Headphone EQ

HIFIMAN Sundara EQ settings for Mac

Last updated: October 2, 2026

HIFIMAN Sundara has 11 published AutoEQ corrections, from 7 measurement rigs across 4 variants of the model, and this page carries every one of them. macOS has no system-wide equalizer of its own, so applying a correction to everything your Mac plays, rather than inside a single player, needs an app that sits on the system audio path.

• Who it is for: anyone listening to the HIFIMAN Sundara on a Mac who wants its measured tonal balance pulled toward a neutral target.
• What a correction is: a set of equalizer filters that the open-source AutoEQ project computes by comparing a published measurement of the headphone with a target curve.
• What this page holds: for every measurement, the curve, its parametric filters, the same filters as copy-paste text, a ten-band version and a one-click EQBase preset.
• Which variant is yours: the 4 variants in the measurement picker are different versions of the HIFIMAN Sundara, so pick the one that describes your own pair before choosing a measurement of it.
• What it cannot do: it changes frequency response only. It will not make up for worn pads or for distortion, and it was measured on someone else's pair, not yours.
• What you need: any parametric equalizer takes the filters, on any platform. The preset needs EQBase, free on macOS 14.4 or later.

Worth knowing: HIFIMAN revised this headphone's earpads without renaming it, so the curves below are split by pad generation rather than by model year, with a separate 2018 measurement and an unspecified-revision set for pairs that cannot be placed. If you do not know which you own, the post-2020 pads are the more common. Those five measurements disagree by about 8 dB at 16 kHz.

What the HIFIMAN Sundara correction changes

These figures come from the measurement by oratory1990, the one the picker below opens with. The largest boost is +5.0 dB at sub-bass (31 Hz), and the largest cut is −2.4 dB at top octave (16 kHz). Total swing across the ten bands is 7.4 dB. Averaged over its bands the bass is lifted by 2.4 dB, more than the other two, which is where most of the audible change lands.

The 11 published measurements on this page, from 7 rigs, do not agree with each other, and the size of the disagreement is worth knowing before picking one. They differ most at top octave (16 kHz), where the ten-band figures span 8.6 dB, and least at lower midrange (250 Hz), where they span 1.1 dB. A spread that wide usually means the rigs disagree about the seal or the coupler rather than about the headphone, so prefer the measurement whose conditions match how you actually wear them.

The HIFIMAN Sundara corrections, measurement by measurement

Pick a measurement to see its correction curve, its parametric filters, the same filters as copy-paste text in AutoEQ's format (which Equalizer APO and Peace, REW and most desktop parametric equalizers import, and which EQBase's own Expert EQ reads and writes), and EQBase's ten-band version, which is what the downloadable preset applies.

Preamp: -6.6 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 8.9 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 56 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 0.40
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 971 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 1.62
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 2115 Hz Gain 2.1 dB Q 2.21
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 8270 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 0.96
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -3.1 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 246 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 1.21
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 128 Hz Gain 0.7 dB Q 1.44
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 59 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 2.26
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 35 Hz Gain 0.2 dB Q 1.56

Preamp: -6.4 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 455 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 0.18
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1978 Hz Gain 3.7 dB Q 1.87
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 27 Hz Gain 5.5 dB Q 0.84
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5973 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 3.66
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -1.9 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9109 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 2.24
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 581 Hz Gain 2.2 dB Q 5.73
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 942 Hz Gain -1.3 dB Q 4.49
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 243 Hz Gain -0.5 dB Q 2.03

Preamp: -6.3 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 7.4 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 96 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 0.21
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1960 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 1.98
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 8955 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 3.71
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 57 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 1.13
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 890 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 3.36
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 545 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 2.63
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 4039 Hz Gain 1.6 dB Q 5.02
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 6648 Hz Gain -2.0 dB Q 6.00

