Mac Equalizer Per App: How to Apply Different Audio EQ to Individual Apps

Why Mac Users Want Per-App Equalizers

Windows users have long enjoyed the ability to apply different equalizer settings to individual applications. Want heavy bass for your music app but clear vocals for video calls? Easy. On Mac, this isn't built-in, leaving many users frustrated when they want different EQ settings for different apps.

The closest macOS comes is the system-wide equalizer in Music.app, but that affects everything playing through your speakers - not exactly helpful when you want pumped-up bass for Spotify but neutral audio for work calls.

Current Mac EQ Limitations

Mac's built-in audio system applies settings globally. If you boost the bass in Music.app's equalizer, it affects:

• All audio from all applications
• System sounds and notifications
• Video call audio from Zoom, Teams, or Discord
• Browser audio from YouTube or streaming sites

This all-or-nothing approach means you're stuck choosing one EQ setting for everything, which rarely works well across different audio types.

Method 1: Audio Hijack + Per-App Routing (Professional Solution)

Audio Hijack ($64) from Rogue Amoeba offers the most comprehensive solution:

1. Create separate audio sessions for each app you want to EQ differently
2. Apply different equalizer blocks to each session
3. Route the processed audio to your output device

This works but requires significant setup time and costs more than most casual users want to spend. It's designed for audio professionals and podcasters.

Method 2: Soundish

Soundish has a 10-band equaliser for each app, with presets, next to per-app volume and output routing. Give your music app a bass lift and keep calls flat, with no routing between apps.

It does this at a fraction of Audio Hijack's cost, as a one-time purchase.

Setup example:

• Route Spotify through Output A → Heavy bass EQ
• Route Zoom through Output B → Voice-optimized EQ

Method 3: Browser-Specific EQ Extensions

For web-based audio (YouTube, streaming services), browser extensions can help:

Chrome/Edge: Extensions like "Audio Equalizer" or "Volume Master" Safari: Limited options, but "Boom 3D" works as a system-wide solution

This approach works for browser audio but doesn't help with native Mac apps.

The Missing Piece: True Per-App EQ

What Mac users really want is what Soundish and SoundSource offer: per-app EQ built into the volume mixer. SoundSource ($49) includes:

• 10-band equalizer per application
• Audio Unit plugin support
• Per-app volume AND EQ control
• Simple interface that just works

However, at $49, it's expensive for users who mainly want basic per-app audio control with occasional EQ adjustments.

Workaround: App-Specific Settings

Some applications have built-in equalizers:

Music Apps:

• Spotify: Built-in equalizer in preferences
• VLC: Advanced audio equalizer
• IINA: Per-file audio processing

Communication Apps:

• Discord: Audio processing settings
• Zoom: Audio enhancement options

The limitation? These settings only work within each app and don't affect other audio sources.

Budget-Friendly Solution

For most users wanting per-app EQ without the professional price tag:

1. Start with Soundish for per-app volume, routing and EQ
2. Use app-specific EQ settings where available (Spotify, VLC, Discord)
3. Add eqMac for system-wide EQ when needed
4. Consider browser extensions for streaming audio

This combination gives you much of the functionality of expensive professional tools at a fraction of the cost.

What's Coming

Apple continues to improve Core Audio with each macOS release. The per-app audio routing API that enables apps like Soundish is relatively new (macOS 14.2+), suggesting Apple recognizes users want more granular audio control.

While true per-app EQ isn't built into macOS yet, the foundation exists for developers to build these features.

Bottom Line

Mac doesn't have native per-app EQ. Soundish adds a 10-band EQ for each app, alongside per-app volume and output routing. For professional processing chains, Audio Hijack goes further.

For professional audio work, SoundSource remains the gold standard, but for typical users wanting better audio control, a combination approach delivers the functionality without the professional price tag.