--- title: "Sony WH-1000XM6 EQ Settings and Mac Setup" description: "Starting EQ settings for the Sony WH-1000XM6's ten bands, from 31 Hz to 16 kHz, what each band does, and how to set the XM6 equalizer on a Mac." url: https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/wh-1000xm6-eq-settings language: en --- # WH-1000XM6 EQ, all ten bands The XM6 moved from five bands and Clear Bass to a ten-band equalizer. Here are values to start from, what each band changes, and how to set them on your Mac. Applies to: [WH-1000XM6](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm6) · Updated 2026-11-03 ## Short answer The WH-1000XM6 has a ten-band equalizer: 31, 63, 125, 250 and 500 Hz, then 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 kHz, each from −6 to +6 in Open Sound Connect. There's no separate Clear Bass slider; the three lowest bands do that job. Two starting points: - **Balanced:** −1, −1, −1, −1, 0, 0, +1, +1, +1, +1 (31 Hz to 16 kHz). - **Bass:** +3, +3, +2, +1, 0, 0, 0, 0, +1, +1. Set them on the **Sound** page (⌘2) on your Mac or in Sony | Sound Connect on your phone. If the app says the equalizer is unavailable, switch the listening mode back to Standard. ## Starting curves for the WH-1000XM6 Values run from 31 Hz on the left to 16 kHz on the right. They're editorial starting points, not measurements of the XM6, so adjust them to your ears and music. | Curve | 31 | 63 | 125 | 250 | 500 | 1k | 2k | 4k | 8k | 16k | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Balanced | −1 | −1 | −1 | −1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | | Bass | +3 | +3 | +2 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1 | | Detail | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | −1 | 0 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | | Voices | −3 | −3 | −2 | −1 | 0 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +1 | 0 | | Relaxed | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | −1 | −2 | −2 | −2 | - **Balanced:** a touch less bass and a touch more clarity for everyday listening. - **Bass:** more weight below 125 Hz for electronic, hip-hop and film, with a small top lift so it stays clear. - **Detail:** lifts 4 to 16 kHz and trims the low mids, for acoustic, jazz and classical. - **Voices:** cuts the low end and lifts 1 to 4 kHz, for podcasts, audiobooks and video. - **Relaxed:** softens the top and warms the bottom, for long sessions or bright recordings. The [preset library](https://opensoundconnect.app/presets) has the same curves next to their five-band versions for the older models. The XM6's range is −6 to +6 rather than −10 to +10, so use these ten-band values instead of converting a five-band curve. ## What each XM6 band does | Bands | What you hear | Tip | | --- | --- | --- | | 31 and 63 Hz | Sub-bass: rumble, the floor of electronic music and film | Raise for a deeper feel; lower if it booms | | 125 Hz | Bass punch: kick drum, bass guitar | The main "more bass" band | | 250 and 500 Hz | Warmth and body | Lower a step if the sound is muddy or boxy | | 1 and 2 kHz | The core of voices and instruments | Raise 2 kHz to bring voices forward | | 4 kHz | Presence and edge | Too much sounds harsh; lower it first if music tires you | | 8 kHz | Cymbals and "s" sounds | Lower it for less sibilance | | 16 kHz | Air | Subtle; a step or two adds openness | With ten bands, it's easy to draw a curve that zigzags. Neighboring bands overlap, so smooth shapes usually sound more natural than sharp peaks. ## Set the XM6 equalizer on a Mac 1. Connect the XM6 to your Mac in **System Settings → Bluetooth** and open Open Sound Connect. 2. Press ⌘2 for **Sound**. The **Equalizer** card shows the presets the XM6 reports and ten sliders. 3. Click a preset to hear it, or drag the sliders to enter a curve from the table. Focus a slider and use the arrow keys for one step at a time; the change is sent when you let go. 4. If a fixed preset is selected, the card says editing switches to **Manual**, and your change is applied there. **Flatten** sets all ten bands to 0. 5. Choose **Save Current** under **My Curves** to keep the curve on your Mac, and click it later to apply it. The menu bar panel and **Headphones → Equalizer** switch presets without opening the window. ## On your phone, with Sony | Sound Connect The XM6 uses Sony | Sound Connect. Open the equalizer there, choose a custom setting and enter the same ten values. The curve is saved in the headphones, so it's the same whether you're listening on the Mac or the phone. See [do Sony EQ settings carry over?](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-eq-settings-carry-over) ## XM6 notes - **"The equalizer is unavailable in the current mode."** In some listening modes, such as Background Music, the XM6 reports the equalizer as unavailable and the app shows this message. Switch the listening mode back to **Standard** on **My Device** (⌘1) to use it again. - **Presets come from the headphones.** The app lists the presets your XM6 reports, with the names it sends, so the list matches what Sony's app shows for your firmware. - **Five-band curves don't fit.** Curves saved for an XM2 to XM5 have five bands and Clear Bass; the app won't apply them to the XM6 and says the curve doesn't match the headphones' bands. Use the ten-band values above instead. - **LE Audio connection mode.** If your XM6 shows **LE Audio Connection Mode** on the **Wearing** page, its **Low Latency (EQ Restricted)** option limits the equalizer, as the name says. - **DSEE Extreme.** The XM6 may warn that using the equalizer together with DSEE uses more battery. DSEE is turned off during calls. See [DSEE on a Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-dsee-mac). The [WH-1000XM6 page](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm6) lists everything else the app sets on the XM6, including listening modes, and the [equalizer feature page](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/equalizer) compares it with the other 1000X models. ## Common questions ### Where is Clear Bass on the WH-1000XM6? The XM6's equalizer has no separate Clear Bass slider. Use the 31, 63 and 125 Hz bands for the low end instead, as the **Bass** curve above does. ### Why does the XM6 equalizer only go from −6 to +6? That's the range of the XM6's ten-band equalizer in Open Sound Connect. The five-band models use −10 to +10, which is why the XM6 has its own starting curves. ### Why does the app say the XM6 equalizer is unavailable? The headphones report it as unavailable in the current listening mode, such as Background Music. Switch the listening mode back to **Standard** on **My Device** to use the equalizer. ## Where to next - [Sony WH-1000XM6 App for Mac](https://opensoundconnect.app/headphones/wh-1000xm6): Sony WH-1000XM6 · Noise canceling, Ambient sound, Equalizer, DSEE Extreme, Speak-to-Chat, Listening Modes, Scenes, Menu Bar. Open Sound Connect · macOS. - [EQ preset library](https://opensoundconnect.app/presets): Six starting curves with exact values for the five-band models and the ten-band WH-1000XM6. - [Equalizer and Clear Bass](https://opensoundconnect.app/features/equalizer): Sony's presets, your own band curve and Clear Bass, set in the headphones from your Mac. - [Do EQ settings carry over?](https://opensoundconnect.app/guides/sony-eq-settings-carry-over): Why the EQ you set on your phone also plays on your Mac, what stays behind, and how to change it from the Mac. --- Open Sound Connect is independent software. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sony. Sony, DSEE, DSEE Extreme and LDAC are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Group Corporation or its affiliates. Apple, Mac, macOS, Finder, Safari, Xcode and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. The Bluetooth® word mark is owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. 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