Marshall Major III Bluetooth EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Marshall Major III Bluetooth, 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
- Adds about 7 dB of sub-bass at 31 Hz.
- Boosts the low mids by about 3–5 dB from 250 to 500 Hz.
- Cuts about 8 dB around 4 kHz.
- Rolls the highest treble down by about 12 dB.
Major III at a glance
Wireless on-ear headphones with foldable design, released in 2018. Official specifications from Marshall:
- Driver
- 40 mm dynamic
- Bluetooth
- 5.0 with aptX
- Battery
- Up to 30 hours
- Weight
- 178 g
Sources: Marshall: Major III Bluetooth.
Using the Major III with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The Major III support SBC, AAC and aptX, 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 Major III in stereo music mode.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on kr0mka's measurements of the Major III. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Adds about 7 dB of sub-bass at 31 Hz.
- Boosts the low mids by about 3–5 dB from 250 to 500 Hz.
- Cuts about 8 dB around 4 kHz.
- Rolls the highest treble down by about 12 dB.
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 Major III connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for Major III (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your Major III and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -4.9 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 4.8 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 3352 Hz Gain -9.0 dB Q 1.75 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 430 Hz Gain 5.2 dB Q 0.96 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1099 Hz Gain -3.1 dB Q 1.47 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1946 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 2.41 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -6.4 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 72 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 2.55 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 5550 Hz Gain 3.2 dB Q 4.91 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 7631 Hz Gain 2.7 dB Q 5.39 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 4271 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 6.00
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | +4.8 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 3.35 kHz | −9.0 dB | 1.75 |
| 3 | Bell | 430 Hz | +5.2 dB | 0.96 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.1 kHz | −3.1 dB | 1.47 |
| 5 | Bell | 1.95 kHz | +2.2 dB | 2.41 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −6.4 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 72 Hz | −1.8 dB | 2.55 |
| 8 | Bell | 5.55 kHz | +3.2 dB | 4.91 |
| 9 | Bell | 7.63 kHz | +2.7 dB | 5.39 |
| 10 | Bell | 4.27 kHz | −2.4 dB | 6.00 |
Preamp: −4.9 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 −7.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Marshall Major III Bluetooth use on a Mac?+
AAC. The Major III support SBC, AAC and aptX, 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 Marshall Major III Bluetooth?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on kr0mka's measurements, adds about 7 dB of sub-bass, boosts low mids by about 4 dB, cuts about 8 dB around 4 kHz, rolls high treble down sharply, with a preamp of -4.9 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 Marshall Major III Bluetooth 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 Marshall's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Marshall'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 Major III 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 kr0mka. Specifications from Marshall's published specifications. Marshall Major III Bluetooth is a trademark of Marshall; TuningMac is not affiliated with Marshall.