Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, 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 below 100 Hz down by about 3 dB, where the QC Ultra Headphones measure fuller than AutoEQ's neutral target.
- Leaves the mids close to flat, with a small lift near 1.6 kHz and a narrow dip near 2.4 kHz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 5 kHz for clarity.
- Raises the treble gently from 10 kHz up, by about 2 to 3 dB, for more air.
QC Ultra Headphones at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, sold by Bose from 2023. Official specifications from Bose:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.3
- Bluetooth profiles
- A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, Bluetooth Low Energy
- Connectivity
- Snapdragon Sound
- Range
- Up to 10 m (33 ft)
- Wired input
- 1 auxiliary input (3.5 mm to 2.5 mm cable included)
- Fit
- Around-ear, with removable protein leather cushions
- Materials
- Plastic, aluminium, protein leather
Sources: Bose: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones specifications.
Using the QC Ultra Headphones with a Mac
Codec: AAC. Bose lists Snapdragon Sound for the QC Ultra Headphones, Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive platform for Android phones. macOS doesn't support aptX, so on a Mac they play over AAC, which carries 20 Hz to 20 kHz audio at standard sample rates.
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 QC Ultra Headphones 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 Rtings' measurements of the QC Ultra Headphones. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Turns the bass below 100 Hz down by about 3 dB, where the QC Ultra Headphones measure fuller than AutoEQ's neutral target.
- Leaves the mids close to flat, with a small lift near 1.6 kHz and a narrow dip near 2.4 kHz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 5 kHz for clarity.
- Raises the treble gently from 10 kHz up, by about 2 to 3 dB, for more air.
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 QC Ultra Headphones connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for QC Ultra Headphones (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your QC Ultra Headphones and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -2.8 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -3.0 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 5032 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 3.69 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 156 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1.61 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 94 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 2.32 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2373 Hz Gain -2.8 dB Q 5.58 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 2.7 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1633 Hz Gain 2.6 dB Q 3.51 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 491 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 2.50 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 2194 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 3.76 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 36 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 2.83
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −3.0 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 5.03 kHz | +2.8 dB | 3.69 |
| 3 | Bell | 156 Hz | +1.5 dB | 1.61 |
| 4 | Bell | 94 Hz | −2.4 dB | 2.32 |
| 5 | Bell | 2.37 kHz | −2.8 dB | 5.58 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | +2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 1.63 kHz | +2.6 dB | 3.51 |
| 8 | Bell | 491 Hz | −1.1 dB | 2.50 |
| 9 | Bell | 2.19 kHz | −1.0 dB | 3.76 |
| 10 | Bell | 36 Hz | −0.5 dB | 2.83 |
Preamp: −2.8 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 −5.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Bose QC Ultra Headphones use on a Mac?+
Bose lists Snapdragon Sound for the QC Ultra Headphones, Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive platform for Android phones. macOS doesn't support aptX, so on a Mac they play over AAC, which carries 20 Hz to 20 kHz audio at standard sample rates.
What are the best EQ settings for the Bose QC Ultra Headphones?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Rtings' measurements, turns the bass below 100 Hz down by about 3 dB, adds about 3 dB around 5 kHz and up to 3 dB of treble above 10 kHz, with a preamp of -2.8 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 QC Ultra Headphones 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 QC Ultra Headphones'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 QC Ultra Headphones 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 Rtings. Specifications from Bose's published specifications. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is a trademark of Bose; TuningMac is not affiliated with Bose.