Have you ever put on a pair of headphones and thought the sound needed to be tweaked? You might also be afraid and overwhelmed by the EQ settings and other sound preferences.
Don’t worry; we will share the different EQ apps and best practices to understand how EQ works on both of these noise-canceling headphones (Sony 1000XM4 and 1000XM5).
The goal of equalizing is to adjust the frequency of vocals, winds, strings, and drums. It’s important to know what not to do. One of the most common mistakes with EQ is going into the EQ section and turning up the frequency for everything. This affects the audio quality of your noise canceling headphones.
About Sony 1000XM4 and XM5
Both of these industry-leading noise-cancellation headphones make the quality of sound better. These lightweight headphones skip tracks with just a touch on the intuitive touch control settings.
Hold your hand over one of the ear cups, and you will be able to hear more of the outside noise. You can also control the noise cancellation on your voice assistant. The XM5 has a soft-fit leather design for the ear cup.
The Best Equalizer Settings
Open the Sony Headphones Connect app and click the “Equalizer” tab. From here, you can adjust the frequency levels to boost or reduce certain frequencies. You need to find a baseline.
We would recommend lowering everything by 2. Yes, lowering is a good place to start. We recommend boosting the bass frequencies by +3 dB and reducing the treble frequencies by -2 dB.
You need to cut before boosting. The boosting is like the sprinkles on top of a chocolate sundae, and the cutting is the actual sundae.
Next, go to the “Sound Quality & Effects” tab and make sure that the “Adaptive Sound Control” and “Ambient Sound Mode” are turned off. These features will negatively impact your sound quality if left enabled. Switch off these functions by moving the slider to either the noise-cancellation function or the ambient noise or external sounds control function.
Finally, make sure that your headphones are connected to a high-quality audio source. If you’re using a streaming service like Spotify, be sure to select the “High-Quality Streaming” option in your settings. With these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your music at its best!
Popular EQ Settings (for Bass Fans)
For songs and genres that rely on heavy bass, here are a few popular equalizer settings:
(Note that the Sony app has 5 bands — 400, 1K, 2.5K, 6.3K, and 16K — plus a “Clear Bass” setting)
- 400: Somewhere between +4 and +7
- 1K: Either +4 or +5
- 2.5K: Somewhere between +4 and +7
- 6.3K: Either +4 or +5
- 16K: Somewhere between +3 and +7
- Clear Bass: +10 (although this is strongly dependent on personal preference)
For genres that are less dependent on bass, these settings may prove too bass-heavy. So you should feel free to tweak these settings to your preference.
If the above sound profile has too much bass for your ear, adjust the Clear Bass down to +2 and then adjust from there.
The Different Types Of Equalizers
There are several different types of equalizers that can be used to improve the sound quality of Sony WH-XM headphones. The most common type of equalizer is the parametric equalizer, which allows the user to adjust the frequency, gain, and Q (bandwidth) of each filter.
Other types of equalizers include:
- Graphic equalizers. These provide a visual representation of the frequencies that are being affected.
- Shelf equalizers. These boost or cut all frequencies above or below a certain point.
- Multi-band compressors. These divide the audio spectrum into multiple bands and compress each band separately.
The best way to find out which type of equalizer works best for your headphones is to experiment with different settings. This way you can see what sounds best to you.
Parametric equalizers provide the most flexibility and allow for the greatest degree of sound customization. But they can also be more difficult to use than other types of equalizers. If you’re not sure where to start, try experimenting with different types of EQs until you find one that you’re comfortable with.
Third Party Apps
There are many third-party apps that can provide an equalizer for your headphones, earbuds, or speakers. My personal favorite is the “Bass Boost” app, which gives you more customization than you could ever need.
Sony gives you equalizer adjustments through a dedicated app, which is great — but there is no reason you can’t add a third-party app to unlock even more functionality.
Sony Headphones Connect App
The Sony headphones connect app is great for Sony users. It allows you to customize the setup of your headphones in the app, giving you exactly what you want from your headphones.
The app also allows you to control the bass level of your headphones. It also gives you a list of preset equalizer sound setting for you to choose from. You can also find updated information about your headphones as well as the new app features when the app updates. News about Sony can also be found in the app.
The advanced audio signal processing feature is something that the headphones come standard with. It is not something that you need to switch on in the app. The precise voice pickup technology allows the headphones to pick up your every word, even if there is a lot of background noise.
With all that said, it is fair to say that the Connect app is very helpful with your sound and equalizer preferences.
Final Thoughts
There you have it — our recommended equalizer settings for the Sony WH-1000XM4 / Sony WH-1000XM5. These settings provide a great starting point for getting the most out of your headphones.
But feel free to experiment and find what sounds best to you. And if you need any help, our team of expert audio technicians is always here to lend a hand.
FAQs
What is the perfect equalizer setting?
Try setting up 500-1000Hz. The highs of music from all genres should be heard within the 5000 MHz range. You can crank the decibel range you like, and sometimes, you have to use finesse to get the best equalizer.
How do I adjust the EQ on my Sony WH-1000XM4?
Opening The Sony Headphone Connect app, connect the player device to the headphones through Bluetooth. Tap the down arrow button in the Equalizer settings in the Sound menu.
Do WH-1000XM4 have good bass?
The Wireless XMM4 has better sound quality and is aimed at people who want more bass-heavy sounds and provides better noise reduction.
Is Sony XM5 better than XM4?
The Sony XM5 has advanced noise canceling and clarity in sound performance, so you will have distraction-free listening. The 1000xm5 always adapts to its surroundings, so they are always optimized. They also keep out more mid-frequency sounds than ever.
Does the EQ setting affect the battery life of my headphones?
Yes, volume level, equalizer setting, and the intensity of your music do affect the battery life of your headphones. The high-intensity music genres mixed with high volume levels and your EQ setting drain the battery faster. Yet, slight changes to your EQ setting and mid-level volume will not have much effect on the battery life.
