Looking for a Good System-Wide EQ for macOS (Apple Silicon)

[TheHypnotoad]

Besides eqMac2 (started open source, now is also free/paid) there's this new one which looks very promising https://github.com/Torteous44/radioform but I cannot vouch for it since I've never used it.

Hi, I've just given Radioform a go and if you only need a 10 band EQ, then it works well in my experience, worth a try if you want something simple.

 

[kriskringle]

Hi,

I recently moved from Windows to macOS and I am trying to find a proper system-wide equalizer solution.

On Windows I used SoundFX, which worked great for my needs, but unfortunately it is not available on macOS. I tried using SoundSource, which seems well designed, but the trial limitation (periodic noise after some time unless you purchase a license) makes it difficult to evaluate long-term behavior in real use.

My setup:

• MacBook Pro with M1 Pro (Apple Silicon)
• Edifier M60 speakers connected to an external DAC
• Mostly used for music listening

What I am looking for is a clean, transparent system-wide EQ that:

• Works across all audio output, not just specific apps
• Has solid audio quality with no coloration or processing artifacts
• Is stable for daily use
• Ideally offers parametric EQ control (not just graphic EQ)
• Does not require complex routing setups unless absolutely necessary

Sound quality and reliability are more important to me than extra features.

I would really appreciate recommendations from people who have already gone through this transition and found a good macOS solution.

Regards.

Hi, I have myself been looking for an equalizer app on macOS for a while, but I was not able to find one the fully implemented the features I wanted at a price point I wanted to pay. So I decided to develop my own.

Its called Equaliser (British spelling) and is available here: https://equaliser.knage.net/
Features include:
- Up to 64 bands of parametric EQ.
- Bypass mode, to bypass EQ processing instantly.
- Compare Mode to quickly A/B your EQ curve against a flat response.
- 11 carefully crafted presets for music, movies, and more.
- Native light and dark UI.
- Real-time level meters to monitor input/output and avoid distortion.

I welcome any feedback you may have

 

[antcollinet]

Hi, I have myself been looking for an equalizer app on macOS for a while, but I was not able to find one the fully implemented the features I wanted at a price point I wanted to pay. So I decided to develop my own.

Its called Equaliser (British spelling) and is available here: https://equaliser.knage.net/
Features include:
- Up to 64 bands of parametric EQ.
- Bypass mode, to bypass EQ processing instantly.
- Compare Mode to quickly A/B your EQ curve against a flat response.
- 11 carefully crafted presets for music, movies, and more.
- Native light and dark UI.
- Real-time level meters to monitor input/output and avoid distortion.

I welcome any feedback you may have

That looks interesting - does it have separate left and right channel filtering? And can it import filter settings from an REW export?

 

[kriskringle]

That looks interesting - does it have separate left and right channel filtering? And can it import filter settings from an REW export?

No, it does not have left and right channel filtering, but I am open to maybe adding it in the future once I have knocked a few other items off the todo list.
Sorry, I do not know what an REW export is. It does however export to a *.json file, and has basic support for importing/exporting presets to/from EasyEffects on Linux.

 

[yelloguy]

Hi, I have myself been looking for an equalizer app on macOS for a while, but I was not able to find one the fully implemented the features I wanted at a price point I wanted to pay. So I decided to develop my own.

Its called Equaliser (British spelling) and is available here: https://equaliser.knage.net/
Features include:
- Up to 64 bands of parametric EQ.
- Bypass mode, to bypass EQ processing instantly.
- Compare Mode to quickly A/B your EQ curve against a flat response.
- 11 carefully crafted presets for music, movies, and more.
- Native light and dark UI.
- Real-time level meters to monitor input/output and avoid distortion.

I welcome any feedback you may have

This looks interesting. What was missing from CamillaDSP? I think I can do all from your list above using CamillaDSP (not sure about light/dark UI tbh)

 

[829]

Hi, I have myself been looking for an equalizer app on macOS for a while, but I was not able to find one the fully implemented the features I wanted at a price point I wanted to pay. So I decided to develop my own.

Its called Equaliser (British spelling) and is available here: https://equaliser.knage.net/
Features include:
- Up to 64 bands of parametric EQ.
- Bypass mode, to bypass EQ processing instantly.
- Compare Mode to quickly A/B your EQ curve against a flat response.
- 11 carefully crafted presets for music, movies, and more.
- Native light and dark UI.
- Real-time level meters to monitor input/output and avoid distortion.

