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Background sound and mixing · 3-app comparison

Adjust narration and background volumes separately: Headspace vs Smiling Mind vs Waking Up

Whether the app lets you adjust narration and background volumes separately.

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Headspace
Smiling Mind
Waking Up
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Compare Headspace, Smiling Mind, Waking Up on selected wellness features. Open a value for qualifications and sources.
Features1 selected Headspace Headspace individual Smiling Mind Free Waking Up Waking Up membership
Adjust narration and background volumes separately

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    Adjust narration and background volumes separately: details

    Headspace

    No listed support

    Headspace: The individual app combines an expert-recorded practice library with Ebb's reflective conversation and content recommendations. Separate clinical care subscriptions are excluded. No matching listener-controlled audio mixing or cue option was listed in the reviewed playback documentation. This is an assessment of the reviewed published feature scope, not an explicit vendor denial.

    Source checked . Availability can change.

    Smiling Mind

    Music settings available

    A session's music-note button changes music and voice settings; independent narration/background volume sliders are not specified in the written FAQ.

    Source checked . Availability can change.

    Waking Up

    No listed support

    Waking Up: Its documented offering consists of recorded teaching, configurable listening, playlists, and a meditation timer. The assessment concerns this specific control, rather than general access to wellness content. Our review found no listed support for this criterion; this is a published-feature assessment, not an explicit vendor denial.

    Source checked . Availability can change.

    Sources and plan details

    Sources for 1 features across Headspace, Smiling Mind, Waking Up. Annual prices show the full yearly charge in USD. “Limited” includes conditions. “No listed support” means the feature was not found in the reviewed official documentation.

    Headspace 1 researched
    Adjust narration and background volumes separately: No listed support

    Headspace: The individual app combines an expert-recorded practice library with Ebb's reflective conversation and content recommendations. Separate clinical care subscriptions are excluded. No matching listener-controlled audio mixing or cue option was listed in the reviewed playback documentation. This is an assessment of the reviewed published feature scope, not an explicit vendor denial.

    Checked . Sources: [1], [2], [3]

    Headspace sources

    1. Headspace meditation library and plans · Checked 2026-10-09
    2. Using Headspace · Checked 2026-10-09
    3. Headspace AI scope and guardrails · Checked 2026-10-09
    Smiling Mind 1 researched
    Adjust narration and background volumes separately: Music settings available

    A session's music-note button changes music and voice settings; independent narration/background volume sliders are not specified in the written FAQ.

    Checked . Sources: [1]

    Smiling Mind sources

    1. Smiling Mind voice and music settings · Checked 2026-10-09
    Waking Up 1 researched
    Adjust narration and background volumes separately: No listed support

    Waking Up: Its documented offering consists of recorded teaching, configurable listening, playlists, and a meditation timer. The assessment concerns this specific control, rather than general access to wellness content. Our review found no listed support for this criterion; this is a published-feature assessment, not an explicit vendor denial.

    Checked . Sources: [1], [2]

    Waking Up sources

    1. Waking Up app organization · Checked 2026-10-09
    2. Waking Up publisher listing and release notes · Checked 2026-10-09