Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless, 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 bass around 50 to 125 Hz by about 2 to 4 dB, where the Momentum 3 measure heavy.
- Lifts the mids from 500 Hz to 1 kHz by about 2 to 3 dB.
- Dips around 3 kHz by about 4 dB and adds about 7.5 dB at 4 kHz for detail.
- Rolls the treble above 10 kHz down by about 3 dB.
Momentum 3 Wireless at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with active noise cancelling, released in 2019. Official specifications from Sennheiser:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.0
- Bluetooth codecs
- SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, LDAC
- Noise cancellation
- Active Noise Cancellation with three modes
- Driver
- 42 mm dynamic transducer
- Frequency response
- 6 Hz to 22 kHz
- Battery life
- Up to 17 hours with ANC on
- Charging
- USB-C
- Weight
- 305 g
Using the Momentum 3 Wireless with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The Momentum 3 Wireless support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support aptX, aptX Low Latency or LDAC. On a Mac they play over AAC, which carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates (44.1 or 48 kHz). The 40 kHz hi-res figure only applies to LDAC, which Macs don't support.
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 Momentum 3 Wireless in stereo music mode.
Noise control. TuningMac can't switch Sennheiser's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Sennheiser's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the Momentum 3 Wireless. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts the bass around 50 to 125 Hz by about 2 to 4 dB, where the Momentum 3 measure heavy.
- Lifts the mids from 500 Hz to 1 kHz by about 2 to 3 dB.
- Dips around 3 kHz by about 4 dB and adds about 7.5 dB at 4 kHz for detail.
- Rolls the treble above 10 kHz down by about 3 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 Momentum 3 Wireless connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for Momentum 3 Wireless (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your Momentum 3 Wireless and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -4.3 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 7.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 870 Hz Gain 4.3 dB Q 0.43 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 52 Hz Gain -9.9 dB Q 0.36 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 2942 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 0.42 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4124 Hz Gain 7.5 dB Q 2.58 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 120 Hz Gain -1.3 dB Q 2.14 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 197 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 2.78 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 62 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 2.83 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 37 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 2.17
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | +7.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 870 Hz | +4.3 dB | 0.43 |
| 3 | Bell | 52 Hz | −9.9 dB | 0.36 |
| 4 | Bell | 2.94 kHz | −4.4 dB | 0.42 |
| 5 | Bell | 4.12 kHz | +7.5 dB | 2.58 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −2.6 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 120 Hz | −1.3 dB | 2.14 |
| 8 | Bell | 197 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.78 |
| 9 | Bell | 62 Hz | +1.3 dB | 2.83 |
| 10 | Bell | 37 Hz | −0.7 dB | 2.17 |
Preamp: −4.3 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 −3.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The Momentum 3 Wireless support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support aptX, aptX Low Latency or LDAC, so on a Mac they play over AAC. That carries 20 Hz to 20 kHz audio at standard sample rates; Sony's hi-res LDAC mode is for Android phones and other devices that support it.
What are the best EQ settings for the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, cuts 50 to 125 Hz by about 3 dB, lifts 500 Hz to 1 kHz by 2 to 3 dB, adds about 7.5 dB at 4 kHz and rolls off the treble above 10 kHz, with a preamp of -4.3 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 Momentum 3 Wireless 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 Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Not yet. TuningMac can't switch Sennheiser's noise cancelling modes yet, so use the button on the headphones or Sennheiser's app on your phone. The EQ, volume and output features all work.
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 Momentum 3 Wireless 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 Momentum 3 Wireless is a trademark of Sennheiser; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sennheiser.