Sony WF-1000XM4 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WF-1000XM4, 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
- Turns the bass and low mids down by about 2 to 4.5 dB from 60 to 500 Hz, most around 180 Hz.
- Leaves 1 to 3 kHz close to flat.
- Adds a lot of treble, rising from 4 kHz to about 7.5 dB around 10 kHz, where the XM4 measure darkest.
WF-1000XM4 at a glance
Wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, released in 2021. 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); 20 Hz to 40 kHz (LDAC, 96 kHz, 990 kbps)
- Driver
- 6 mm
- Battery life
- Up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on, 12 hours with it off; 24 hours with the case
- Charging
- Earbuds about 1.5 hours, case about 3 hours; 5 minutes gives about 1 hour; Qi wireless charging
- Microphones
- 2 noise-sensing mics per earbud, plus beamforming mics and a bone-conduction sensor
- Multipoint
- Connects to two Bluetooth devices at once
- Range
- About 10 m (30 ft), line of sight
- Weight
- About 7.3 g per earbud; case about 41 g
- Water resistance
- IPX4 (earbuds)
Sources: Sony Help Guide: specifications, Sony Help Guide: supported codecs, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony Help Guide: multipoint, Sony launch announcement.
Using the WF-1000XM4 with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The WF-1000XM4 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 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 WF-1000XM4 in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. Turn on Connect to 2 devices simultaneously in Sony's app and the WF-1000XM4 stay connected to your Mac and your phone. Music plays from whichever device played last.
Battery on a Mac. Over AAC with DSEE Extreme off, Sony rates the XM4 at up to 8 hours with noise cancelling on and 12 off. DSEE Extreme on Auto drops that to 6 and 8 hours.
Noise control without your phone. Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac supports the WF-1000XM4 through Sony's older control protocol, adding Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound and Off to your Mac's menu bar. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the WF-1000XM4. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the earbuds closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Turns the bass and low mids down by about 2 to 4.5 dB from 60 to 500 Hz, most around 180 Hz.
- Leaves 1 to 3 kHz close to flat.
- Adds a lot of treble, rising from 4 kHz to about 7.5 dB around 10 kHz, where the XM4 measure darkest.
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 WF-1000XM4 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WF-1000XM4 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WF-1000XM4 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -7.5 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 176 Hz Gain -4.2 dB Q 0.60 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 9973 Hz Gain 3.7 dB Q 1.01 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 6316 Hz Gain 4.4 dB Q 0.91 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 498 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 1.46 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 3.7 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1732 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 2.28 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 3942 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 3.10 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 978 Hz Gain -0.3 dB Q 1.49 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 38 Hz Gain -0.2 dB Q 2.02
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −0.6 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 176 Hz | −4.2 dB | 0.60 |
| 3 | Bell | 9.97 kHz | +3.7 dB | 1.01 |
| 4 | Bell | 6.32 kHz | +4.4 dB | 0.91 |
| 5 | Bell | 498 Hz | −1.4 dB | 1.46 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | +3.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 1.73 kHz | +1.2 dB | 2.28 |
| 8 | Bell | 3.94 kHz | −0.8 dB | 3.10 |
| 9 | Bell | 978 Hz | −0.3 dB | 1.49 |
| 10 | Bell | 38 Hz | −0.2 dB | 2.02 |
Preamp: −7.5 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 −11.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sony WF-1000XM4 use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The WF-1000XM4 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 WF-1000XM4?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, turns the bass and low mids down by about 2 to 4.5 dB and adds treble rising to about 7.5 dB around 10 kHz, with a preamp of -7.5 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 WF-1000XM4 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.
Can I control the Sony WF-1000XM4's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac supports the WF-1000XM4 through Sony's older control protocol, adding Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound and Off to your Mac's menu bar.
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 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 WF-1000XM4 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 Sony's published specifications. Sony WF-1000XM4 is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.