Sony WH-1000XM5 Best EQ Settings – (Tested Settings!)

If you want to set up the Sony WH-1000XM5 best EQ setting, this guide covers everything!
The equalizer settings for Sony WH-1000XM5 have a huge impact on the headphones’ sound, hence thoughtful configuration is necessary.
This guide will walk you through all presets, as well as show you custom equalizer configurations based on your music taste and preferred genre.
The best equalizer settings for Sony WH-1000XM5 are strictly dependent on the listened music genre and your personal preference.
The equalizer provides several frequencies that you can tweak and form the best music atmosphere.
What is the Best Sony WH-1000XM5 Best EQ Setting?

If you go into the Sony Headphones Connect app, enter the “Sound” tab on the top and scroll down, and you’ll see the Equalizer settings.
So, before we dig deeper into custom configurations, let’s go over the already existing presets that the application provides, and what they change.
Vocal
If you select the “Vocal” equalizer preset, this will enhance the frequency that affects the voice, especially when signing.
This means higher clarity, and distinct vocal optimization, which is suitable for genres where the vocals are emphasized.
Compatible Genres:
- Jazz
- Blues
- Soul
Relaxed

If you select the “Relax” preset, this will configure the equalizer to provide a smoother and more relaxing experience while listening to your tracks.
This will reduce the high-pitched sounds, and enhance the warmer tones, creating a smooth listening experience.
Compatible Genres:
- Ambient
- Reggae
- Classical
Mellow
Similarly to the relax preset, the “Mellow” equalizer setting will emphasize the smoother tones, while calming down the higher frequencies.
You will hear the optimization mainly in the calmer tones, which aims to create a smooth listening atmosphere.
Compatible Genres:
- Chillout
- Reggae
- Soul
Excited

If you love energetic genres, such as Pop or Hip-Hop, the “Excited” equalizer preset will fit your music taste just right.
You will hear optimization in the track’s dynamic, which mainly involves the higher frequencies and your music will become more lively.
Compatible Genres:
- Pop
- Rock
- Funk
Bright
The “Bright” equalizer preset emphasizes high-pitched sounds, which provides sharpness and clarity to your overall audio experience.
So if you want your music to sound vibrant, allowing you to hear all instruments cleanly, this is the preset for you.
Compatible Genres:
- Pop
- Rock
- Disco
- Electronic
Speech

As the name suggests, the “Speech” equalizer preset will boost the mid-range frequencies and will make the dialogue more audible.
This is where most speech falls in, so enabling this preset will surely make all the dialogues clearer and more understandable.
Compatible Genres:
- News
- Podcasts
- Audiobooks
- Stand-up Comedy
Bass Boost
The “Bass Boost” equalizer setting will enhance the low-frequency tones, where the bass falls in, and works best with bass-boosted tracks.
This preset will deliver a powerful impact on how the bass sounds, but overdoing it can cause distortions.

Compatible Genres:
- Dubstep
- Hip-Hop
- Rock
- Metal
Treble Boost
The “Treble Boost” preset equalizer will boost the high-frequency treble tones, which delivers a powerful optimization of instruments such as guitars, drums, and vocals.
This preset aims to emphasize the details in the music, making everything more pronounced.
Compatible Genres:
- Acoustic
- Classical
- Rock
- Metal
If you can’t find a preset that suits your music taste with Sony WH-1000XM5, keep reading as we’re going over some custom configurations.
Best Equalizer Settings For Sony WH-1000XM5 (Custom)
If none of the already existing presets match your music taste or preferred music genre, we will go over the best custom configurations.
We’ve included some of the most popular genres such as Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock, Electronic, and Latin, so you can configure your “Custom” EQ presets.
Best WH-1000XM5 for Pop