Preamp: -6.2 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.8 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 86 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 0.34
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2110 Hz Gain 3.9 dB Q 1.99
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 3045 Hz Gain -2.9 dB Q 2.31
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 35 Hz Gain 1.1 dB Q 4.35
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 834 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 3.35
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 149 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.93
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 280 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 2.02
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 487 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 2.40

Preamp: -6.2 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.3 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 266 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 0.64
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1943 Hz Gain 3.0 dB Q 2.15
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 73 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 1.31
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 987 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 3.99
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -8.9 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 8430 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 1.34
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6337 Hz Gain -2.6 dB Q 6.00
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 593 Hz Gain 1.7 dB Q 6.00
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 499 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 4.28

Preamp: -5.2 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 5.4 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1986 Hz Gain 6.8 dB Q 2.00
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 3667 Hz Gain -3.8 dB Q 1.10
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 208 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 0.18
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5973 Hz Gain 4.4 dB Q 4.28
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2.8 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 9192 Hz Gain 2.8 dB Q 2.55
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 795 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 2.49
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 465 Hz Gain 1.2 dB Q 2.71
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 71 Hz Gain -0.4 dB Q 1.70

Preamp: -6.6 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 8.1 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 73 Hz Gain -4.3 dB Q 0.41
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1773 Hz Gain 5.8 dB Q 1.82
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 877 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 2.42
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5141 Hz Gain -4.7 dB Q 3.72
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -3.6 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3074 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 3.45
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 2283 Hz Gain 1.8 dB Q 6.00
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 436 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 3.84
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 527 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 5.83

Preamp: -5.3 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 5.3 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 2180 Hz Gain 4.7 dB Q 2.70
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 3105 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 2.73
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1583 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 2.25
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 5020 Hz Gain -4.0 dB Q 5.03
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -5.3 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 6861 Hz Gain -3.5 dB Q 4.08
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 75 Hz Gain -0.9 dB Q 2.21
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 214 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 1.96
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 5579 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 4.49

Preamp: -6.1 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.5 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 127 Hz Gain -2.0 dB Q 0.29
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 2009 Hz Gain 6.5 dB Q 2.96
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 4085 Hz Gain -4.4 dB Q 1.19
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 7580 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 0.66
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 63 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 2.40
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 38 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 2.27
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 789 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 4.10
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 5821 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 6.00

Preamp: -5.3 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.2 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 84 Hz Gain -2.0 dB Q 0.29
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1958 Hz Gain 3.2 dB Q 5.01
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 5726 Hz Gain 3.7 dB Q 4.96
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1134 Hz Gain -1.6 dB Q 3.42
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -4.5 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 2813 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 4.94
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 303 Hz Gain -0.8 dB Q 1.32
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 451 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 4.94
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 137 Hz Gain 0.5 dB Q 1.77

Preamp: -6.3 dB
Filter 1: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 6.9 dB Q 0.70
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 2045 Hz Gain 7.9 dB Q 1.39
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 3284 Hz Gain -5.3 dB Q 0.78
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 69 Hz Gain -1.8 dB Q 0.49
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 861 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 3.31
Filter 6: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 0.70
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 239 Hz Gain -0.6 dB Q 1.33
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 149 Hz Gain 0.6 dB Q 1.72
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 4041 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 4.11
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 3274 Hz Gain -1.5 dB Q 6.00

Ten-band or parametric EQ for the HIFIMAN Sundara?

A parametric equalizer lets every filter take any frequency, gain and width, where width is written as Q and a higher Q means a narrower filter, so it can reproduce AutoEQ's filters exactly. A ten-band graphic equalizer has ten fixed bands an octave apart, from 31 Hz to 16 kHz, all the same width, so it can only approximate them. EQBase's ten-band version sets those ten gains to match the parametric curve at the band centers, allowing for how the bands overlap, rather than reading the curve off at each center.

