EQBaseEQBase for macOS
EQ everything your Mac plays.
One app in your menu bar processes all system audio in real time, from a simple 10-band EQ to a fully parametric one, with nothing added and nothing taken away.
Free · macOS 14 or later · Apple silicon & Intel · Notarized by Apple
0 samples
added latency
Bit-perfect
when set flat, and proven live
44.1–192 kHz
supported end to end
8,600+
headphone corrections built in
Menu bar
Set it once.
Then forget it's there.
EQBase lives in your menu bar, one click away: master on/off, output volume and balance, your active preset, and a Compare switch that flips back to the original sound, level-matched, so your ears can judge honestly.
- One switch bypasses everything. Off means off: audio passes untouched.
- Compare, level-matched. Louder isn't "better": EQBase matches loudness so you hear the difference, not the volume.
- Global hotkeys. Toggle, compare, and switch presets from any app.
Interactive
Go on, drag it.
This curve runs the same peaking-filter math as the app. Ten bands, 31 Hz to 16 kHz, computed live as you move them.
Drag the bands · double-click a dot to zero it 10 bands · 31 Hz – 16 kHz · Q 1.41
Features
One app, the whole signal chain.
Every tool runs in one fixed, transparent chain, each one passes sound through untouched until you reach for it.
Your headphones, corrected
Measured correction curves for 8,600+ headphone models, powered by the AutoEQ project. Pick your model, hear it the way it was measured to sound.
Auto Switch
Presets that follow your output device or the app in front. AirPods get one sound, your speakers another. Automatically, first match wins.
Spatial & Crossfeed
A gentle, adjustable room around your music and classic bs2b crossfeed, for long headphone sessions without the in-your-head fatigue.
Sound Correction
Apply a measured correction file exactly, sample for sample: FIR convolution at zero added latency, not an EQ approximation.
App Mixer
Per-app volume, mute, and tone. The browser finally quieter than your music app.
Audio Unit plugins
Host your own AU plugins in the system chain, with containment, so a misbehaving plugin can never silence your Mac.
Per-Channel EQ
Fully independent left and right curves. Correct an imbalanced room, a weaker ear, or a one-sided source.
Also in the box: preset import, export and sharing · loudness-matched A/B compare · live spectrum analyzer · audio routing · automatic clip protection · linear-phase and dynamic EQ (Pro).
Devices
Every output, remembered.
Each device keeps its own volume, balance, and preset. EQBase recalls them the moment you switch. Hardware volume is driven directly where the device supports it, so nothing is lost to double attenuation.
- Honest sample rates. A live status line tells you exactly what the engine is doing: bit-exact, drift-correcting, or converting.
- Loudness compensation. Quiet listening keeps its tonal balance; adds nothing at full volume.
- Clip protection, always last. A true-peak-aware limiter has the final word, so boosted audio can't hard-clip your DAC.
Pricing
Free forever. Pro when you want more.
Every Free feature stays free, with no time limit. Pro unlocks the deeper tools.
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Basic & 10-band EQ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Volume boost, balance & all devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| 8,600+ headphone presets | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Switch (presets by device or app) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Global hotkeys & loudness-matched compare | ✓ | ✓ |
| Expert parametric EQ (24 bands, dynamic, linear phase) | – | ✓ |
| Live spectrum analyzer | – | ✓ |
| Per-Channel EQ (left / right) | – | ✓ |
| Spatial Audio & Crossfeed | – | ✓ |
| Sound Correction (measured correction files) | – | ✓ |
| Audio Unit plugin hosting | – | ✓ |
| App Mixer (per-app volume) | – | ✓ |
| Audio routing & accent themes | – | ✓ |
Pro Annual
$29.99 / year
All Pro features, billed yearly, about two months free.
3 Macs
Start freeUpgrading happens inside the app: checkout is handled by Lemon Squeezy and your license key arrives by email. Every purchase has a 14-day refund policy, and Pro keeps working offline.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Why does EQBase install an audio driver?
To process every sound the system makes, EQBase routes audio through its own virtual output device, a small, user-space Core Audio driver (no kernel extension). The installer asks for your password once, explains what it's doing, and the uninstaller removes it completely. Your hardware devices are never modified.
Does it color my sound when I'm not using it?
No, and the app proves it. With every control flat or bypassed the chain is bit-perfect: samples leave exactly as they came in, verified continuously and shown live in the app. Flat isn't "almost transparent," it's mathematically identical.
Does Pro work offline?
Yes. Your license is validated online now and then, and a subscription keeps working for 14 days without any connection. A lifetime license works offline indefinitely. A flaky network never turns your sound off.
What if I don't like it?
The core app is free with no time limit, so you can take your time deciding. If you upgrade and change your mind, every purchase has a no-questions 14-day refund policy.
What does it run on?
macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later, on Apple silicon and Intel, one universal, notarized app. Sample rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz are supported end to end.