Sennheiser IE 600 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sennheiser IE 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
- Cuts the sub-bass around 31 Hz by about 4 dB.
- Dips the upper mids around 1.7 kHz by about 3 dB.
- Adds about 5 dB from 4 to 6 kHz for presence and detail.
- Rolls the treble above 10 kHz down by about 8 dB, where the IE 600 are bright.
IE 600 at a glance
Wired in-ear monitors with an amorphous zirconium alloy shell, released in 2022. Official specifications from Sennheiser:
- Connection
- Wired (3.5 mm, MMCX detachable)
- Impedance
- 18 Ω
- Driver
- 7 mm TrueResponse dynamic transducer
- Frequency response
- 4 Hz to 46.5 kHz (−10 dB)
- Sensitivity
- 118 dB SPL at 1 kHz / 1 V RMS
- Weight
- 5.4 g per earbud
- Ear tips
- Silicone and memory foam, three sizes each
Sources: Sennheiser: IE 600 specifications.
Using the IE 600 with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The IE 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 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 IE 600 in stereo music mode.
Easy to drive. At 18 Ω and 118 dB sensitivity, the IE 600 get plenty loud from any source. A Mac's headphone jack or a USB-C dongle works fine, though a low-impedance source keeps the bass tight.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the IE 600. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the earbuds closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts the sub-bass around 31 Hz by about 4 dB.
- Dips the upper mids around 1.7 kHz by about 3 dB.
- Adds about 5 dB from 4 to 6 kHz for presence and detail.
- Rolls the treble above 10 kHz down by about 8 dB, where the IE 600 are bright.
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 IE 600 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for IE 600 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your IE 600 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -5.3 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 4374 Hz Gain 5.0 dB Q 1.28 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 196 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 1.50 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1727 Hz Gain -2.8 dB Q 1.16 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 798 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1.45 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -7.6 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 72 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 1.93 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 5857 Hz Gain 3.3 dB Q 5.80 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 143 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 3.18 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 4796 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 4.12
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 4.37 kHz | +5.0 dB | 1.28 |
| 3 | Bell | 196 Hz | −1.9 dB | 1.50 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.73 kHz | −2.8 dB | 1.16 |
| 5 | Bell | 798 Hz | +1.5 dB | 1.45 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −7.6 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 72 Hz | +1.4 dB | 1.93 |
| 8 | Bell | 5.86 kHz | +3.3 dB | 5.80 |
| 9 | Bell | 143 Hz | −0.7 dB | 3.18 |
| 10 | Bell | 4.8 kHz | −0.6 dB | 4.12 |
Preamp: −5.3 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 −5.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Which codec do the Sennheiser IE 600 use on a Mac?+
AAC. The IE 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 IE 600?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, cuts the sub-bass by about 4 dB, dips 1.7 kHz by about 3 dB, adds about 5 dB around 4 to 6 kHz, rolls the top treble down by about 8 dB, with a preamp of -5.3 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 IE 600 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.
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 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 IE 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 IE 600 is a trademark of Sennheiser; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sennheiser.