Sony WH-XB910N EQ settings for Mac
Measured EQ correction for the Sony WH-XB910N, 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
- Cuts the bass hard, by about 7 to 9 dB below 150 Hz: the XB910N are Sony's EXTRA BASS model, and this brings them back to neutral.
- Adds about 4.5 to 6.5 dB from 500 to 750 Hz and cuts about 5 dB around 1.3 kHz.
- Lifts 3 to 4 kHz by about 5.5 to 7 dB for clearer voices.
- Cuts about 4.5 dB around 8 kHz.
WH-XB910N at a glance
Wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancelling and EXTRA BASS, 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)
- Frequency response (wired)
- 7 Hz to 25 kHz (JEITA)
- Driver
- 40 mm, closed dynamic
- Battery life
- Up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on, 50 hours with it off
- Charging
- About 3.5 hours; 10 minutes gives about 4.5 hours of playback (with an AC adapter)
- Microphones
- 2 for calls, plus feedforward and feedback mics for noise cancelling
- Multipoint
- Connects to two Bluetooth devices at once
- Range
- About 10 m, line of sight
- Weight
- About 252 g
Sources: Sony Help Guide: specifications, Sony Help Guide: operating time, Sony Help Guide: multipoint, Sony WH-XB910N specifications, Sony launch announcement.
Using the WH-XB910N with a Mac
Codec: AAC, not LDAC. The WH-XB910N 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-XB910N in stereo music mode.
Multipoint. Turn on Connect to 2 devices simultaneously in Sony's app and the WH-XB910N stay connected to your Mac and your phone. Sony switches LDAC off in this mode, which makes no difference on a Mac, since it uses AAC anyway.
Battery on a Mac. Over AAC, Sony rates the XB910N at up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on and 50 hours off.
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-XB910N yet. How it works
What the measurements show
This correction comes from AutoEQ, based on Rtings' measurements of the WH-XB910N. It shows how much to boost or cut at each frequency to bring the headphones closer to AutoEQ's neutral target:
- Cuts the bass hard, by about 7 to 9 dB below 150 Hz: the XB910N are Sony's EXTRA BASS model, and this brings them back to neutral.
- Adds about 4.5 to 6.5 dB from 500 to 750 Hz and cuts about 5 dB around 1.3 kHz.
- Lifts 3 to 4 kHz by about 5.5 to 7 dB for clearer voices.
- Cuts about 4.5 dB around 8 kHz.
This removes most of the XB910N's EXTRA BASS tuning. If you bought them for that bass, set the low shelf (filter 1) to about half its value instead of removing it all.
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-XB910N connected.
- Turn on Use Advanced EQ for WH-XB910N (or whatever you've named them on your Mac).
- Choose More ▸ Paste from Clipboard.
TuningMac saves it for your WH-XB910N and loads it whenever they connect.
Preamp: -7.3 dB Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain -9.3 dB Q 0.70 Filter 2: ON PK Fc 149 Hz Gain -5.0 dB Q 1.11 Filter 3: ON PK Fc 537 Hz Gain 6.7 dB Q 1.94 Filter 4: ON PK Fc 3897 Hz Gain 7.8 dB Q 1.85 Filter 5: ON PK Fc 7992 Hz Gain -5.2 dB Q 1.49 Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 0.70 Filter 7: ON PK Fc 1289 Hz Gain -5.9 dB Q 1.54 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 786 Hz Gain 3.9 dB Q 3.17 Filter 9: ON PK Fc 2866 Hz Gain 3.2 dB Q 4.32 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 370 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 3.21
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low Shelf | 105 Hz | −9.3 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Bell | 149 Hz | −5.0 dB | 1.11 |
| 3 | Bell | 537 Hz | +6.7 dB | 1.94 |
| 4 | Bell | 3.9 kHz | +7.8 dB | 1.85 |
| 5 | Bell | 7.99 kHz | −5.2 dB | 1.49 |
| 6 | High Shelf | 10 kHz | −0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Bell | 1.29 kHz | −5.9 dB | 1.54 |
| 8 | Bell | 786 Hz | +3.9 dB | 3.17 |
| 9 | Bell | 2.87 kHz | +3.2 dB | 4.32 |
| 10 | Bell | 370 Hz | +1.0 dB | 3.21 |
Preamp: −7.3 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 −7.0 dB.
Values in dB, at 31 Hz to 16 kHz. The parametric version above is more precise.
Questions
Does the Sony WH-XB910N use LDAC on a Mac?+
No. The WH-XB910N 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-XB910N?+
AutoEQ's correction, based on Rtings' measurements, cuts the bass by about 7 to 9 dB, adds 4.5 to 6.5 dB from 500 to 750 Hz, lifts 3 to 4 kHz by 5.5 to 7 dB and cuts about 4.5 dB near 8 kHz, with a preamp of -7.3 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-XB910N 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-XB910N'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-XB910N 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-XB910N 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-XB910N is a trademark of Sony; TuningMac is not affiliated with Sony.