If EQ can make cheap headphones sound high-end, what’s the point of paying for expensive ones?
Equalizing budget headphones is all the rage in audiophile circles these days. With the promise of premium sound at a fraction of the cost, digital processing tools and EQ presets are giving cheap headphones a serious makeover. But as this trend grows, so does the debate:
Can you really make $50 headphones sound as good as a $500 pair through equalization?
Why Frequency Response Isn’t Everything
Frequency response is often the first and most common metric used to compare headphones. It measures how well they reproduce sound across different frequencies.
So, when people talk about equalization (EQ), they usually refer to adjusting the frequency response curve to match a specific target, like the popular Harman curve or their personal preferences.
But here’s the catch: frequency response measurements only capture part of the picture.
Frequency response is measured by playing test tones through headphones and recording the sound using special tools that simulate the human ear.
However, not all measurement setups are created equal. Differences in equipment can lead to varying results for the same pair of headphones. Cheaper tools may struggle to capture high frequencies as accurately as professional setups.
In addition, factors like insertion depth, seal, and fit can affect measurements. The resulting frequency response graph could vary dramatically if a headphone is positioned differently or has slight leakage. This is why frequency response graphs for the same headphone model can look different depending on who is measuring and how they set up the test.
In theory, a flat line would mean the headphones output sound evenly at all frequencies, but in reality, no headphones are perfectly flat. The dips and peaks in the graph show which frequencies are emphasized or reduced, shaping the sound signature.
However, these graphs are often smoothed to make them easier to read, which can hide important details.
As such, even if two headphones show similar frequency response curves, they might still sound very different. This is because frequency response graphs don’t capture everything that influences sound quality.
To fully understand a headphone’s performance, you need to look at other measurements like distortion and impulse response alongside frequency response.
Additional Measurements That Define Sound Quality
Beyond frequency response, other measurements help us understand how headphones perform.
Frequency response shows which frequencies are boosted or reduced. But, other metrics like distortion and impulse response explain how well headphones handle dynamic shifts in music.
Nonlinear distortion tells us how much unwanted noise a headphone adds to the audio.
Lower-cost headphones often introduce more distortion, especially at higher volumes, due to their less sophisticated drivers. EQ cannot fix the fundamental issues of distortion, so high-end headphones, which use better drivers, tend to deliver cleaner and more accurate sound.
Another importantl measurement is impulse response, which shows how quickly a headphone reacts to fast, sharp sounds, like drum beats or bass drops.
High-end headphones with a fast impulse response create a sense of precision and clarity. In contrast, cheaper ones may struggle to keep up, making the sound less clear, even when EQ is applied.
So, while the frequency response indicates how balanced the sound is across the frequencies, impulse response reveals how well a headphone keeps notes clear and separate.
Budget headphones can be EQ’d to achieve a balanced tone. But, if their impulse response is lacking, they will sound less defined and slower than high-end options.
Combining different measurements shows a headphone’s strengths and weaknesses and helps explain how it performs in real life.
How Real-World Listening Conditions Affect Measurements
Lab measurements of headphones don’t always match real-world listening. One major factor is fit—how headphones sit on or in your ears.
For example, the insertion depth of in-ear headphones affects bass.
A deeper fit boosts bass, while a shallow fit reduces it. Over-ear and on-ear headphones also change in sound based on how they’re positioned. Small adjustments in angle or placement can shift sound clarity and imaging, making them sound different than in controlled tests.
Another key factor is seal.
A good seal produces more accurate sound, especially for bass. If the seal is broken—such as when headphones don’t fit snugly—bass frequencies leak out, making the sound weaker.
Different types of headphones react differently to this.
Closed-back headphones rely heavily on a good seal to sound right, while open-back models are more forgiving. Still, even a small leak in the seal can ruin the effects of any EQ adjustments because EQ cannot correct the lost sound caused by leakage.
This is why lab results, while useful, often don’t match real-life listening.
