Sony WH-1000XM3 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WH-1000XM3, 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 down by about 4 to 7 dB below 250 Hz, most around 130 Hz, the biggest bass cut of the 1000X headphones here.
- Lowers the low mids slightly, by about 1.5 to 2 dB, from 300 to 700 Hz.
- Lifts 1.3 to 2 kHz by about 4 to 5 dB, and around 4 kHz by about 4.5 dB, for clearer voices and detail.
- Leaves the treble above 8 kHz close to flat, within about 1.5 dB.
WH-1000XM3 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, released in 2018. Official specifications from Sony:
- Bluetooth version
- 4.2
- 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 3 hours; 10 minutes gives about 5 hours of playback (1.5 A adapter)
- Multipoint
- One device for music and one for calls
- Range
- About 10 m (30 ft), line of sight
- Weight
- About 255 g
Sources: Sony WH-1000XM3 specifications, Sony Help Guide: supported codecs, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony Help Guide: multipoint.
Using the WH-1000XM3 with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The WH-1000XM3 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-1000XM3 in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. The WH-1000XM3'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 XM3 at up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on and 38 hours off over AAC with DSEE HX off. With DSEE HX on Auto, AAC drops to 24 and 30 hours.
Noise control without your phone. Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac supports the WH-1000XM3 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 WH-1000XM3. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Turns the bass down by about 4 to 7 dB below 250 Hz, most around 130 Hz, the biggest bass cut of the 1000X headphones here.
- Lowers the low mids slightly, by about 1.5 to 2 dB, from 300 to 700 Hz.
- Lifts 1.3 to 2 kHz by about 4 to 5 dB, and around 4 kHz by about 4.5 dB, for clearer voices and detail.
- Leaves the treble above 8 kHz close to flat, within about 1.5 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 WH-1000XM3 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WH-1000XM3 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WH-1000XM3 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -5.3 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -4.1 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 143 Hz Gain -5.9 dB Q 1.02 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1411 Hz Gain 6.2 dB Q 1.10 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 697 Hz Gain -2.8 dB Q 0.92 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 4315 Hz Gain 4.4 dB Q 1.98 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9032 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 2.00 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6657 Hz Gain 2.1 dB Q 6.00 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 5637 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 5.83 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 55 Hz Gain 0.3 dB Q 2.24
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −4.1 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 143 Hz | −5.9 dB | 1.02 |
| 3 | Bell | 1.41 kHz | +6.2 dB | 1.10 |
| 4 | Bell | 697 Hz | −2.8 dB | 0.92 |
| 5 | Bell | 4.32 kHz | +4.4 dB | 1.98 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | +1.4 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 9.03 kHz | −1.5 dB | 2.00 |
| 8 | Bell | 6.66 kHz | +2.1 dB | 6.00 |
| 9 | Bell | 5.64 kHz | −1.2 dB | 5.83 |
| 10 | Bell | 55 Hz | +0.3 dB | 2.24 |
Preamp: −5.3 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 −4.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sony WH-1000XM3 use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The WH-1000XM3 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-1000XM3?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, turns the bass down by about 4 to 7 dB, lifts 1.3 to 2 kHz and the area around 4 kHz by about 4 to 5 dB and leaves the top treble close to flat, with a preamp of -5.3 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 Sony WH-1000XM3 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-1000XM3's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac supports the WH-1000XM3 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 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-1000XM3 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-1000XM3 is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.