SherlockEQ
COMPARISON · MAC AUDIO EQ APPS

How SherlockEQ compares.

Mac audio is a crowded category. Most apps are either system audio control layers that happen to include an EQ, or pro EQ plugins meant for a DAW. SherlockEQ is neither. It is a personalized, prosumer, system-level equalizer built around per-ear correction, audiogram-driven curves, a tinnitus tone finder, dynamic comfort processing, and a NIOSH dose tracker — features that don't have an obvious home in any of the existing apps. Here is an honest read of where it fits, and where another tool is a better answer.

The 30-second answer

PICK ONE
PICK SHERLOCKEQ IF

Your ears are the variable.

Hearing is asymmetric. A tinnitus tone is hiding in the upper mids. Your audiogram says +18 dB at 4 kHz on the left and nothing on the right. You want the same correction applied to Spotify, Zoom, Safari, and Logic — without per-app setup — and you want a safety net so you don't compensate yourself into damage.

PICK SOUNDSOURCE IF

Apps are the variable.

You want different volume, EQ, or routing for Zoom vs Spotify vs the browser. You also want to host real Audio Unit plugins inside a system audio shell. SoundSource is the strongest Mac-native audio control layer; pair it with a plugin EQ if you need surgical bands.

PICK A PRO PLUGIN IF

Mixing is the job.

You are producing, mixing, or mastering. You need linear-phase, dynamic, spectral EQ, EQ-match, and look-ahead. Reach for FabFilter Pro-Q 4 or ToneBoosters Equalizer Pro inside a host. SherlockEQ is a listener's tool, not a producer's.

Feature matrix

SYSTEM-WIDE MAC EQ APPS
Capability SherlockEQ SoundSource eqMac Sound Control Boom 3D
System-wide EQ Applies to all Mac audio
Per-app EQ / routing Different processing per running app ◐
Independent left/right EQ Per-ear correction, not just balance ◐
Audiogram-driven curve Enter your dB HL thresholds, get an EQ
Tinnitus tone finder + notch Sweep a sine, set a per-ear notch
Dynamic / level-dependent EQ De-ess, harshness, presence — engages only when triggered
Safe-listening dose tracker NIOSH equal-energy with notifications
Parametric EQ canvas Draggable bands, multiple filter types ◐ ◐ ◐ —
AutoEQ headphone presets Thousands of measured corrections ◐ ◐
Per-output-device presets Profile switches with the device
Audio Unit plugin host Run third-party AU effects inline
Native Core Audio Taps No virtual driver, no kernel extension ◐ — — —
Shortcuts (App Intents) Automate from Apple's Shortcuts app — —
Command line interface Script and automate from the terminal — ◐ —
Price As of publication; verify with vendor Free Paid Free + Pro Paid Paid

full support  ·  ◐ partial or tier-gated  ·  not offered. Capabilities reflect each vendor's documentation at time of writing. Plugins like FabFilter Pro-Q 4, ToneBoosters Equalizer Pro, and SoundID Reference solve different problems and are discussed below.

Side-by-side notes

WHAT EACH IS GOOD AT
SoundSource Rogue Amoeba Audio control layer

What it nails. SoundSource is the most complete Mac audio control utility. Per-app volume, per-app EQ, per-output-device control, and a real AU plugin host in one polished package. If your problem is "Zoom is too loud, Spotify is too quiet, and YouTube needs a bass cut," this is the right answer.

Where SherlockEQ differs. SherlockEQ doesn't do per-app routing and doesn't host plugins. It assumes your ears are the variable, not the source. Its two EQ surfaces (Graphic and Parametric) drive one chain that applies to all system audio, with per-ear curves derived from your audiogram and a tinnitus notch that travels with each profile. On automation the two overlap: both expose macOS Shortcuts actions via App Intents, and SherlockEQ adds a command line tool for scripting from the terminal — a small edge, not a deciding one. On capture they differ: SherlockEQ reads audio through Apple's native Core Audio Tap API, while SoundSource installs Rogue Amoeba's ACE audio-capture system component.

Overlap
Both apply EQ system-wide, and both ship per-device profiles.
SherlockEQ adds
Audiogram-driven curve, per-ear parametric (not just balance), tinnitus tone finder + notch, NIOSH dose tracker.
eqMac Bitgapp EQ-first app

What it nails. eqMac is the most direct "I want a Mac EQ" answer. Free 10-band, paid Pro with unlimited bands, parametric control, Q/bandwidth, spectrum analyzer, separate left/right EQ, app-volume mixing, headphone presets, and device-based preset switching. The asymmetric-EQ feature in Pro overlaps directly with what SherlockEQ does by default.

