep, not just track it — and fall asleep to audio
- You sleep on your side or move at night
- You want one device for sleep, naps, meditation and focus
- You'd rather spend $199 than $475
Frequently asked questions
Do Smartbuds and Muse both use real EEG?
Yes — both measure actual brain electrical activity, unlike rings and watches that infer sleep from heart rate and movement. Muse senses from the forehead; Smartbuds sense from inside the ear canal, a placement validated in peer-reviewed research against clinical polysomnography.
Which is better for falling asleep?
Smartbuds play adaptive, brain-guided audio through the earbuds themselves and mask ambient noise, which also helps sleepers with snoring partners. Muse S Athena focuses its stimulation on deepening slow-wave sleep once you're already asleep.
Can side sleepers wear either device?
Smartbuds were designed for sleep, including side sleeping, with three tip and wing sizes; many side sleepers start with one bud in the up-facing ear. A forehead headband can work for back sleepers but tends to shift or press when your head is on the pillow.
Is there a subscription?
Smartbuds work without a required subscription. Muse offers an optional premium subscription for its full content library.
Read the brain. Improve the night.
From $199 · 30-night guarantee · no subscription required to sleep better
Try Smartbuds →