- Learn how to use Apple Music’s EQ
- Understand how each EQ affects your music
- Find the best EQ setting for you.
Apple users! This article will guide you through the various features of Apple Music EQ. I’ll also share some personal tips on how to properly dial in the best Apple Music EQ settings.
Currently, no. Apple Music’s EQ runs on a locked 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 make surgical EQ boosts and cuts isn’t really necessary.
If you really want this feature added, we recommend leaving feedback for a feature request here
What Are The Best Apple Music EQ Settings?
For audio enthusiasts and music fanatics, the “best Apple Music EQ preset” is having none at all. Setting everything to neutral is the best way to enjoy your favorite artist’s tracks in the way they were intended to be listened to.
Approaches To Using Apple Music EQ
There are instances where an EQ is necessary to combat less-than-ideal-sounding headphones or speakers.
How you approach this will depend on:
- The genre you are listening to
- Your headphone/speaker system’s characteristics
- Your personal taste
A good place to begin would be to critically listen to one of your favorite tracks, and assess whether the track is:
Lacking in bass/mids/treble: certain EQ presets can help bring out specific frequency bands, making certain track elements more pronounced.
Overpowering in bass/mids/treble: certain EQ presets can reduce the emphasis on specific frequency bands, making certain track elements recede into the background.
Don’t be afraid to experiment as well — that ‘dance’ preset might sound great on rock, depending on your set of headphones/speakers!
Here is a helpful cheat sheet to get you in the ballpark regarding choosing the best Apple Music EQ preset:
| Use-Case | Recommended Preset |
| Blocking out ambient noise | Late Night |
| Listening in a noisy environment | Loudness |
| Give me more bass! | Bass |
| Listening to podcasts | Spoken Word |
| Classical Music | Classical |
| Pop | Pop |
| Rock | Rock |
| Hip Hop | Hip Hop |
| Electronic/Dance Music | Dance |
| Acoustic Music | Acoustic |
| Country Music | Country |
| Metal | Metal |
| Jazz | Jazz |
| Blues | Blues |
| R&B | R&B |
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 midrange and top end.
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’ 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 beef up the bassline and kick drum, without sacrificing the presence of the guitars 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 lack 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 don’t contain a broad range of frequency content as music, as the focus is often purely on dialogue.
For this reason, ‘Spoken Word’ is a solid choice for making your podcasts more enjoyable. This setting targets the areas where human speech 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. A person with a shrill voice will have their natural speech in the higher frequency range, whereas someone with a lower voice will likely have more presence in the mid-range.
FAQ
How Do I Locate Apple Music’s EQ?
Locating the Apple Music EQ is straightforward. All you need to do is follow these steps:
I Keep Having To Turn The Music Up And Down. Any Fix For This?
If you use public transport, you might be used to constantly changing the volume control on your phone.
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 the preset ‘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 make 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. If you are a Spotify user, a similar EQ can be tweaked to taste. Here’s a quick guide on how to use the Spotify Equalizer
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 come with extra features such as Google Drive and Dropbox integration.
