Jabra Elite 8 Active EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Jabra Elite 8 Active, 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
- Dips about 2 dB around 62 Hz.
- Dips about 2 dB around 500 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 2–4 kHz for presence.
- Cuts treble above 8 kHz by about 5 dB.
Elite 8 Active at a glance
Wireless sport earbuds with IP68 rating and adaptive ANC, released in 2023. Official specifications from Jabra:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.3
- Bluetooth codecs
- AAC, SBC
Sources: Jabra: Elite 8 Active specifications.
Using the Elite 8 Active with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The Elite 8 Active support AAC and SBC, 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 earbuds' 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 Elite 8 Active in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. The Jabra Elite 8 Active supports multipoint: it can stay connected to two devices at once.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch Jabra's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the earbuds or Jabra's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on DHRME's measurements of the Elite 8 Active. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the earbuds closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Dips about 2 dB around 62 Hz.
- Dips about 2 dB around 500 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 2–4 kHz for presence.
- Cuts treble above 8 kHz by about 5 dB.
Fit, ear tips 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 Elite 8 Active connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for Elite 8 Active (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your Elite 8 Active and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -4.0 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 4.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 2378 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 1.36 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 374 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 1.81 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 53 Hz Gain -5.5 dB Q 0.59 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 186 Hz Gain 1.8 dB Q 1.85 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -3.7 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 7210 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 3.08 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 4815 Hz Gain 3.0 dB Q 3.57 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 5775 Hz Gain -3.2 dB Q 6.00 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 958 Hz Gain 0.8 dB Q 4.39
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | +4.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 2.38 kHz | +4.0 dB | 1.36 |
| 3 | Bell | 374 Hz | −2.5 dB | 1.81 |
| 4 | Bell | 53 Hz | −5.5 dB | 0.59 |
| 5 | Bell | 186 Hz | +1.8 dB | 1.85 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −3.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 7.21 kHz | −2.7 dB | 3.08 |
| 8 | Bell | 4.82 kHz | +3.0 dB | 3.57 |
| 9 | Bell | 5.78 kHz | −3.2 dB | 6.00 |
| 10 | Bell | 958 Hz | +0.8 dB | 4.39 |
Preamp: −4.0 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 −3.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Jabra Elite 8 Active use on a Mac?+
AAC. The Elite 8 Active support AAC and SBC, 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 Jabra Elite 8 Active?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on DHRME's measurements, dips about 2 dB around 62 Hz and 500 Hz, adds about 3 dB around 2–4 kHz, cuts upper treble, with a preamp of -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 Jabra Elite 8 Active sound bad on calls on a Mac?+
When an app uses the earbuds' 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 Jabra Elite 8 Active's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch Jabra's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the earbuds or Jabra's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
Should I turn off the EQ in Jabra's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Jabra's app is applied inside the earbuds, 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 Elite 8 Active 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 DHRME. Specifications from Jabra's published specifications. Jabra Elite 8 Active is a trademark of Jabra; TuningMac is not affiliated with Jabra.