I welcome any feedback you may have

Really great news! Congrats. Looking forward to see where the project is heading.

In the meantime - more options, also more powerful ones (all OS) can be found there: https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/wiki/Choosing-an-Equalizer-App

No, it does not have left and right channel filtering, but I am open to maybe adding it in the future once I have knocked a few other items off the todo list.
Sorry, I do not know what an REW export is. It does however export to a *.json file, and has basic support for importing/exporting presets to/from EasyEffects on Linux.

That's using REW (Room EQ Wizard) for creating room correction filters and exporting them for use in DSP software; similarly to https://web.archive.org/web/20220118065605/https://www.minidsp.com/applications/auto-eq-with-rew

 

[kriskringle]

This looks interesting. What was missing from CamillaDSP? I think I can do all from your list above using CamillaDSP (not sure about light/dark UI tbh)

I didn't know about CamillaDSP.

I guess there are many solutions out there that work well, but I guess I never found one that worked like I wanted it to.
CamillaDSP sounds great, but to be honest even though I am a developer and spend most of my work day in the terminal, I still would like my EQ app to be a native GUI. Personal preference I guess.

 

[kriskringle]

Really great news! Congrats. Looking forward to see where the project is heading.

In the meantime - more options, also more powerful ones (all OS) can be found there: https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/wiki/Choosing-an-Equalizer-App

That's using REW (Room EQ Wizard) for creating room correction filters and exporting them for use in DSP software; similarly to https://web.archive.org/web/20220118065605/https://www.minidsp.com/applications/auto-eq-with-rew

Thanks for clarifying REW for me. I think that is a bit too advanced for me to fully grasp for the time being.
I have it on the drawing board to make it possible to load multiple EQ settings/presets stacked on top of each other (or something like that), so one could use AutoEq to balance headphones in one and then genre specific EQ in another or whatever, but it's in the future.

I tried all the non commercial options (for macOS) from the list you linked, but even though AUNBandEq is powerful in something like Au Labs or HostingAU, I wanted something different.
I really like the way EasyEffects work on linux, so I was inspired a bit (maybe a lot) by the design. Equaliser will probably never be as powerful as EasyEffects is on Linux though.

 

[Torin Krell]

I am enjoying all the useful, helpful information and suggestions for software parametric equalizer (PEQ) solutions in this thread. I however wish to add that hardware PEQ solutions also exist, which obviously are impervious to computer upgrade and compatibility issues, and require only a one time purchase and a comparatively simple setup. A hardware PEQ can be used with multiple sources at once, can minimize AD/DA conversions, and can help sustain a fully analog signal chain if one desires. Hardware analog PEQs also have no latency and a certain immediacy through physical control that I find satisfying. Currently I am enjoying an older Technics SH-9010 which combines the "ease of use" physical layout of a graphic EQ with added full PEQ functionality. An excellent recent review of this hardware PEQ is here: https://www.kenrockwell.com/audio/technics/sh-9010.htm

 

[yelloguy]

I didn't know about CamillaDSP.

I guess there are many solutions out there that work well, but I guess I never found one that worked like I wanted it to.
CamillaDSP sounds great, but to be honest even though I am a developer and spend most of my work day in the terminal, I still would like my EQ app to be a native GUI. Personal preference I guess.

I am a [very] happy CamillaDSP user and even I appreciate your GUI from the photos, so, all good.

Quick question - are the bands fixed or can you custom select any freq and Q value? I measure the room and add specific cuts as needed. You might even add this info to the webpage to make it easier for folks like me to decide. Thanks for putting in the work!

 

[kriskringle]

I am a [very] happy CamillaDSP user and even I appreciate your GUI from the photos, so, all good.

Quick question - are the bands fixed or can you custom select any freq and Q value? I measure the room and add specific cuts as needed. You might even add this info to the webpage to make it easier for folks like me to decide. Thanks for putting in the work!

The 64 bands are full parametric. Bandwidth in used by default, but you can change it to display it as Q in the settings.
64 bands is a current UI limitation, as my current design gets a bit meaningless with that amount of bands in a row, but the code paths are there to allow as many bands as your CPU can handle (unless Apple has some upper limit I haven't encountered yet).

