Edifier W820NB Plus EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Edifier W820NB Plus, 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 2 dB from the sub-bass, around 31 Hz.
- Adds about 2 dB to the upper bass, around 250 Hz.
- Cuts about 4 dB from the treble, from 8 to 16 kHz.
W820NB Plus at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with hybrid ANC and LDAC. Official specifications from Edifier:
- Driver
- 40 mm dynamic
- ANC
- Hybrid, up to -43 dB
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- Battery
- About 33 h (ANC on), 49 h (ANC off)
- Weight
- About 238 g
Sources: Edifier: W820NB Plus.
Using the W820NB Plus with a Mac
Codec: SBC, not LDAC. The W820NB Plus support SBC and LDAC. macOS doesn't support LDAC, and the headphones don't offer AAC, so on a Mac they play over SBC, the standard Bluetooth codec every pair supports.
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 W820NB Plus in stereo music mode.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch Edifier's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Edifier's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on Filk's measurements of the W820NB Plus. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts about 2 dB from the sub-bass, around 31 Hz.
- Adds about 2 dB to the upper bass, around 250 Hz.
- Cuts about 4 dB from the treble, from 8 to 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 W820NB Plus connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for W820NB Plus (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your W820NB Plus and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -3.4 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 340 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 1.94 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2914 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 4.30 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 7052 Hz Gain -3.7 dB Q 2.22 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4184 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 2.56 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2.0 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1888 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 3.54 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 90 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 3.49 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 138 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 2.06 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 1218 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 4.47
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −1.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 340 Hz | +3.5 dB | 1.94 |
| 3 | Bell | 2.91 kHz | −5.0 dB | 4.30 |
| 4 | Bell | 7.05 kHz | −3.7 dB | 2.22 |
| 5 | Bell | 4.18 kHz | +1.9 dB | 2.56 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −2.0 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 1.89 kHz | +1.4 dB | 3.54 |
| 8 | Bell | 90 Hz | +1.1 dB | 3.49 |
| 9 | Bell | 138 Hz | −0.7 dB | 2.06 |
| 10 | Bell | 1.22 kHz | −1.1 dB | 4.47 |
Preamp: −3.4 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
Does the Edifier W820NB Plus use LDAC on a Mac?+
No, SBC. The W820NB Plus support SBC and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support LDAC and they don't offer AAC, so a Mac uses SBC, the standard Bluetooth codec.
What are the best EQ settings for the Edifier W820NB Plus?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Filk's measurements, cuts about 2 dB around 31 Hz, adds about 2 dB around 250 Hz, cuts about 4 dB from 8 to 16 kHz, with a preamp of -3.4 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 Edifier W820NB Plus 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 Edifier W820NB Plus's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch Edifier's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Edifier's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
Should I turn off the EQ in Edifier's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Edifier'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 W820NB Plus 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 Filk. Specifications from Edifier's published specifications. Edifier W820NB Plus is a trademark of Edifier; TuningMac is not affiliated with Edifier.