Where SherlockEQ differs. SherlockEQ leads with the hearing context — you don't start at a 10-band slider, you start at an audiogram or a tinnitus sweep. It is free with no Pro tier, and uses the native Core Audio Tap API instead of a virtual driver, which means no extra device install. eqMac's Pro tier matches several SherlockEQ features behind a subscription. On automation, SherlockEQ ships a dedicated command line tool; eqMac has long listed an HTTP API for scripting, but it remains marked "in development" rather than a documented, shipping feature.

Overlap
System-wide EQ, parametric / per-ear capability (Pro), device presets, spectrum analyzer.
SherlockEQ adds
Audiogram-driven curve, tinnitus tone finder + notch, NIOSH dose tracker, native CATap (no driver), free.
Sound Control Static Z Software Per-app + headphone

What it nails. Sound Control is one of the more practical under-discussed picks for hearing- and headphone-focused users. Per-app volume and routing, independent balance, mono / downmix, AU plugin support, and thousands of searchable AutoEQ headphone calibrations. The combination of AutoEQ and per-ear balance makes it a real candidate for asymmetric hearing.

Where SherlockEQ differs. SherlockEQ goes further on the hearing side specifically — audiogram entry, per-ear parametric (not just balance), a tinnitus workflow, and a dose tracker — but doesn't do per-app routing. If per-app is the deciding factor for you, Sound Control wins; if your audiogram is, SherlockEQ does.

Overlap
AutoEQ headphone presets, per-device profiles, system-wide processing.
SherlockEQ adds
Audiogram→EQ conversion, tinnitus tone finder, dose monitor, native CATap (no driver).
Boom 3D Global Delight Consumer enhancement

What it nails. Boom 3D is the friendliest consumer pick. Volume boost, 3D surround simulation, a 31-band graphic EQ, presets, headphone EQ. It is designed to make things sound bigger and more exciting out of the box. For casual movie nights and games, that's a fair pitch.

Where SherlockEQ differs. SherlockEQ is the opposite tool. It is corrective, not enhancing — every boost is bounded (the graphic bands cap at ±12 dB) rather than an open-ended volume booster, every profile carries a per-day NIOSH dose limit, and the goal is the sound the source intended, not a louder or more exciting version of it. If the framing "I want bigger sound" matches you, Boom is the right shape. If "I want accurate sound my ears can hear" matches you, SherlockEQ is.

Overlap
System-wide EQ, multi-band control.
SherlockEQ adds
Hearing-aware framing, per-ear correction, audiogram, tinnitus notch, dose limits.
FabFilter Pro-Q 4 · ToneBoosters Equalizer Pro FabFilter · ToneBoosters Pro EQ plugins

What they nail. Industry-benchmark EQ plugins. Dynamic EQ, spectral processing, linear-phase modes, analog modeling, EQ match, surgical precision, immersive-audio support. These are the right tools when you are producing, mixing, or mastering — anywhere a DAW is in the picture.

Where SherlockEQ differs. SherlockEQ is not a plugin and not a producer's tool. It is the system audio path between every Mac app and your headphones. Pro-Q 4 inside SoundSource can absolutely sit downstream of SherlockEQ; the two solve different layers of the same stack. Use SherlockEQ for hearing correction that follows you through every app, use the plugin for surgical work inside a session.

Overlap
Parametric EQ surface, multiple filter types, real-time response curve.
SherlockEQ adds
Lives on the system bus, no host required, hearing-context features.
SoundID Reference Sonarworks Speaker / headphone calibration

What it nails. SoundID Reference solves a different problem: making your speakers and headphones tell the truth. Measure (or load) a transducer profile and apply the inverse curve, so what you hear matches the studio reference. It is the standard answer for "my monitors are lying to me" and works in standalone or plugin form.

Where SherlockEQ differs. SoundID corrects the transducer. SherlockEQ corrects the listener. Both can run at the same time — SoundID flattens your headphones, then SherlockEQ applies your hearing-aware curve on top. If the question is "make my headphones neutral," reach for SoundID. If the question is "make playback work for my ears," reach for SherlockEQ.

Overlap
System-wide audio correction, AutoEQ-style headphone targets.
SherlockEQ adds
Personalization for the listener (audiogram, asymmetry, tinnitus, safe levels) rather than the transducer.

The product gap SherlockEQ fills.

A Mac-native EQ that combines per-ear correction, audiogram-driven setup, a tinnitus tone finder, AutoEQ headphone targets, and a NIOSH dose tracker — system-wide, free, and built on the native Core Audio Tap API. If that sounds like the thing you've been waiting for, the download is on the home page.

Download SherlockEQ