Sony WH-CH520 EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WH-CH520, 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
- Adds deep bass below 40 Hz, up to about 4 dB at 20 Hz.
- Leaves 60 Hz to 2 kHz within about 2 dB.
- Dips about 3 dB around 3 kHz and adds about 4.5 to 6.5 dB from 5 to 6.5 kHz.
- Cuts the treble above 10 kHz by about 3 dB.
WH-CH520 at a glance
Wireless on-ear headphones, released in 2023. Official specifications from Sony:
- Bluetooth version
- 5.2
- Bluetooth codecs
- SBC, AAC
- Bluetooth profiles
- A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
- Bluetooth frequency range
- 20 Hz to 20 kHz (44.1 kHz sampling)
- Driver
- 30 mm
- Battery life
- Up to 50 hours (AAC)
- Charging
- About 3 hours; 3 minutes gives about 1.5 hours, 10 minutes about 5.5 hours of playback
- Multipoint
- Connects to two Bluetooth devices at once
- Range
- About 10 m, line of sight
- Weight
- About 147 g
Sources: Sony Help Guide: specifications, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony Help Guide: multipoint, Sony WH-CH520 specifications.
Using the WH-CH520 with a Mac
Codec: AAC. The WH-CH520 support SBC and AAC, and a Mac picks AAC, the better of the two. It carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates (44.1 or 48 kHz).
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-CH520 in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. Turn on Connect to 2 devices simultaneously in Sony's app and the WH-CH520 stay connected to your Mac and your phone. Music plays from whichever device played last.
Bluetooth only. The CH520 have no headphone cable input; the USB-C port is for charging.
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on Rtings' measurements of the WH-CH520. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Adds deep bass below 40 Hz, up to about 4 dB at 20 Hz.
- Leaves 60 Hz to 2 kHz within about 2 dB.
- Dips about 3 dB around 3 kHz and adds about 4.5 to 6.5 dB from 5 to 6.5 kHz.
- Cuts the treble above 10 kHz by about 3 dB.
On-ear headphones sound different depending on how they sit and press on your ears, more than over-ear ones. Adjust the bass by ear if it sounds off.
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-CH520 connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WH-CH520 (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WH-CH520 and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -6.7 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 5.4 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 5060 Hz Gain 7.1 dB Q 2.23 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 64 Hz Gain -6.4 dB Q 0.83 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 3013 Hz Gain -3.9 dB Q 3.47 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 871 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 1.82 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -3.2 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9568 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 1.47 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6627 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 5.95 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 1837 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 4.58 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 386 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 4.78
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 5.06 kHz | +7.1 dB | 2.23 |
| 3 | Bell | 64 Hz | −6.4 dB | 0.83 |
| 4 | Bell | 3.01 kHz | −3.9 dB | 3.47 |
| 5 | Bell | 871 Hz | −0.8 dB | 1.82 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −3.2 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 9.57 kHz | −1.7 dB | 1.47 |
| 8 | Bell | 6.63 kHz | +2.9 dB | 5.95 |
| 9 | Bell | 1.84 kHz | +1.5 dB | 4.58 |
| 10 | Bell | 386 Hz | +0.7 dB | 4.78 |
Preamp: −6.7 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
Which codec do the Sony WH-CH520 use on a Mac?+
AAC. The WH-CH520 support SBC and AAC, and a Mac picks AAC, the better of the two. It carries the full 20 Hz to 20 kHz range at standard sample rates.
What are the best EQ settings for the Sony WH-CH520?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Rtings' measurements, adds deep bass below 40 Hz, adds about 4.5 to 6.5 dB from 5 to 6.5 kHz and cuts the treble above 10 kHz by about 3 dB, with a preamp of -6.7 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-CH520 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.
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-CH520 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 Rtings. Specifications from Sony's published specifications. Sony WH-CH520 is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.