Sennheiser HD 600 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sennheiser HD 600, 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
- Lifts the sub-bass and bass from 31 to 62 Hz by about 3 to 7 dB, where the HD 600 roll off.
- Leaves the mids mostly flat with a gentle dip at 1.3 kHz.
- Adds about 3 to 4 dB around 8 kHz for air, rolling off above 10 kHz.
HD 600 at a glance
Open-back over-ear wired headphones, one of the most respected reference headphones since 1997. Official specifications from Sennheiser:
- Connection
- Wired (6.35 mm jack, 3 m cable)
- Impedance
- 300 Ω
- Driver
- Dynamic open-back, matched driver transducers
- Frequency response
- 12 Hz to 40 kHz (−10 dB)
- Sensitivity
- 97 dB SPL at 1 kHz / 1 V RMS
- Total harmonic distortion
- < 0.1%
- Weight
- 260 g (without cable)
- Ear coupling
- Over-ear, open-back, circumaural, velour pads
Sources: Sennheiser: HD 600 specifications.
Using the HD 600 with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The HD 600 support , 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 HD 600 in stereo music mode.
High impedance. At 300 Ω, the HD 600 draw very little current but need a lot of voltage to reach listening levels. A Mac's headphone output or a USB-C dongle may not get them loud enough or control them well; a USB DAC with a dedicated headphone amp is recommended.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the HD 600. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Lifts the sub-bass and bass from 31 to 62 Hz by about 3 to 7 dB, where the HD 600 roll off.
- Leaves the mids mostly flat with a gentle dip at 1.3 kHz.
- Adds about 3 to 4 dB around 8 kHz for air, rolling off above 10 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 HD 600 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for HD 600 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your HD 600 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -6.3 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.5 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 125 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 0.55 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 8445 Hz Gain 3.3 dB Q 1.61 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 522 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 1.02 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1298 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 2.14 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -3.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3158 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 3.67 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2166 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 3.32 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 6639 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 5.82 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 5433 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 5.70
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | +6.5 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 125 Hz | −2.7 dB | 0.55 |
| 3 | Bell | 8.45 kHz | +3.3 dB | 1.61 |
| 4 | Bell | 522 Hz | +0.7 dB | 1.02 |
| 5 | Bell | 1.3 kHz | −1.2 dB | 2.14 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −3.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 3.16 kHz | −1.8 dB | 3.67 |
| 8 | Bell | 2.17 kHz | +0.9 dB | 3.32 |
| 9 | Bell | 6.64 kHz | +2.2 dB | 5.82 |
| 10 | Bell | 5.43 kHz | −1.2 dB | 5.70 |
Preamp: −6.3 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 Sennheiser HD 600 use on a Mac?+
AAC. The HD 600 support , 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 Sennheiser HD 600?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, lifts the sub-bass by about 7 dB, leaves the mids mostly flat, adds about 4 dB around 8 kHz and rolls off above 10 kHz, with a preamp of -6.3 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 Sennheiser HD 600 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 Sennheiser's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Sennheiser'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 HD 600 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 Sennheiser's published specifications. Sennheiser HD 600 is a trademark of Sennheiser; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sennheiser.