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There are literally thousands of headphones available on the market — from affordable over-ear Bluetooth headphones to finely tuned in-ear monitors, and everything in between. If you’ve read our recent article on cheap gadgets to level up your sound, you know that there’s a lot you can do to mold and improve how your headphones sound. And if you picked up one of our favorite pairs of headphones, then you’ll want to get the most out of them. So, what if you want to improve the sound of your headphones simply with software, for no money at all? Enter AutoEQ, a free tool that seeks to dial in the sound of your headphones with scientific precision.
The premise is actually pretty simple: AutoEQ is a community-supported, GitHub-released software that includes an array of recommended equalizer (EQ) settings for hundreds of popular headphone and earphone models out there. The software itself is not an EQ, however. It’s essentially a repository for settings that work with an existing equalizer app you may already have. So instead of using your EQ app to guess what would make your headphones sound better, consider using AutoEQ to really dial it in.
How an equalizer works (and where AutoEQ steps in)
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As we covered in our piece on settings to get your car audio sounding great, an equalizer can really help improve the sound of any audio device. What is an EQ, though? Simply put, it’s a physical device or piece of software that filters sound, accentuating certain parts of the frequency response to taste. So if you’ve ever thought, “I want some more bass” or “This has too much treble,” then an EQ is the tool for the job.
Many modern headphones, especially those that connect wirelessly, come with dedicated equalizers in their companion software. This is great, but if you want to get extra precise, you can download a separate, dedicated app for even more control. AutoEQ, for example, recommends a variety of apps such as Neutron for Android, iOS, or Windows, SoundSource for macOS, and more. The AutoEQ documentation also points out that there are three types of EQ styles: graphical, which lets you mold your sound on a chart; parametric, which gives you dial-based control over more parameters; and convolution, which lets software metering dial in just the right levels across the spectrum.
Where AutoEq comes in is that you can either download a set of EQ settings for parametric or graphical EQs on their site by selecting your headphones and your EQ software, or you can connect the software to your convolution-style EQ to have ultra-precise control. The result? A mix that’s got a pleasant, well-balanced sound, supported by a community of audiophiles who just love music.
