Troubleshooting

Here you will find solutions to the most common problems people encounter while tuning their headphones with Equalizer APO/ Peace GUI.

I can only set values with accuracy to 0.5.

Make sure you set Snap to dB gain to 0.1, as instructed in step 10 of the guide.

I can’t hear the difference when I click “ON/OFF”.

Make sure your music player uses the same output (drivers/ device) as your APO equalizer. You will usually find this option under Playback tab in the settings, although it may vary between players.

The volume is lower when I turn on the equalization.

This is completetly natural. Ideally, equalization should not emphasize a certain frequency directly, but rather de-emphasize frequencies around it. In this way, the targeted frequency is raised only relatively to the rest of the spectrum, thus preventing distortion from too much gain. Negative preamp values defined in the presets ensure that any boost in frequency is still, in fact, a decrease. This results in lower overall volume, which you can then turn up as needed.

I have set it all right, but I don’t like the way it sounds.

That’s OK! Sound signature is something subjective. Some people just don’t like the Harman curve. You can experiment with the settings until they suit your tastes, find presets for different targets (e.g. the diffuse field), or simply give up equalization completely. Don’t feel pressured to improve something you enjoy as it is.

How can I make this work on a Mac?

You can’t, unless you use some sort of Windows virtualization. Equalizer APO is not supported on macOS. With that said, you may still be able to find a workable substitute. First off, check out this list of equalizers. Opt for anything with a 10-band GUI, fully adjustable frequency for each band, preamp gain control, and filters with Q-factor/ bandwidth regulation. Then, in the app of your choice, try to set everything as to mirror oratory1990’s settings for a given preset.