- Learn how to use Apple Music’s EQ
- Understand how each EQ affects your music
- Find the best EQ setting for you
- Also, check out our post on the best EQs for iPhone
We’re all used to loading up our streaming service and hitting play without thinking much of it, but there are occasions where a little EQ treatment wouldn’t go amiss!
You can enhance your listening experience with the in-built Apple Music EQ if you’re an Apple Music user. This feature automatically applies boosts or cuts to your music and offers a tailored preset for various genres or styles.
Today I’ll run through how you find Apple Music’s EQ, how to use it, and, more importantly, the best EQ settings for you.
What Is Apple Music’s EQ?
The Apple Music EQ is a neat little feature that allows you to customize the frequency content of the music you’re listening to.
Put very simply – it will apply some small EQ changes to give you a better experience by accentuating the things you want and removing the things you don’t.
The EQ itself is buried a little within the iPhone menu, but once you know where it is, it’ll be second nature to find.
The EQ gives you a list of options and will automatically make corrective choices for you depending on which you opt for.
Changes are made in real-time, so if you don’t like what you’re hearing, you can flick through until you find the best EQ for your genre.
It isn’t just a case of blind scrolling, though. You’ll get a rough idea of what each setting does before you select it.
How Do I Find Apple Music’s EQ?
Locating the Apple Music EQ is straightforward. All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Open ‘Settings’ on your iPhone
- Scroll down and tap on ‘Music’
- Scroll to ‘EQ’ and select it
- You’ll then see the full list of Apple Music EQ settings to choose from
Can I Make A Custom Apple Music EQ?
Currently, no. Apple Music’s EQ runs on a preset system, meaning you’ll only be able to choose from a list of already programmed EQ settings.
Keep in mind, however, that the music you are listening to is likely fully mixed and mastered, ready to commercial standards, so the need to be making surgical EQ boosts and cuts isn’t really there.
You will find that many of the EQ settings are similar but with slightly different tonal qualities.
For example, there will be more than one option for boosting bass, so if the music you enjoy relies a lot on the low end, then you aren’t going to be left with just one option to tweak the sound.
Why Do I Need To Use Apple Music EQ?
This is a good question, especially as I’ve mentioned already that you’re probably listening to professionally mixed and mastered audio.
It could be that your headphones are lacking in a certain frequency range. A little boost of the EQ can help bring out vocals, kick drums, or anything else that gets lost on your headphones.
Similarly, your headphones might pack a real punch in one frequency range that becomes overpowering. Choose the right EQ; you can tackle this and enjoy listening to your music more.
You could even be a commuter, and background noise is an issue. Enhancing a certain frequency range might make the track stand out a little more from the chaotic noise of a busy subway system!
What Are The Best Apple Music EQ Settings?
There is no absolute ‘best’ Apple Music EQ setting; it will very much depend on the genre you are listening to.
However, there are select ones that will likely be the best option for you and whatever tonal quality you are looking for.
Remember, this list isn’t the be-all and end-all. There are a ton of EQ settings to choose from, and it’s always worth exploring them to see which you enjoy the most.
Which Is The Best Apple Music EQ Setting For Dance Music?
Naturally, if you listen to dance music, you will gravitate to the ‘Dance’ setting. This is a great starting point, as it will enhance the low end while adding a bit of punch to the mids and top end.
This works well as you’ll get a delicate balance of kick and bass, as well as any synthesizers and vocals that occur in the track.
Dance music is, of course, a very broad term, so if you find that using ‘Dance’ results in a crowded mix, I’d recommend trying ‘Electronic’ instead.
This setting is similar in that it will enhance the low end but also clear out some of the mid-range, which might help declutter the sound.
What Is The Best Apple EQ Music Setting For Rock Music?
‘Rock’ (surprisingly!) is a great place to start if you enjoy anything on the heavier, guitar-driven side of music.
This setting will boost some of the bass and the highs, which can complement the powerful kick drum and a lead guitar that you’d typically hear in a rock song.
Although it might not sound like it, I’d also experiment with ‘Pop’. This won’t be for everyone, but the boost in the mid-range might complement those who enjoy lighter rock music.
What Is The Best Apple Music EQ For Rap?
There are actually two solid options for rap or hip-hop music. The ‘Hip-Hop’ setting will bring out bassier elements and raises some top end.
The ‘R&B’ setting will do a similar thing but potentially won’t bring out quite as many highs.
It’s worth trying both if you listen to rap, hip-hop, or R&B, as these settings will be very much down to your personal taste.
Which Apple Music EQ Has The Most Bass?
As I’ve mentioned, you can easily get a bump in the low end by using the ‘Dance’ or ‘Electronic’ Apple Music EQ setting.
However, these will add a certain amount of coloration to the upper mids and high end, whereas you might be only looking to raise the bottom end of the frequency spectrum.
In this case, I’d opt for ‘Bass Booster,’ which will pump up the low and low-mid frequencies. This can be a great option if you’ve got a good mix but just feel like you’re lacking a little power from the bass or kick drum.
Keep in mind it could end up a little boomy and overpowering, but for the most part, this is a great setting for anyone wanting a bit more oomph in the bass frequencies.
Which Apple Music EQ Makes Music The Loudest?
If you’re finding that your music just doesn’t appear loud enough, then there’s a handy EQ option for this called ‘Loudness.’ Rather than simply turning everything up, the EQ adapts to how the human ear perceives audio.
In this case, it bumps up both the lower frequencies and the top end while making a few cuts in the mid-range.
As the human ear is most susceptible to mid-range sounds, it helps to trick you into hearing more ‘loudness’ as it presents the frequency areas that are often harder to pick up on.
What Is The Best Apple Music EQ For Podcasts?
Podcasts are a little unusual in that you won’t normally be listening to such a broad range of frequency content as you would with music (unless, of course, there is intro or outro music or a background ambiance track).
In this case, ‘Spoken Word’ is a solid choice for making your podcasts more enjoyable. This setting targets the areas where human speech typically lies (usually the mids to highs) and boosts them. It will also cut the low end to allow more space to pick up on dialog.
Using this means there will be more frequencies present where the intelligibility of speech normally lies (meaning, the areas we pick up on to interpret what a person is saying).
You might also want to try ‘Vocal Booster,’ which does a similar job but won’t push the higher frequencies as much.
This all depends on what you are listening to, of course, as a person with a more shrill voice will have natural speech in the higher frequency range, whereas someone with a lower voice will likely have more presence in the mid-range.
I Constantly Have To Turn My Music Up And Down. Which Is The Best Apple Music EQ For Me?
If you’re a user of public transport, then you’re probably someone who is used to constantly riding the volume control on your phone to compensate for being in a quiet or loud environment.
Whatever the reason, if you find the music you listen to has a lot of quiet/loud dynamics that result in your finger forever being on the volume control, try ‘Late Night.’
This function is more of a compressor than an EQ in that it will raise the quieter parts and lower the louder parts, meaning you don’t have to be making adjustments yourself constantly.
Can I Use The Apple Music EQ On Other Apps?
At the moment, no. You’d only be able to use this particular EQ on Apple Music. That said if you are a Spotify user, a similar EQ can be tweaked to taste. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
If you’re an AirPods user, we’ve also compiled a guide on the best EQ settings.
Are There Any 3rd Party Apps For EQ’ing Apple Music?
There are indeed! If you’re finding that your Apple Music EQ isn’t quite enough, then there are several great 3rd party apps that you can use for more surgical EQ changes.
Many of them come with extra features such as Googe Drive and Dropbox integration.
Check out our full guide on the best EQ apps for Apple Music here.