Focal Stellia EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Focal Stellia, 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 6 dB around 106 Hz to reduce mid-bass bloom.
- Adds about 4 dB around 10 kHz for treble air.
- Cuts about 3 dB around 1.7 kHz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 4.3 kHz for presence.
Stellia at a glance
Wired closed-back dynamic-driver headphone. Official specifications from Focal:
- Driver
- 40 mm pure beryllium M-shaped dome
- Impedance
- 35 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 106 dB/mW
- Weight
- 435 g
- Cable
- Detachable, 3 m (XLR-4) + 1.2 m (3.5 mm)
Sources: AutoEQ (oratory1990).
Using the Stellia with a Mac
Wired, so no Bluetooth codec. The Stellia connect with a cable, so nothing is compressed on the way: plug them into the Mac's headphone jack, or a USB-C adapter or DAC.
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 Stellia in stereo music mode.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the Stellia. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts about 6 dB around 106 Hz to reduce mid-bass bloom.
- Adds about 4 dB around 10 kHz for treble air.
- Cuts about 3 dB around 1.7 kHz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 4.3 kHz for presence.
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 Stellia connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for Stellia (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your Stellia and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -5.5 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 9929 Hz Gain 3.8 dB Q 0.18 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 106 Hz Gain -5.9 dB Q 1.22 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1706 Hz Gain -3.4 dB Q 1.03 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 49 Hz Gain 2.7 dB Q 1.02 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -0.3 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 297 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 1.62 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6023 Hz Gain -3.3 dB Q 5.53 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 4268 Hz Gain 3.1 dB Q 6.00 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 164 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 2.58
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −0.6 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 9.93 kHz | +3.8 dB | 0.18 |
| 3 | Bell | 106 Hz | −5.9 dB | 1.22 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.71 kHz | −3.4 dB | 1.03 |
| 5 | Bell | 49 Hz | +2.7 dB | 1.02 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −0.3 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 297 Hz | +1.3 dB | 1.62 |
| 8 | Bell | 6.02 kHz | −3.3 dB | 5.53 |
| 9 | Bell | 4.27 kHz | +3.1 dB | 6.00 |
| 10 | Bell | 164 Hz | −0.9 dB | 2.58 |
Preamp: −5.5 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 −5.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Do the Focal Stellia need a Bluetooth codec on a Mac?+
None: the Stellia are wired. Plug them into the Mac's headphone jack, or a USB-C adapter or DAC, and the sound reaches them without Bluetooth compression.
What are the best EQ settings for the Focal Stellia?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, cuts about 6 dB around 106 Hz, adds about 4 dB around 10 kHz, cuts about 3 dB around 1.7 kHz, with a preamp of -5.5 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 Focal Stellia 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.
Should I turn off the EQ in Focal's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Focal'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 Stellia 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 Focal's published specifications. Focal Stellia is a trademark of Focal; TuningMac is not affiliated with Focal.