Shure SRH840 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Shure SRH840, 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 6 dB of bass shelf.
- Cuts about 8 dB around 107 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 280 Hz.
- Cuts about 2 dB of high shelf above 10 kHz.
SRH840 at a glance
Closed-back professional studio headphone. Official specifications from Shure:
- Impedance
- 44 ohms
- Sensitivity
- 102 dB SPL/mW
- Cable
- 3 m straight cable with 6.3 mm adapter
Sources: Shure: SRH840 product page.
Using the SRH840 with a Mac
Wired, so no Bluetooth codec. The SRH840 connect with a cable, so nothing is compressed on the way: plug them into the Mac's headphone jack, or a USB-C adapter or DAC.
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 SRH840 in stereo music mode.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the SRH840. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Adds about 6 dB of bass shelf.
- Cuts about 8 dB around 107 Hz.
- Adds about 3 dB around 280 Hz.
- Cuts about 2 dB of high shelf 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 SRH840 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for SRH840 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your SRH840 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -5.8 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.2 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 107 Hz Gain -8.3 dB Q 0.80 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 279 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 0.36 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 58 Hz Gain 2.4 dB Q 4.17 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5991 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 2.60 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2.0 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1946 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 2.63 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 39 Hz Gain -0.4 dB Q 3.26 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 261 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 3.14 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 332 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 4.70
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | +6.2 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 107 Hz | −8.3 dB | 0.80 |
| 3 | Bell | 279 Hz | +2.9 dB | 0.36 |
| 4 | Bell | 58 Hz | +2.4 dB | 4.17 |
| 5 | Bell | 5.99 kHz | −1.8 dB | 2.60 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −2.0 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 1.95 kHz | −0.7 dB | 2.63 |
| 8 | Bell | 39 Hz | −0.4 dB | 3.26 |
| 9 | Bell | 261 Hz | +0.6 dB | 3.14 |
| 10 | Bell | 332 Hz | −0.8 dB | 4.70 |
Preamp: −5.8 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 −6.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Do the Shure SRH840 need a Bluetooth codec on a Mac?+
None: the SRH840 are wired. Plug them into the Mac's headphone jack, or a USB-C adapter or DAC, and the sound reaches them without Bluetooth compression.
What are the best EQ settings for the Shure SRH840?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, adds about 6 dB of bass shelf, corrects a dip around 107 Hz, cuts high shelf slightly, with a preamp of -5.8 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 Shure SRH840 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 Shure's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Shure'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 SRH840 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 Shure's published specifications. Shure SRH840 is a trademark of Shure; TuningMac is not affiliated with Shure.