If you want to import settings from another app, you could export the flat preset from my app, and whatever settings you have from another app and ask your favourite AI chat to merge the two. I have used an approach like this when I first wanted to get a preset from EasyEffects in to my app.

You might even add this info to the webpage to make it easier for folks like me to decide

I don't know how to ask this without it sounding rude, but I do not mean it that way:
What information are you missing, or rather what would you like me to add to the page?

 

[yelloguy]

I don't know how to ask this without it sounding rude, but I do not mean it that way:
What information are you missing, or rather what would you like me to add to the page?

The web page does not make it clear if PEQ is supported. I spent maybe 90 seconds on your webpage and could not figure out. Could have been a user error.

Your explanation and screen shot above look like it does. I could not locate these on the website.

 

[kriskringle]

The web page does not make it clear if PEQ is supported. I spent maybe 90 seconds on your webpage and could not figure out. Could have been a user error.

Your explanation and screen shot above look like it does. I could not locate these on the website.

Thank you for your feedback, it is much appreciated

It is definitely not user error. The page is lacking in content depth.
I liked the 90 seconds spent part, It frames the experience from your point of view very well, thanks.

 

[middlemarch]

I'll throw in my two bits worth. I'd be happy with separate EQ per channel and ability to import filters from REW.

 

[kriskringle]

I'll throw in my two bits worth. I'd be happy with separate EQ per channel and ability to import filters from REW.

Thanks for sharing, I appreciate it.
I want EQ per channel too...

 

[yelloguy]

I like what you are doing. But have you considered building a native UI for CamillaDSP? I use the web gui and it is not the best experience. But its engine is solid. Including EQ per channel.

 

[kriskringle]

I like what you are doing.

Thank you, that is validating.

But have you considered building a native UI for CamillaDSP? I use the web gui and it is not the best experience. But its engine is solid. Including EQ per channel.

I did consider it briefly when you first mentioned CamillaDSP, but to be honest, it is not something I am interested in building or maintaining.
CamillaDSP is its own (terminal) application and not available as a library that can be integrated in to another application.
I guess one could build an electron app where one takes one of the existing web UIs (or build their own) and bundle it together with CamillaDSP, but it is a lot of work stringing the pieces together and one would have to keep up to date with the development of CamillaDSP to continually provide patches when changes happen in CamillaDSP to make sure things keep working.
I am not saying it can not be done, I am saying I am not currently interested in spending my hobby time doing it as it would not be fun for me

Besides, I think the use case for Equaliser and CamillaDSP are different.
CamillaDSP is technical and can EQ your dreams, whereas Equaliser is simple and more basic.
Use CamillaDSP when you want maximum control, the best technical features, cross platform support, install it on a separate networked device in your media centre setup and remote control it from the browser.
Use Equaliser when you listen on your Man and want to balance your headphones, make those kick drums hit you in the chest or just add some base to the built in speakers.

I built Equaliser because the other solutions I could find where either too limited offering only 10 bands, too cumbersome to get working on a modern Mac (AUNBandEQ in Au Labs) or proprietary paid options that I did not want to buy.
I wanted something that was both powerful and easy to use.
There are still features I would like to add to Equaliser that CamillaDSP already has, and there are things CamillaDSP has that I will probably never add.
The key though, is that I am free to add these at my own pace in my own time having fun while I'm doing it.

I hope Equaliser will be useful for other people than myself, plus it is fun and exciting having users of a thing I built. But if you (plural) prefer another equaliser app that is totally fine with me, which is actually the reason I mention alternative apps on the Equaliser GitHub page (I should add CamillaDSP to that list).

 

[kriskringle]

Hi again, I just shipped version 1.3.0, it adds support for independent L/R EQ and REW import.
I also created a separate thread on the forum specifically looking for feedback on Equaliser here: [APP] Equaliser – free, open-source system-wide parametric EQ for macOS (Apple Silicon) – looking for feedback

Thanks for the feedback I have gotten so far, I appreciate it

 

[middlemarch]

Very nice! Much appreciated!

 

[kriskringle]

I like what you are doing. But have you considered building a native UI for CamillaDSP? I use the web gui and it is not the best experience. But its engine is solid. Including EQ per channel.

I randomly came across this today: https://github.com/Wang-Yue/CamillaDSP-Monitor

Thought you might find that interesting - I have not tested it.