Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N) EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N), 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 hard, by about 6 to 10 dB below 200 Hz and most around 100 Hz: the ULT WEAR are tuned for big bass, and this brings them back to neutral.
- Lifts 1.5 to 5 kHz by about 4 to 6.5 dB, most near 4.6 kHz, for clearer voices and detail.
- Adds about 4 dB near 8.7 kHz.
ULT WEAR at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling and a bass-boost ULT button, released in 2024. Official specifications from Sony:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.2
- Bluetooth codecs
- SBC, AAC, LDAC
- Bluetooth profiles
- A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
- Bluetooth frequency range
- 20 Hz to 20 kHz (44.1 kHz sampling)
- Frequency response (wired)
- 5 Hz to 20 kHz
- Driver
- 40 mm dome, closed dynamic
- Battery life
- Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, 50 hours with it off
- Charging
- About 3.5 hours; 3 minutes gives about 90 minutes, 10 minutes about 5 hours of playback
- Multipoint
- Connects to two Bluetooth devices at once
- Range
- About 10 m (32.8 ft), line of sight
- Weight
- About 255 g
Sources: Sony Help Guide: specifications, Sony Help Guide: supported codecs, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony Help Guide: multipoint, Sony WH-ULT900N specifications.
Using the ULT WEAR with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The ULT WEAR support SBC, AAC and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support 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 ULT WEAR in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. Turn on Connect to 2 devices simultaneously in Sony's app and the ULT WEAR stay connected to your Mac and your phone. Sony switches LDAC off in this mode, which makes no difference on a Mac, since it uses AAC anyway.
The ULT button works inside the headphones. Its bass boost is applied in the headphones, on top of any EQ on your Mac, so switch it off when you use this correction.
Battery on a Mac. Over AAC, Sony rates the ULT WEAR at up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on and 50 hours off.
Noise control without your phone. Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac asks your headphones which noise controls they support and shows them in the menu bar. It hasn't been tested on the ULT WEAR yet. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on Kuulokenurkka's measurements of the ULT WEAR. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts the bass hard, by about 6 to 10 dB below 200 Hz and most around 100 Hz: the ULT WEAR are tuned for big bass, and this brings them back to neutral.
- Lifts 1.5 to 5 kHz by about 4 to 6.5 dB, most near 4.6 kHz, for clearer voices and detail.
- Adds about 4 dB near 8.7 kHz.
This removes most of the ULT WEAR's signature bass. If you bought them for that bass, set the low shelf (filter 1) and filter 2 to about half their values instead of removing it all.
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 ULT WEAR connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for ULT WEAR (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your ULT WEAR and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -6.4 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -8.4 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 114 Hz Gain -8.4 dB Q 0.59 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 4428 Hz Gain 4.2 dB Q 0.50 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1985 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 1.80 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 58 Hz Gain 6.0 dB Q 0.99 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 8933 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 2.26 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 5917 Hz Gain -5.8 dB Q 5.58 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 4655 Hz Gain 2.6 dB Q 3.33 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 650 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 3.80
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −8.4 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 114 Hz | −8.4 dB | 0.59 |
| 3 | Bell | 4.43 kHz | +4.2 dB | 0.50 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.99 kHz | +2.3 dB | 1.80 |
| 5 | Bell | 58 Hz | +6.0 dB | 0.99 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 8.93 kHz | +2.2 dB | 2.26 |
| 8 | Bell | 5.92 kHz | −5.8 dB | 5.58 |
| 9 | Bell | 4.66 kHz | +2.6 dB | 3.33 |
| 10 | Bell | 650 Hz | −1.9 dB | 3.80 |
Preamp: −6.4 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
Does the Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N) use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The ULT WEAR support SBC, AAC and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support 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 Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N)?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Kuulokenurkka's measurements, cuts the bass by about 6 to 10 dB, lifts 1.5 to 5 kHz by 4 to 6.5 dB and adds about 4 dB near 8.7 kHz, with a preamp of -6.4 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 Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N) 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 Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N)'s noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac asks your headphones which noise controls they support and shows them in the menu bar. It hasn't been tested on the ULT WEAR yet.
Should I turn off the EQ in Sony's app?+
For the most accurate result, yes. An equalizer set in Sony'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 ULT WEAR 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 Kuulokenurkka. Specifications from Sony's published specifications. Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N) is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.