Bose QuietComfort II (80dB) EQ settings
Parametric EQ correction for the Bose QuietComfort II (80dB), derived from measurements by HypetheSonics. It moves the measured frequency response toward a neutral target.
How the QuietComfort II (80dB) sounds before EQ
Measured against a neutral target, the QuietComfort II (80dB) comes out bass-heavy. The low end dominates the tuning and can mask the mids.
The sub-bass region, rumble and the weight under kick drums, sits about 6.7 dB forward of neutral, so kick drums carry extra weight and rumble. The presence region, vocal clarity and attack, sits about 2.6 dB forward of neutral, so consonants and attack can turn sharp. The lower mids region, warmth and the body of voices, sits about 2.0 dB behind neutral, so voices lose body and sound hollow.
The largest deviation runs to about 6.7 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 bass-heavy 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 28 Hz cuts the sub-bass by 6.8 dB with a broad band (Q 0.75).
- The filter at 2.58 kHz cuts the clarity region by 5.8 dB with a medium-width band (Q 1.26).
- The filter at 1.2 kHz lifts the vocal presence region by 3.8 dB with a medium-width band (Q 1.40).
The preamp of -3.0 dB offsets the boosts so nothing clips at full volume.
Parametric EQ settings
Preamp: -3.0 dB (prevents clipping from the boosts below)
| # | Type | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Low shelf | 105 Hz | -1.4 dB | 0.70 |
| 2 | Peaking | 2.58 kHz | -5.8 dB | 1.26 |
| 3 | Peaking | 1.2 kHz | +3.8 dB | 1.40 |
| 4 | Peaking | 317 Hz | +2.7 dB | 1.04 |
| 5 | Peaking | 28 Hz | -6.8 dB | 0.75 |
| 6 | High shelf | 1 kHz | +1.2 dB | 0.70 |
| 7 | Peaking | 5.54 kHz | +2.2 dB | 2.99 |
| 8 | Peaking | 4.07 kHz | -2.6 dB | 3.93 |
| 9 | Peaking | 127 Hz | +0.5 dB | 3.05 |
| 10 | Peaking | 3.05 kHz | +0.9 dB | 4.22 |
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 QuietComfort II (80dB) 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.
QuietComfort II (80dB) vs other Bose 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuietComfort II (80dB) (this page) | bass-heavy | +3.7 dB | +1.1 dB |
| QuietComfort 45 | near-neutral | +0.6 dB | +0.6 dB |
| QuietComfort Ultra | bass-heavy | +2.3 dB | -1.0 dB |
| Noise Cancelling 700 | warm | +0.9 dB | -0.2 dB |
| AE2 | bass-heavy | +2.3 dB | +0.1 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 QuietComfort II (80dB) is tuned and want alternatives.