Straight answer first
A system-wide equalizer for Mac — with one honest caveat
macOS ships no system-wide EQ at all. SoundFerry adds one for everything the Mac plays — but only on the way to AirPlay speakers. If you want EQ on your laptop's own speakers, this is not the tool, and this page says so before you pay.
What each kind of Mac EQ actually covers
| If you want to EQ… | You need | Covers every app? |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Music, and nothing else | The Music app's own EQ — free, already installed | No |
| Built-in speakers or headphones | A driver-level EQ such as eqMac, SoundSource or Boom | Yes |
| One specific application | A per-app router such as SoundSource or Audio Hijack | Per app |
| Everything, on its way to AirPlay speakers | SoundFerry | Yes |
What SoundFerry puts in the path
EQ and dynamics process audio before streaming. The delay before a change is audible depends on buffering, settings and the receiver.
Then TPDF dither with second-order noise shaping for the 16-bit conversion AirPlay requires, and ITU-R BS.1770-4 loudness and true-peak meters so you can see what you have done.
CPU use depends on your Mac and enabled processing. Full detail →
Questions
Does macOS have a built-in system-wide equalizer?
No. The Music app has an EQ and it affects Music only. Nothing in macOS shapes Spotify, a browser tab, VLC or a game, and nothing at all shapes what is sent over AirPlay.
Will SoundFerry equalize my MacBook's built-in speakers?
No — and this is the honest answer you came for. SoundFerry is an output device whose destination is AirPlay speakers. Its EQ shapes the stream on the way to them. It does not sit in front of your built-in speakers or your headphones.
If that is what you need, look at eqMac, SoundSource or Boom instead. They solve a different problem and none of them can send to several AirPlay speakers at once.
So what does SoundFerry equalize?
Everything the Mac plays, on its way to every AirPlay speaker in the group. Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, VLC, games, alerts — one pass of 12-band parametric EQ, dynamics, stereo width and limiting, applied to the stream before it leaves the machine.
Can I set a different EQ per speaker?
SoundFerry applies EQ to the group as a whole. It provides per-speaker delay adjustment, but does not provide a separate EQ for each speaker.
Can I run both — a headphone EQ and this?
Yes, because they never run at the same time. A headphone EQ works when your output is headphones; SoundFerry works when your output is SoundFerry. Switching output devices switches which one is in play.
What does the equalizer actually do?
Group-wide EQ, dynamics and reverb process the shared audio before it reaches the speakers. The same processing applies to every selected output.
How much delay is there?
The managed default audio path adds several seconds of delay. It is intended for listening rather than live instrument monitoring, gaming or video calls. Video playback may need delay compensation.
How much is it, and is it a subscription?
19 USD buys a perpetual license for version 1.x. Updates such as 1.0 to 1.1 are included. Version 2.x requires a separate purchase, with pricing not yet decided. There is no subscription. Other currencies are converted from the USD price.
What is in the free trial?
The trial lasts seven days and requires no payment card. An internet connection is required to start it, after restarting the app, and every 12 hours during use. The server manages expiry; changing the Mac clock does not extend it. Purchased licenses are verified offline.
If your speakers are AirPlay, this is your system EQ.
Every band and every preset, free for 7 days. $19 once.
- One-time purchase, no subscription
- Free updates within 1.x
- macOS 14+, Apple silicon