Sony WH-1000XM5 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WH-1000XM5, 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 3 to 6 dB from 30 to 250 Hz, most around 170 Hz, where the XM5 measure fuller than AutoEQ's neutral target.
- Lifts the upper mids by about 4 to 6 dB between 1.3 and 2.5 kHz, which brings voices and instruments forward.
- Tames a narrow peak near 6 kHz.
- Adds treble from 10 kHz up, rising to about 5 dB at the top, for more air and detail.
WH-1000XM5 at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling, released in 2022. 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)
- Frequency response (wired)
- 4 Hz to 40 kHz (JEITA)
- Driver
- 30 mm, closed dynamic
- Battery life
- Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, 40 hours with it off
- Charging
- About 3.5 hours; 3 minutes gives about 3 hours of playback with a USB PD adapter
- Microphones
- 8 (4 on each earcup)
- Multipoint
- Connects to two Bluetooth devices at once
- Range
- About 10 m (30 ft), line of sight
- Weight
- About 250 g (8.82 oz)
Sources: Sony WH-1000XM5 specifications, Sony Help Guide: specifications, Sony Help Guide: supported codecs.
Using the WH-1000XM5 with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The WH-1000XM5 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 WH-1000XM5 in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. With multipoint, the WH-1000XM5 can stay connected to your Mac and your phone at the same time.
Noise control without your phone. Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac adds Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound (level 1 to 20, Focus on Voice) and Off to your Mac's menu bar, and it's tested on the WH-1000XM5. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on oratory1990's measurements of the WH-1000XM5. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Turns the bass and low mids down by about 3 to 6 dB from 30 to 250 Hz, most around 170 Hz, where the XM5 measure fuller than AutoEQ's neutral target.
- Lifts the upper mids by about 4 to 6 dB between 1.3 and 2.5 kHz, which brings voices and instruments forward.
- Tames a narrow peak near 6 kHz.
- Adds treble from 10 kHz up, rising to about 5 dB at the top, for more air and detail.
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-1000XM5 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WH-1000XM5 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WH-1000XM5 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -6.2 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -3.2 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 2448 Hz Gain 6.9 dB Q 2.46 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 173 Hz Gain -5.6 dB Q 0.96 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 3028 Hz Gain -5.4 dB Q 2.03 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1327 Hz Gain 3.3 dB Q 0.58 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 4.9 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 6110 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 5.81 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 875 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 4.07 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 1197 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 3.28 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 63 Hz Gain 0.4 dB Q 2.13
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −3.2 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 2.45 kHz | +6.9 dB | 2.46 |
| 3 | Bell | 173 Hz | −5.6 dB | 0.96 |
| 4 | Bell | 3.03 kHz | −5.4 dB | 2.03 |
| 5 | Bell | 1.33 kHz | +3.3 dB | 0.58 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | +4.9 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 6.11 kHz | −2.3 dB | 5.81 |
| 8 | Bell | 875 Hz | −1.2 dB | 4.07 |
| 9 | Bell | 1.2 kHz | +1.0 dB | 3.28 |
| 10 | Bell | 63 Hz | +0.4 dB | 2.13 |
Preamp: −6.2 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 −9.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sony WH-1000XM5 use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The WH-1000XM5 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 WH-1000XM5?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on oratory1990's measurements, turns the bass down by about 3 to 6 dB, lifts 1.3 to 2.5 kHz by 4 to 6 dB and adds up to 5 dB of treble above 10 kHz, with a preamp of -6.2 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-1000XM5 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-1000XM5's noise cancelling from a Mac?+
Sony's app only runs on phones. TuningMac adds Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound (level 1 to 20, Focus on Voice) and Off to your Mac's menu bar, and it's tested on the WH-1000XM5.
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-1000XM5 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-1000XM5 is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.