Anker SoundBuds Life EQ settings
Parametric EQ correction for the Anker SoundBuds Life, derived from measurements by Rtings. It moves the measured frequency response toward a neutral target.
How the SoundBuds Life sounds before EQ
Measured against a neutral target, the SoundBuds Life comes out V-shaped. Boosted bass and treble with recessed mids: exciting at first, tiring and vocal-shy over time.
The sub-bass region, rumble and the weight under kick drums, sits about 4.7 dB forward of neutral, so kick drums carry extra weight and rumble. The presence region, vocal clarity and attack, sits about 3.3 dB forward of neutral, so consonants and attack can turn sharp. The bass region, punch and bass lines, sits about 3.0 dB forward of neutral, so bass lines carry extra weight. The lower mids region, warmth and the body of voices, sits about 2.9 dB behind neutral, so voices lose body and sound hollow.
The largest deviation runs to about 4.7 dB, which is impossible to miss. This model benefits clearly from correction.
These figures are read from the correction itself: whatever the EQ lifts, the headphone lacked, and whatever it cuts, the headphone had too much of. The target is the community's neutral reference, and how far above 10 kHz you can trust any measurement varies by rig. More V-shaped models.
The correction curve
The solid line is the full measured correction (all 10 filters). The dashed line is what Atrium applies: the same shape at 65 percent strength, capped at 6 dB per band, so the headphone keeps its own character instead of being forced flat.
What the EQ fixes
The biggest moves in this correction, and what they do:
- The filter at 5.31 kHz cuts the sibilance range by 7.3 dB with a narrow band (Q 3.22).
- The filter at 727 Hz lifts the middle of the mids by 4.6 dB with a medium-width band (Q 0.88).
- The filter at 105 Hz cuts the bass punch region by 4.5 dB with a shelf.
The preamp of -4.5 dB offsets the boosts so nothing clips at full volume.
Parametric EQ settings
Preamp: -4.5 dB (prevents clipping from the boosts below)
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low shelf | 105 Hz | -4.5 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Peaking | 727 Hz | +4.6 dB | 0.88 |
| 3 | Peaking | 181 Hz | -3.9 dB | 1.42 |
| 4 | Peaking | 5.31 kHz | -7.3 dB | 3.22 |
| 5 | Peaking | 296 Hz | +2.6 dB | 2.79 |
| 6 | High shelf | 1 kHz | +1.7 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Peaking | 3.07 kHz | -3.3 dB | 3.48 |
| 8 | Peaking | 2.08 kHz | +1.2 dB | 1.98 |
| 9 | Peaking | 62 Hz | +1.1 dB | 1.90 |
| 10 | Peaking | 32 Hz | -1.0 dB | 1.90 |
This is the full measured correction in AutoEq format. It pastes straight into Equalizer APO or Peace on Windows, and into most parametric EQ apps.
How to use these settings
Manually: enter the preamp and each filter into any parametric EQ. On Windows that is usually Equalizer APO with the Peace interface. On a Mac, eqMac or SoundSource. Set the type, frequency, gain and Q exactly as listed.
With Atrium: pick your SoundBuds Life in the app and it applies a tuned version of this correction: 65 percent strength with a 6 dB per-band cap, which fixes the rough spots without erasing what the headphone does well. Atrium also measures how you hear with a short listening test and layers your personal hearing profile on top. Two people with the same headphones do not hear the same sound. Headphone corrections are part of Signature Edition; the app itself is free.
SoundBuds Life vs other Anker models
Bass and treble are each model's average distance from the neutral target in that range. Positive means more than neutral, negative means less.
| Model | Signature | Bass vs neutral | Treble vs neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoundBuds Life (this page) | V-shaped | +3.9 dB | +1.8 dB |
| Liberty 4 Pro | bass-heavy | +3.1 dB | -1.9 dB |
| Liberty 5 | warm | +1.3 dB | -1.1 dB |
| Life P2i | bass-heavy | +5.5 dB | -2.2 dB |
| P3i | bass-heavy | +3.4 dB | +0.2 dB |
Headphones that sound similar
Closest matches across all 4,332 measured models, by distance between their deviation curves. Useful if you like how the SoundBuds Life is tuned and want alternatives.