# TuningMac: full product information > TuningMac is a system-wide 10-band equalizer with live spectrum, per-app volume, synced multi-speaker playback and headphone noise controls, in your Mac's menu bar. No drivers, no account. Source: https://tuningmac.com Contact: support@tuningmac.com Current version: 1.0.1 Download: https://tuningmac.com/download ## What it is TuningMac is a native macOS app that sits in the menu bar. Clicking its icon opens a compact popover with the output device list, an equalizer, headphone controls and a per-app volume mixer. Everything it does applies to all sound on the Mac, not just one app. ## Features ### System-wide 10-band equalizer Ten bands (31, 62, 125, 250, 500, 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 16k Hz), ±12 dB each, applied to all audio on the Mac before it reaches headphones or speakers: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube in any browser, Netflix, FaceTime and Zoom calls, games. It uses real DSP (cascaded RBJ peaking biquad filters, Q ≈ 1.41), and parameter changes are smoothed so moving a slider or switching presets never clicks. ### Presets 9 built-in presets (Flat, Bass Boost, Bass Reducer, Vocal, Treble Boost, Rock, Classical, Gaming, Podcast), unlimited custom presets, and import/export of presets as files. ### Live spectrum analyzer A real-time analyzer showing 32 frequency bands from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (log scale) with the EQ curve drawn on top. It measures the sound after the EQ and only runs while it is visible. ### Per-app volume Every app that is playing sound gets its own volume slider and mute button, like the Windows volume mixer. TuningMac remembers each app's level and applies it the next time that app plays. ### Multi-output playback with Auto Sync Built on Apple's multi-output audio: play through AirPods, wired earphones, Bluetooth speakers, a display or TV and the Mac's own speakers at the same time, each with its own volume, all still going through the EQ. Use cases: a house party on several speakers, two people watching one screen with two pairs of earphones, or a home-made surround setup. Auto Sync plays a short tone through each output, listens with the Mac's built-in microphone, and delays the faster devices so every speaker plays in time (Bluetooth usually lags by 150 to 250 ms). Delays can also be set by hand. ### Headphone noise control without the manufacturer's app Sony headphones that use Sony's current control protocol (tested on the WH-1000XM5): Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound with its 1 to 20 level, and Focus on Voice. Supported AirPods: Off, Transparency, Adaptive and Noise Cancellation. Bose and other brands are not supported yet. ### Battery levels Battery percentage for Bluetooth headphones next to their name, like the macOS Sound menu. For AirPods it shows the lower of the two buds. ### Per-device profiles Each pair of headphones and each speaker can have its own EQ. When the output changes or AirPods reconnect, TuningMac loads that device's profile automatically. ### Tone and balance Bass and treble controls, Loudness (richer sound at low volume), left/right balance, and mono audio for one earbud or accessibility. ### Clip protection The preamp automatically makes room for boosts and a soft limiter catches the rest, so heavy presets stay clean at full volume. ### Native macOS app Lives in the menu bar, follows Light/Dark mode and the system accent colour, stays out of the Dock and can launch at login. ## How it works - Requires macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later. It uses the Core Audio process tap Apple added in macOS 14.2, so there is no driver, kernel extension, virtual audio device or admin password. - macOS asks once for System Audio Recording permission; that is what lets TuningMac process the sound. - Audio is processed in real time on the Mac and never recorded, stored or sent anywhere. - If TuningMac quits or crashes, sound returns to the normal route instantly; the Mac is never left silent. ## Privacy - No account, no sign-in, no analytics, no tracking. Audio, settings and usage never leave the Mac. - The only network traffic is the license check (the license key and the Mac's name go to Dodo Payments' license server on activation, with a re-check every few days; it keeps working offline for up to 14 days) and the automatic update check, which reads tuningmac.com/appcast.xml and downloads new versions from GitHub. - The microphone is used only while Auto Sync runs, and only the Mac's built-in microphone (so AirPods never drop into low-quality call mode). - Bluetooth is used only to talk to your headphones (battery and noise-control modes). ## Pricing and license - Launch price: $5 for the first 100 buyers (98 left at the time of writing), then $14. One-time purchase, no subscription. - Lifetime license: pay