QCY H3 Pro EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the QCY H3 Pro, 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
- Lowers the bass below 80 Hz by about 2 to 3 dB.
- Adds about 3 dB near 500 Hz.
- Lowers 1.3 to 3 kHz by about 1.5 to 4 dB, most near 2.5 to 3 kHz, and dips about 3.5 dB near 5 kHz.
- Adds about 2 to 2.5 dB from 8 to 9 kHz and turns the top treble down by about 1.5 to 3 dB from 12 kHz up.
H3 Pro at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with adaptive ANC and LDAC. Official specifications from QCY:
- Driver
- 40 mm, titanium film diaphragm
- Noise cancelling
- Adaptive, up to 50 dB
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- Battery
- Up to 40 h (ANC on), 55 h (ANC off)
- Wired
- 3.5 mm aux cable included
- Weight
- 231 g
Sources: QCY: H3 Pro.
Using the H3 Pro with a Mac
Codec: SBC, not LDAC. The H3 Pro 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 H3 Pro in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. With dual connection, the H3 Pro can stay connected to your Mac and your phone at the same time.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch QCY's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or QCY's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on Regan Cipher's measurements of the H3 Pro. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Lowers the bass below 80 Hz by about 2 to 3 dB.
- Adds about 3 dB near 500 Hz.
- Lowers 1.3 to 3 kHz by about 1.5 to 4 dB, most near 2.5 to 3 kHz, and dips about 3.5 dB near 5 kHz.
- Adds about 2 to 2.5 dB from 8 to 9 kHz and turns the top treble down by about 1.5 to 3 dB from 12 kHz up.
Measured with noise cancelling on. With it off the balance shifts a little, so adjust by ear.
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 H3 Pro connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for H3 Pro (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your H3 Pro and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -3.7 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 8765 Hz Gain 3.7 dB Q 2.13 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2793 Hz Gain -4.7 dB Q 2.41 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 551 Hz Gain 3.8 dB Q 2.57 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1489 Hz Gain -4.0 dB Q 4.35 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2.8 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1014 Hz Gain 1.8 dB Q 3.65 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 4950 Hz Gain -3.9 dB Q 6.00 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 344 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 2.31 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 4017 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 6.00
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −2.9 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 8.77 kHz | +3.7 dB | 2.13 |
| 3 | Bell | 2.79 kHz | −4.7 dB | 2.41 |
| 4 | Bell | 551 Hz | +3.8 dB | 2.57 |
| 5 | Bell | 1.49 kHz | −4.0 dB | 4.35 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −2.8 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 1.01 kHz | +1.8 dB | 3.65 |
| 8 | Bell | 4.95 kHz | −3.9 dB | 6.00 |
| 9 | Bell | 344 Hz | −0.9 dB | 2.31 |
| 10 | Bell | 4.02 kHz | +2.5 dB | 6.00 |
Preamp: −3.7 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
Does the QCY H3 Pro use LDAC on a Mac?+
No, SBC. The H3 Pro 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 QCY H3 Pro?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Regan Cipher's measurements, lowers the bass below 80 Hz by up to 3 dB, lowers 1.3 to 3 kHz by up to 4 dB and dips about 3.5 dB near 5 kHz, with a preamp of -3.7 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 QCY H3 Pro 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 QCY H3 Pro's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch QCY's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or QCY's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
Should I turn off the EQ in QCY's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in QCY'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 H3 Pro 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 Regan Cipher. Specifications from QCY's published specifications. QCY H3 Pro is a trademark of QCY; TuningMac is not affiliated with QCY.