Bose QuietComfort 45 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Bose QuietComfort 45, 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
- Trims the bass by about 1.5 to 2 dB up to 200 Hz.
- Lifts the mids slightly, by about 1 dB from 800 Hz to 1.5 kHz.
- Tames the upper mids with dips near 2.5 kHz and between 5 and 6 kHz, by up to about 4 dB, where the QC45 measure brighter than AutoEQ's neutral target.
- Turns the top treble down, by about 3 dB at 12 kHz and 5 to 7 dB above 16 kHz.
QC45 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, sold by Bose from 2022 to 2024. Official specifications from Bose:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.1
- Bluetooth profiles
- A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, Bluetooth Low Energy
- Range
- Up to 10 m (33 ft)
- Battery life
- 22 hours
- Charge time
- 2.25 hours
- Battery
- Rechargeable, non-replaceable lithium-ion
- Wired input
- 1 auxiliary input (3.5 mm to 2.5 mm cable included)
- Voice assistants
- Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built in
Sources: Bose: QuietComfort 45 specifications.
Using the QC45 with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The QC45 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 QC45 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 QC45. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Trims the bass by about 1.5 to 2 dB up to 200 Hz.
- Lifts the mids slightly, by about 1 dB from 800 Hz to 1.5 kHz.
- Tames the upper mids with dips near 2.5 kHz and between 5 and 6 kHz, by up to about 4 dB, where the QC45 measure brighter than AutoEQ's neutral target.
- Turns the top treble down, by about 3 dB at 12 kHz and 5 to 7 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 QC45 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for QC45 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your QC45 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -2.2 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 161 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 1.15 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 5490 Hz Gain -7.7 dB Q 2.06 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 4242 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 0.24 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2328 Hz Gain -5.2 dB Q 2.15 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -7.0 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 8352 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 1.93 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 390 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 2.32 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 6508 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 5.04 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 70 Hz Gain -0.1 dB Q 1.97
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −1.4 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 161 Hz | −2.2 dB | 1.15 |
| 3 | Bell | 5.49 kHz | −7.7 dB | 2.06 |
| 4 | Bell | 4.24 kHz | +3.5 dB | 0.24 |
| 5 | Bell | 2.33 kHz | −5.2 dB | 2.15 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −7.0 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 8.35 kHz | +2.9 dB | 1.93 |
| 8 | Bell | 390 Hz | +0.5 dB | 2.32 |
| 9 | Bell | 6.51 kHz | −1.0 dB | 5.04 |
| 10 | Bell | 70 Hz | −0.1 dB | 1.97 |
Preamp: −2.2 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 −2.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Bose QuietComfort 45 use on a Mac?+
AAC. The QC45 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 QuietComfort 45?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, trims the bass by about 2 dB, dips 2.5 kHz and 5 to 6 kHz by up to 4 dB and turns the top treble down by up to 7 dB, with a preamp of -2.2 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 QuietComfort 45 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 QuietComfort 45'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 QC45 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 QuietComfort 45 is a trademark of Bose; TuningMac is not affiliated with Bose.