Apple AirPods Max EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Apple AirPods Max, the specs that matter, and what changes when you use them with a Mac. Copy the settings and apply them in one click.
The short answer
- Turns the bass and low mids down by about 2 to 3 dB, most around 220 Hz.
- Dips about 2.5 dB around 1 kHz.
- Adds about 5 dB near 4 kHz and 7 kHz for more detail.
- Trims the very top treble, by up to about 5 dB at 20 kHz.
AirPods Max at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancellation, released in 2020 with Lightning and in 2024 with USB-C. Official specifications from Apple:
- Chip
- Apple H1 in each ear cup
- Bluetooth version
- 5.0
- Variants
- Lightning (2020): A2096. USB-C (2024): A3184
- Noise control
- Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency
- Driver
- Apple-designed dynamic driver
- Audio features
- Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, Adaptive EQ
- Microphones
- 9: 8 for noise cancellation, 3 for voice (2 shared)
- Battery life
- Up to 20 hours with noise cancellation and Spatial Audio on; 5 minutes of charge gives about 1.5 hours
- Wired audio
- Lightning model: Lightning to 3.5 mm cable (analog). USB-C model: 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless over USB-C (macOS 15.4 or later)
- Weight
- 384.8 g (Lightning), 386.2 g (USB-C); Smart Case 134.5 g
Sources: Apple: AirPods Max (USB-C) tech specs, Apple: AirPods Max (Lightning) tech specs, Apple Newsroom: lossless audio comes to AirPods Max, Apple: Set up AirPods Max with your Mac, Apple: Identify your AirPods.
Using the AirPods Max with a Mac
Codec: AAC. AirPods connect to a Mac with Apple's AAC Bluetooth codec, just as they do with an iPhone, carrying the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range. Apple notes that Bluetooth connections aren't lossless.
Calls sound worse than music. As soon as an app uses the headphones' microphone (Zoom, FaceTime, a dictation shortcut), Bluetooth switches to hands-free mode, which has much lower audio quality. Pick your Mac's built-in microphone as the input to keep the AirPods Max in stereo music mode.
Wired lossless on a Mac (USB-C model). Since the April 2025 firmware, AirPods Max with USB-C play 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with ultra-low latency over the USB-C cable on a Mac with macOS 15.4 or later. TuningMac's EQ works on the wired connection too.
One correction for both models. Apple lists the same driver, chip and microphones for the Lightning and USB-C versions; the USB-C model adds the port and wired lossless audio.
Automatic switching. On macOS Sequoia and later, the AirPods move between your Mac and your other Apple devices on the same Apple Account by themselves; on macOS Sonoma, you click Connect in a notification.
Spatial Audio changes the sound. On Macs with Apple silicon, Spatial Audio (Fixed or Head Tracked, from the AirPods icon in the menu bar) processes the sound and shifts its balance. The measurement is of normal stereo, so set Spatial Audio to Off while you judge this correction.
Adaptive EQ is built in. Apple's Adaptive EQ runs inside the headphones all the time and can't be turned off. The measurement already includes it, and TuningMac's correction is applied on top.
Noise control. macOS already switches them from the AirPods menu bar icon and System Settings, and TuningMac uses that same system control to put Off, Transparency and Noise Cancellation in its own menu, next to your EQ and volume. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the AirPods Max. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Turns the bass and low mids down by about 2 to 3 dB, most around 220 Hz.
- Dips about 2.5 dB around 1 kHz.
- Adds about 5 dB near 4 kHz and 7 kHz for more detail.
- Trims the very top treble, by up to about 5 dB at 20 kHz.
Measured with Apple's ear cushions. Third-party cushions change the sound a lot, so this correction won't fit them.
Fit, ear pads and your own ears all change what you hear, and neutral isn't everyone's favourite sound. Use this as a starting point, then adjust by ear.
Apply it in TuningMac (parametric EQ)
TuningMac's Advanced EQ imports this format directly. Copy the settings, then:
- Open TuningMac ▸ Settings ▸ Advanced EQ with your AirPods Max connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for AirPods Max (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your AirPods Max and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -4.7 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -3.0 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 7273 Hz Gain 3.6 dB Q 2.41 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 218 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 1.41 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1031 Hz Gain -3.2 dB Q 0.99 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 3185 Hz Gain 3.1 dB Q 0.56 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -5.5 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9508 Hz Gain 2.7 dB Q 2.20 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 66 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 1.65 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 4045 Hz Gain 2.1 dB Q 5.82 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 4834 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 6.00
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −3.0 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 7.27 kHz | +3.6 dB | 2.41 |
| 3 | Bell | 218 Hz | −2.9 dB | 1.41 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.03 kHz | −3.2 dB | 0.99 |
| 5 | Bell | 3.19 kHz | +3.1 dB | 0.56 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −5.5 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 9.51 kHz | +2.7 dB | 2.20 |
| 8 | Bell | 66 Hz | +0.6 dB | 1.65 |
| 9 | Bell | 4.04 kHz | +2.1 dB | 5.82 |
| 10 | Bell | 4.83 kHz | −1.8 dB | 6.00 |
Preamp: −4.7 dB. It lowers the overall level so the boosts don't clip.
Prefer simple sliders? The 10-band version
No Advanced EQ needed: AutoEQ also gives values for a standard 10-band equalizer, the same bands as TuningMac's main EQ. In the menu bar popover choose Custom, set each slider, and set the preamp to about −4.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Apple AirPods Max use on a Mac?+
AirPods connect to a Mac with Apple's AAC Bluetooth codec, just as they do with an iPhone, carrying the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range. Apple notes that Bluetooth connections aren't lossless.
What are the best EQ settings for the Apple AirPods Max?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, turns the bass and low mids down by about 2 to 3 dB, dips about 2.5 dB near 1 kHz and adds about 5 dB near 4 and 7 kHz, with a preamp of -4.7 dB. The exact values are on this page, ready to copy. Treat it as a neutral starting point and adjust to taste.
Why do my Apple AirPods Max sound bad on calls on a Mac?+
When an app uses the headphones' microphone, Bluetooth switches from stereo music mode to a hands-free call mode with much lower audio quality. To keep music quality during calls, choose your Mac's built-in microphone as the input instead. TuningMac's Input list does this in one click, and its Device Info shows which mode you're in.
Can I control the Apple AirPods Max's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Yes. macOS already switches them from the AirPods menu bar icon and System Settings, and TuningMac uses that same system control to put Off, Transparency and Noise Cancellation in its own menu, next to your EQ and volume.
Does macOS have an equalizer for the AirPods Max?+
Not a system-wide one. The Music app has its own EQ, but it only changes songs played in Music. TuningMac's EQ works on everything your Mac plays, and it loads this correction whenever your AirPods Max connect.
Tune your AirPods Max on your Mac
Parametric and 10-band EQ, noise control and battery in the menu bar.
EQ data from AutoEQ by Jaakko Pasanen (MIT licence), measurement by oratory1990. Specifications from Apple's published specifications. Apple AirPods Max is a trademark of Apple; TuningMac is not affiliated with Apple.