On oratory1990's measurement, the ten-band version stays within 0.7 dB of the parametric curve between 40 Hz and 10 kHz. Across all 8,666 corrections in EQBase's catalog the median for that range is 3.3 dB, which makes the HIFIMAN Sundara an easier fit for ten bands than most. Outside that range the gap reaches 4.6 dB around 20 Hz, below the lowest band at 31 Hz, where the parametric low shelf at 105 Hz keeps lifting by 8.9 dB all the way down and the 31 Hz band rolls off beneath its center.

Use the parametric filters if your equalizer accepts them: they are the correction exactly as published. The ten-band version is for equalizers with fixed sliders, EQBase's free tier among them, and it is what the downloadable preset applies. On EQBase Pro, applying the HIFIMAN Sundara from the Headphones pane uses the parametric filters directly, and the preset carries them as well, one switch to Expert EQ away. AutoEQ publishes its own ten-band file on the same grid, fitted to the raw measurement rather than to these filters, so the two agree closely through the midrange and can differ at the extremes.

How to use the HIFIMAN Sundara correction on a Mac

To use the HIFIMAN Sundara correction on a Mac, apply it with an equalizer that runs on system audio, so it reaches every app at once. In EQBase the fastest route skips this page: open the Headphones pane, search for the HIFIMAN Sundara, which is in the built-in catalog of 6,033 models, and click the measurement you want. The preset above does the same from a file, for anyone who wants to see the numbers first or a specific measurement rather than the default one.

Either way the free tier carries it with no time limit. The HIFIMAN Sundara preset above sets the ten-band curve, which is what the free tier applies, so nothing on this page is behind a purchase.

The HIFIMAN Sundara is worn around the ear, where the pads decide a good deal of what the measurement rig saw. Worn or replaced pads move the response, which is why several models here carry separate curves for exactly that. If yours are old, expect the correction to be a near miss rather than an exact one.

A correction also assumes the headphone is being driven properly. A high-impedance pair running straight out of a Mac at high volume can lose grip in the low end for reasons no equalizer fixes, so if the bass still sounds soft after applying this, the amplifier is the thing to change, not the curve.

Common questions about HIFIMAN Sundara EQ

Do these EQ settings work on any Mac app?

Yes, if the equalizer runs on system audio rather than inside one player. EQBase processes everything the Mac plays, so the same correction applies to Spotify, Safari, YouTube, games and calls. The Music app's own equalizer only affects Music.

Where do the HIFIMAN Sundara numbers come from?

From 11 published AutoEQ measurements of the HIFIMAN Sundara, made by oratory1990, crinacle, Rtings, Super Review, Innerfidelity, Kuulokenurkka and Auriculares Argentina. Each one is a real frequency-response measurement compared against a target curve, and each produces its own set of filters. They are all on this page rather than averaged together, because a measurement belongs to the person who made it. The 4 variants (2018; Post-2020 earpads; Pre-2020 earpads; Unspecified revision) are measured separately and corrected separately.

Why is the HIFIMAN Sundara preamp negative?

The HIFIMAN Sundara correction needs −6.6 dB of headroom on its default measurement, so the preset pulls the signal down by that much before the boosts are applied. Boosting a signal that is already near full scale would clip it, and the negative preamp is what buys the room. Skip it and loud passages distort. That is a large figure by the standards of this catalog, which is normal for a model whose correction lifts the bass a long way.

Can I use these filters in a different equalizer?

Yes. The filter table is a standard parametric list: type, frequency, gain and Q. Any parametric equalizer that accepts those four values per band will take them, on any platform. The one-click preset is only a shortcut for EQBase users.

Other headphones with published corrections

• Sennheiser HD 600 EQ settings for Mac, 13 published measurements
• Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro EQ settings for Mac, 11 published measurements
• Sennheiser HD 650 EQ settings for Mac, 11 published measurements
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x EQ settings for Mac, 9 published measurements
• Sennheiser HD 560S EQ settings for Mac, 8 published measurements

Credits

Correction data from the AutoEQ project by Jaakko Pasanen, used under the MIT licence. The measurements themselves are the work of the people credited on each curve above. EQBase ships the same catalog in the app, with the same attribution.

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