If you’re into Pop music, the best equalizer settings for your Sony WH-1000XM5 should follow an uptrend curve up to the mid-frequencies and slowly decline at the highest.
Here is exactly how to set up the equalizer settings for best Pop music experience:
- Set the 400 Hz at about -1 dB or -2 dB.
- Set the 1K Hz at around +3 dB or +4 dB.
- Set the 2.5K Hz around the +3.5 dB.
- Configure the 6.3K Hz to about +1 dB.
- Set the 16K Hz between 0 dB and -2 dB.
Best WH-1000XM5 for Rock

If you love to listen to Rock or Metal music on your Sony WH-1000XM5, the equalizer should follow a downtrend to the mid-frequencies and slowly emphasize the higher frequencies.
Here’s how to configure the equalizer for Rock music:
- Set the 400 Hz from +3 dB to +4 dB.
- Configure the 1K Hz at around 0 dB.
- Set the 2.5K Hz between +1 dB and +2 dB.
- Adjust the 6.3K Hz to about +2 dB or +3 dB.
- Set the 16K Hz between +3 dB and +5 dB.
Best WH-1000XM5 for Hip-Hop

If you love to listen to Hip-Hop or other energetic genres, the configuration of the equalizer for the headphones shouldn’t follow a curve.
Instead, you’ll need a boost in the low frequencies, a decline in the mid-frequencies, and then a boost in the highest frequencies.
Here’s exactly how to configure the equalizer for Hip-Hop music:
- Set the 400 Hz to about +2 dB up to +3 dB.
- Adjust the 1K Hz at around 0 dB or +1 dB.
- Set the 2.5K Hz between +1 dB and +2 dB.
- Configure the 6.3K Hz to around +2 dB or +3 dB.
- Set the 16K Hz between +3 dB and +5 dB.
Best WH-1000XM5 for Electronic

If you mainly enjoy electronic music on your Sony WH-1000XM5, you’re looking at a nice and smooth curve, with a little exception in the mid-frequency.
Here’s how to configure your WH-1000XM5 EQ for Electronic music:
- Configure the 400 Hz to around +3 dB up to +4 dB.
- Set the 1K Hz between +1 dB and +2 dB.
- Adjust the 2.5K Hz to about +0 dB up to +1 dB.
- Set the 6.3K Hz at around +3 dB up to +4 dB
- Configure the 16K Hz at about +4 dB to +5 dB.
Best WH-1000XM5 for Latin

If you listen to Latin music on your WH-1000XM5 headphones, the equalizer should boost the low tones, decline the mid-range frequencies, and boost the highest tones.
Here’s how to configure the equalizer for Latin music:
- Set the 400 Hz between +4 dB and +5 dB.
- Adjust the 1K at about 0 dB or up to +1 dB.
- Configure the 2.5K Hz at around +1 dB.
- Set the 6.3K Hz between +2 dB and +3 dB.
- Adjust the 16K Hz around +4 dB and +5 dB.
That’s it. If you don’t find your preferred genre here, try to explore how your music will sound with different equalizer configurations.
However, with the Sony Headphones Connect app, you can find the best settings automatically!
Sony WH-1000XM5 Equalizer Settings – (Automatic)

If you didn’t know, the Sony Headphones Connect app provides a neat feature, that allows you to automatically find the perfect equalizer configuration.
If you go to the “Sound” tab, and scroll down past the equalizer settings, you’ll see the “Find Your Equalizer” tab with a “Start” button.
So, press “Start”, play your favorite music, and the app will automatically adjust the equalizer as per the played track.
You will be provided with a few different options that you can check and determine which sounds the best as per your taste.
You will even be provided with the opportunity to hear the before and after changes, so you can decide whether to stick with the automatic configuration or not.
Note: You will also be provided with a visual of how the equalizer settings have been changed!
Wrapping Up
So, the Sony WH-1000XM5 best EQ setting is strongly dependent on the music genre and personal music taste.
In the Sony Headphones Connect app, there are quite a few presets that you can select from, or automatically find the best EQ settings as per your music genre.
We hope this guide was helpful so follow us for more!

Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.