Lab tests are done in ideal, fixed conditions, which don’t reflect how people wear headphones day-to-day. And although measurement rigs are designed to mimic an average ear, everyone’s ears are unique. The shape, size, and even hair or glasses can change how headphones fit and sound.
Limitations of Digital Sound Processing
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) has come a long way, but it still has limits when trying to make budget headphones sound like high-end models. Different driver types—such as dynamic, planar magnetic, and electrostatic—have unique qualities that DSP can’t fully copy.
For example, dynamic drivers, can deliver strong bass but may lack the clarity and speed of planar or electrostatic drivers, which are better at handling detailed sound.
While DSP can adjust the frequency response, it can’t change how the driver handles transients or controls distortion.
DSP technology itself has several limitations.
While it can tweak the frequency response, it can’t capture all the qualities that make high-end headphones stand out. Premium headphones have better dynamic range, imaging, and speed, which DSP alone can’t replicate.
DSP also faces limits in processing power. Basic EQ changes are easy, but more complex tasks—like replicating a detailed soundstage require much more computing power. Budget DSP systems often can’t handle these adjustments well, leading to phase shifts, latency, or distortion.
TiTum Audio claimed that their wireless headphones could emulate premium sound quality and maintain it in wired mode without using DSP.
It’s curious since DSP is essential for shaping and enhancing sound profiles, especially when trying to replicate high-end headphones. And without DSP, many of the improvements they promised would be nearly impossible to achieve.
What Else High-End Headphones Bring
Premium headphones offer benefits beyond just sound adjustments.
One key advantage is the use of better materials.
Premium headphones often use memory foam or soft leather, which feels more comfortable for long listening sessions. These materials also create a better seal around your ears, which helps maintain consistent bass and reduces sound leakage, something cheaper pads struggle with.
This can contribute to other important factors such as comfort and weight distribution.
The build quality in high-end headphones is also generally much better, ensuring more reliable performance.
They’re typically made from durable materials like metal or carbon fiber, which last longer and reduce unwanted vibrations that can affect sound. Cheaper models, on the other hand, often use lower-grade materials that can rattle or break down over time, impacting sound quality.
The materials used in high-end headphones are designed to hold up over years of use. This reliability means you’re less likely to experience wear-and-tear issues that affect cheaper models, making premium headphones a smarter investment over time.
Where EQ Wins and Falls Short
EQ can greatly enhance the sound quality of budget and mid-range headphones, often exceeding the expectations of seasoned audiophiles.
Tools like Sonarworks, for example, allow users to apply custom sound profiles tailored to specific headphone models. When properly EQ’d, popular mid-range models like the Sennheiser HD600 can sound nearly as balanced and clear as much more expensive options.
However, EQ has its limits.
It is most effective with headphones that have decent drivers but suffer from tonal issues, like harsh treble or weak bass. EQ can fix these problems by smoothing out peaks, boosting certain frequencies, and generally tailoring the sound to a preferred target.
Unfortunately, adjusting the EQ won’t overcome fundamental hardware shortcomings like weak drivers or poor dynamic range. In fact, overly aggressive adjustments can even introduce new problems, like phase shifts or added distortion.
So, when should you rely on EQ, and when should you consider upgrading your headphones?
Ultimately, EQ is a great option if your headphones are “good enough” but need some fine-tuning.
Many listeners find that a pair of mid-range headphones, properly EQ’d, meets all their needs without the need for a big upgrade. But if you want a better soundstage, faster response times, or the added detail of high-end drivers, upgrading your hardware will make a bigger impact than EQ alone.
From personal experience, I’ve used EQ to enhance my Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro headphones and get them to sound the way I want them to. Out of the box, the highs can be a bit too sharp, and the mids sometimes feel a little flat.
But, after experimenting with the EQ, I was able to smooth out those sharp highs, bring more warmth and balance to the midrange, and tighten up the bass without it becoming overwhelming.
They still sound a bit brighter than other headphones I tried but I liked the clarity they give in exchange for that.
It really hit home that while EQ can do wonders for a solid pair of headphones, it’s not a magic fix for cheaper models with lower-quality components.