Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, 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
- Adjusts the bass at 31 to 125 Hz by up to about 3 dB.
- Leaves the mids close to flat around 500 Hz to 2 kHz.
- Adds about 7 dB around 4 to 8 kHz for detail.
NC 700 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, sold by Bose from 2019. Official specifications from Bose:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.0
- Bluetooth profiles
- A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, BLE
- Range
- Up to 10 m (33 ft)
- Wired input
- 1 auxiliary input (3.5 mm to 2.5 mm cable included)
Sources: Bose: Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 specifications.
Using the NC 700 with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The NC 700 support SBC and AAC, 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 NC 700 in stereo music mode.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch Bose's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Bose'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 NC 700. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Adjusts the bass at 31 to 125 Hz by up to about 3 dB.
- Leaves the mids close to flat around 500 Hz to 2 kHz.
- Adds about 7 dB around 4 to 8 kHz for detail.
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 NC 700 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for NC 700 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your NC 700 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -7.0 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 180 Hz Gain -3.8 dB Q 0.99 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1236 Hz Gain 2.7 dB Q 4.06 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 27 Hz Gain 3.7 dB Q 0.98 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 8335 Hz Gain 6.8 dB Q 1.58 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 0.3 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 4828 Hz Gain -4.2 dB Q 5.68 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 3430 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 2.66 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 6625 Hz Gain 1.8 dB Q 6.00 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 816 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 2.91
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −2.5 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 180 Hz | −3.8 dB | 0.99 |
| 3 | Bell | 1.24 kHz | +2.7 dB | 4.06 |
| 4 | Bell | 27 Hz | +3.7 dB | 0.98 |
| 5 | Bell | 8.34 kHz | +6.8 dB | 1.58 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | +0.3 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 4.83 kHz | −4.2 dB | 5.68 |
| 8 | Bell | 3.43 kHz | +1.4 dB | 2.66 |
| 9 | Bell | 6.63 kHz | +1.8 dB | 6.00 |
| 10 | Bell | 816 Hz | −0.7 dB | 2.91 |
Preamp: −7.0 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 −7.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Bose NC 700 use on a Mac?+
AAC. The NC 700 support SBC and AAC, 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 Bose NC 700?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, adds about 7 dB around 4 to 8 kHz, with a preamp of -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 Bose NC 700 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 Bose NC 700's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch Bose's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Bose's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
Should I turn off the EQ in Bose's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Bose'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 NC 700 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 Bose's published specifications. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is a trademark of Bose; TuningMac is not affiliated with Bose.