Sony WH-1000XM2 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WH-1000XM2, 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
- Dips about 3 dB around 180 Hz.
- Adds about 5 dB around 850 Hz and cuts about 4 dB around 1.8 kHz, evening out an uneven midrange.
- Adds about 2 dB near 3.5 kHz.
- Lifts the treble from 8 kHz up, to nearly 4 dB at the top.
WH-1000XM2 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, released in 2017. Official specifications from Sony:
- Bluetooth version
- 4.1
- Bluetooth codecs
- SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, 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)
- Frequency response (wired)
- 4 Hz to 40 kHz
- Driver
- 40 mm dome, CCAW voice coil, aluminium-coated LCP diaphragm
- Battery life
- Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, 38 hours with it off
- Charging
- About 4 hours over micro-USB; 10 minutes gives about 70 minutes of playback
- Multipoint
- One device for music and one for calls
- Range
- About 10 m (30 ft), line of sight
- Weight
- About 275 g
Sources: Sony WH-1000XM2 specifications, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony Help Guide: charging, Sony Help Guide: multipoint.
Using the WH-1000XM2 with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The WH-1000XM2 support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support aptX, aptX HD 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 WH-1000XM2 in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. The WH-1000XM2's multipoint is limited: one device plays music and the other handles calls. Your Mac for music and your phone for calls works, but two music sources at once doesn't.
Battery on a Mac. Sony rates the XM2 at up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on and 38 hours off over AAC with DSEE HX off. With DSEE HX on Auto, that drops to 24 and 30 hours.
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 WH-1000XM2 yet. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the WH-1000XM2. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Dips about 3 dB around 180 Hz.
- Adds about 5 dB around 850 Hz and cuts about 4 dB around 1.8 kHz, evening out an uneven midrange.
- Adds about 2 dB near 3.5 kHz.
- Lifts the treble from 8 kHz up, to nearly 4 dB at the top.
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 WH-1000XM2 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WH-1000XM2 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WH-1000XM2 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -5.4 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1206 Hz Gain 8.9 dB Q 0.46 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 186 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 0.54 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1741 Hz Gain -11.8 dB Q 1.24 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 80 Hz Gain 1.7 dB Q 0.51 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 3.8 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 5543 Hz Gain -2.7 dB Q 6.00 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 851 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 3.41 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 669 Hz Gain -1.1 dB Q 2.93 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 3522 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 6.00
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −0.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 1.21 kHz | +8.9 dB | 0.46 |
| 3 | Bell | 186 Hz | −5.0 dB | 0.54 |
| 4 | Bell | 1.74 kHz | −11.8 dB | 1.24 |
| 5 | Bell | 80 Hz | +1.7 dB | 0.51 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | +3.8 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 5.54 kHz | −2.7 dB | 6.00 |
| 8 | Bell | 851 Hz | +1.3 dB | 3.41 |
| 9 | Bell | 669 Hz | −1.1 dB | 2.93 |
| 10 | Bell | 3.52 kHz | +1.5 dB | 6.00 |
Preamp: −5.4 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 −7.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sony WH-1000XM2 use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The WH-1000XM2 support SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC, but macOS doesn't support aptX, aptX HD 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 Sony WH-1000XM2?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, dips about 3 dB near 180 Hz, adds about 5 dB near 850 Hz, cuts about 4 dB near 1.8 kHz and lifts the treble above 8 kHz by up to 4 dB, with a preamp of -5.4 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 WH-1000XM2 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 WH-1000XM2'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 WH-1000XM2 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 WH-1000XM2 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 WH-1000XM2 is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.