Apple to Bring Custom EQ to AirPods

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that AirPods will gain a custom EQ (equalizer) feature, allowing users to further personalize how their AirPods sound.

The new capability is part of Apple's next-generation software platform updates, which the company unveiled today. Custom EQ lets listeners adjust audio output to match their personal preferences, going beyond the fixed audio profiles AirPods have offered previously.

Custom EQ lets you adjust the balance of different sound frequencies, including bass, mids, and treble, to tailor audio output to your personal taste. Boosting the bass makes music feel punchier, for example, while lifting the treble adds more clarity to vocals and instruments.

AirPods already support features such as Adaptive Audio, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Conversation Awareness. Custom EQ adds a further layer of tuning on top of those.

Article Link: Apple to Bring Custom EQ to AirPods

 

[vertsix]

Only three sliders? A step in the right direction but come on man…

 

[BeerDrinkerDan]

I wonder if this applies to all modes (Airpods, wired, speaker) of listening.

Edit: Either I misread the headline or they updated it to say "to Airpods". Either way, I have that answer. Now I wonder if it's limited to certain models.

-bdd

 

[101phd]

Only three sliders? A step in the right direction but come on man…

Got to keep it Apple simple....

 

[Markwebbvt]

FINALLY, though not perfect but I'll take it!

 

[TwoBytes]

Going to turn my AirPods into beats

 

[ScreenSavers]

Been wanting this for a long time. 3 bands of EQ is a little disappointing but we had nothing before so I'll take it as well.

 

[david.olstein]

I'm fine with basic tone controls, but would like to have seen Parametric EQ as an option.

 

[imac_g4_1702]

Makes sense for regular Airpods. But for Airpod Pros? It need more adjustability to make up for that "pro" nomenclature

 

[acrakes]

Is this coming to the AirPods Max?

 

[contraband]

Great!

 

[Avidos1]

Needs full eq for all audio output, like everything else had 30 years ago

 

[svish]

Nice to see this. Will definitely check this out once it is available.

 

[GumaRodak]

btw what about the codecs used for wireless BT transfer? In previous OSx systems you were able to switch and use the high quality ones, but i think now its fixed and you cant change it

 

[CaliAzian]

What we really need is a dedicated AirPods app.

 

[macrumorsmww]

It only took 20 years, not bad.

 

[H_D]

Amen. Hope it doesn't completely overwrite the auto-EQ-adjustment but rather tips the scale to «more bass and treble please». Can't believe this finally happened.

 

[dwhankner]

Yes. Finally!! Love it

 

[carswell]

Only three sliders? A step in the right direction but come on man…

That's almost as silly as Sonos's two sliders (treble and bass). Better late than never and better than nothing but that's about all you can say. Also, on paper, it sounds a little Mickey Mouse for Pro/Max devices but will reserve judgement till I can try it for myself.

 

[WhiteHawk]

Wonder if that will be enough to make the AirPods 4 sound as good as the 3, because holy crap the 4 sounds terrible, sent them straight back as even with the tricks currently available it was still boomy muddled garbage, first AirPods I’ve ever had that were worse than the previous and by a long way. Somehow I doubt it.

 

[driver111]

This only works with airpods that have 12gb ram.

 

[McNoise]

miracles and wonders still happen

 

[imac_g4_1702]

Anyone know if the settings are preserved throughout apple and nonapple devices? Or only with the device that set up the eq?

 

[davidespinosa]

Was waiting for EQ to buy AirPods.
But 3 bands isn't gonna cut it.

 

[H_D]

Was waiting for EQ to buy AirPods.
But 3 bands isn't gonna cut it.

Quite frankly, the APP3 sound as good as any manually-EQ'd Wireless IEs I ever owned (I use it with the «electronic» EQ preset). Especially with more modern tracks via Apple Music. Old and maybe ripped music and bad MP3 could use a bit of a boost, but overall I am amazingly happy with the sound. I think being able to boost highs and lows a bit will suffice – and it still is better than what, say, B&O offers instead of a real Equalizer. A full-spectrum graphic EQ would probably be too much for the average consumer. It's amazing that Apple is starting to give users a longer leash with this and with the «transparency»-slider for Liquid Glass an so on. And they know that one of the attractors to Apples ecosphere is that it is simple, you don't have to set up a trillion things... stepping away from that simplicity and embracing a more complex system isn't that easy on that scale. The more they open up, the more people can f*** the system up and blast support because stuff doesn't work anything after they twiddled too much with options. For anything more there are specialized options, if you need a 10/24-bnand EQ, the APP aren't agood solution, especially considering that Apple says that the APP have a kind of automagical EQ that adapts to the music it hears etc.