once, keep it forever - All future updates and versions included - Use on up to 2 of your Macs - Payments are handled by Dodo Payments (merchant of record), which charges in the buyer's local currency and handles taxes. ## Compared with eqMac and SoundSource Based on each app's own website in September 2026: - Price: TuningMac is $5 once for the first 100 buyers, then $14, and every future version is included. eqMac has a free tier; eqMac Pro is $3/month, $30/year or $40 lifetime (lifetime covers current Pro features). SoundSource is $49 once, with paid major upgrades ($25 to upgrade to version 6). - Included in TuningMac's single price: per-app volume and a live spectrum analyzer (both Pro-only in eqMac). - Only TuningMac lists microphone-based Auto Sync for multi-speaker playback, and noise-control modes for AirPods and Sony headphones. - TuningMac needs no audio driver (it uses Apple's audio tap); eqMac installs its own driver. - Where the others go further: eqMac has thousands of headphone presets and, in Pro, unlimited parametric EQ; SoundSource has per-app EQ, headphone EQ, Audio Unit plugins, grouped outputs and AirPlay. ## System requirements - macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later - Works with any output: AirPods and other Bluetooth headphones, wired headphones, USB DACs, speakers, displays and TVs. ## Frequently asked questions ### Which Macs and macOS versions does it support? TuningMac needs macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later. That's the version where Apple added the system audio tap that lets TuningMac work without installing a driver. ### Does it really work with every app? Yes. The equalizer is applied to all system audio, so Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube in any browser, Netflix, FaceTime and Zoom calls, and games all go through it. You don't need to change anything in those apps. ### Do I need to install a driver like BlackHole or Soundflower? No. On macOS 14.2 and later, TuningMac uses Apple's built-in audio tap. There's no kernel extension, no virtual output device and no admin password. The first time it runs, macOS asks for System Audio Recording permission once. ### Can I play audio on two pairs of earphones, or several speakers, at once? Yes. Turn on any extra outputs (AirPods, wired earphones, Bluetooth speakers, your display or TV) and they all play together, each with its own volume. Auto Sync then measures each device's delay with your Mac's microphone and lines them up so there's no echo. ### Which headphones can I control noise cancelling on? Sony headphones that use Sony's current control protocol (tested on the WH-1000XM5) get Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound with its level, and Focus on Voice. Supported AirPods get Noise Cancellation, Transparency and Adaptive. Bose and other brands aren't supported yet. The equalizer, app volume and everything else work with any headphones or speakers. ### What does the live spectrum show? It shows the sound after your EQ, split into 32 bands from deep bass to the highest treble, with your EQ curve drawn on top. It only runs while it's open, so it costs nothing when you're not looking. ### Does it add latency or drain my battery? Not in any way you'll notice. The processing is a handful of filters per sample, runs natively and allocates nothing while audio is playing, so CPU and battery use stay very low. ### What happens if TuningMac quits or crashes? Your sound goes straight back to normal. TuningMac never takes over your output device, so your Mac is never left silent. ### How much does it cost? $5 for the first 100 buyers (98 spots left right now), then $14. It's a one-time purchase with a lifetime license, and the price you pay is the price you keep. ### Is it a subscription? No. You pay once and get a lifetime license that covers every future update and version, including major ones. You'll never be charged again. ### How do I get the app after I pay? Straight after checkout you'll see your license key, a download button and an Activate in TuningMac button that unlocks the app in one click. You also get an email with your receipt and key, and you can download the latest version any time from tuningmac.com/download. ### How do updates work? TuningMac updates itself. It checks for new versions a few times a day and installs them when you restart it, or you can pick Check for Updates in the menu. Every update is free, forever. ## Links - Website: https://tuningmac.com/ - Features: https://tuningmac.com/#features - Multi-output and Auto Sync: https://tuningmac.com/#together - Headphone controls: https://tuningmac.com/#headphones - Pricing: https://tuningmac.com/#pricing - FAQ: https://tuningmac.com/#faq - Privacy policy: https://tuningmac.com/privacy - Terms of service: https://tuningmac.com/terms - Full text for AI tools: https://tuningmac.com/llms-full.txt