Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9, 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
- Cuts about 8 dB of sub-bass and about 5 dB around 125–250 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 500 Hz.
- Cuts about 5 dB around 2 kHz.
- Adds about 8 dB around 5.2 kHz for detail.
- Cuts about 10 dB above 16 kHz.
Beoplay H9 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with ANC, aluminium and leather, released in 2017. Official specifications from Bang & Olufsen:
- Driver
- 40 mm electro-dynamic
- ANC
- Active noise cancellation
- Bluetooth
- 4.2
- Battery
- Up to 14 h (ANC on)
- Weight
- 295 g
Sources: Bang & Olufsen: Beoplay H9.
Using the Beoplay H9 with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The Beoplay H9 support SBC, AAC and aptX, and a Mac picks AAC, the better of the two. It carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates (44.1 or 48 kHz).
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 Beoplay H9 in stereo music mode.
ANC not controllable TuningMac cannot change noise-control modes on Bang & Olufsen headphones. Use the Bang & Olufsen app or the touch panel on the ear cup.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch Bang & Olufsen's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Bang & Olufsen's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the Beoplay H9. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts about 8 dB of sub-bass and about 5 dB around 125–250 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 500 Hz.
- Cuts about 5 dB around 2 kHz.
- Adds about 8 dB around 5.2 kHz for detail.
- Cuts about 10 dB above 16 kHz.
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 Beoplay H9 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for Beoplay H9 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your Beoplay H9 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -4.5 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -3.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 67 Hz Gain -2.1 dB Q 0.24 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1378 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 1.00 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 5171 Hz Gain 8.0 dB Q 2.57 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2008 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 3.58 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3521 Hz Gain -3.2 dB Q 5.00 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 519 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 0.46 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 7815 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 2.40 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 224 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 0.77
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −3.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 67 Hz | −2.1 dB | 0.24 |
| 3 | Bell | 1.38 kHz | +1.3 dB | 1.00 |
| 4 | Bell | 5.17 kHz | +8.0 dB | 2.57 |
| 5 | Bell | 2.01 kHz | −4.5 dB | 3.58 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −1.9 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 3.52 kHz | −3.2 dB | 5.00 |
| 8 | Bell | 519 Hz | +2.2 dB | 0.46 |
| 9 | Bell | 7.82 kHz | −2.2 dB | 2.40 |
| 10 | Bell | 224 Hz | +1.2 dB | 0.77 |
Preamp: −4.5 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 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9 use on a Mac?+
AAC. The Beoplay H9 support SBC, AAC and aptX, and a Mac picks AAC, the better of the two. It carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates.
What are the best EQ settings for the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, cuts about 8 dB of sub-bass, cuts about 5 dB around 2 kHz, adds about 8 dB around 5.2 kHz, cuts about 10 dB at 16 kHz, with a preamp of -4.5 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 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9 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 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch Bang & Olufsen's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Bang & Olufsen's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
Should I turn off the EQ in Bang & Olufsen's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Bang & Olufsen's app is applied inside the headphones, so it also affects your Mac and would add to this correction. TuningMac's EQ only changes sound from your Mac, so it won't affect your phone.
Tune your Beoplay H9 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 Bang & Olufsen's published specifications. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9 is a trademark of Bang & Olufsen; TuningMac is not affiliated with Bang & Olufsen.