Three ways to get an EQ on your computer
| Option | Upside | Downside |
|---|---|---|
| The EQ in a typical player | Already there, nothing to install | A few coarse sliders, few presets, nothing for headphones or the car |
| A system-wide EQ | Applies to every sound on the computer | Needs a virtual audio driver and permissions, sometimes a reinstall after OS updates; it also EQs notifications and calls |
| A player with its own EQ | Deep control, lots of presets, no drivers | Only applies to music played in that player |
If what you mostly do is play your own library, the third option is the cleanest: open the app and the EQ is there, close it and your computer is back to normal.
What a good EQ player needs
- Parametric EQ and sliders. Drag points on a graph to fix exactly the right spot, or use 10 familiar sliders when you're in a hurry.
- Genre presets. EDM, house, trance, and Vinahouse want different amounts of bass and brightness. Pick one and listen instead of guessing.
- Presets for where you listen. Headphones, laptop speakers, a PA speaker, the car, and a club rig each need different settings for the same track.
- No distortion. A big bass boost without automatic level control breaks up right at the drop.
- One-click before and after. An On/Off switch tells you whether it sounds better or just louder.
- The spectrum behind the curve. The EQ curve drawn over the live spectrum shows exactly which range you're pushing.
- It remembers. Change tracks, restart the app, and your EQ is still there.
- High-quality files. Every player handles MP3, but not every one plays WAV, FLAC, and AIFF.
Want to know where bass, mids, and treble live and why you cut before you boost? Read EQ basics.
Quick fixes by situation
The preset names below are the real ones in Taxonomy DJ:
| You want | Try |
|---|---|
| Thick club bass with sub you feel in your chest | The Vinahouse — heavy sub preset |
| More bass from small speakers or thin headphones | Bass Boost, and don't add more by hand |
| Clearer vocals | Vocal Boost |
| A dull sound that needs air | Treble Boost |
| A system with a separate subwoofer | The Club rig / Subwoofer Space preset, which keeps the bass centered and solid |
| Headphones for hours | A headphone Space preset, with crossfeed to ease ear fatigue |
Tip: set the EQ for mood or genre, and Space for where you are. They're independent and switch on and off separately, so going from headphones to speakers doesn't cost you the EQ you love.
FAQ
Does the EQ affect sound outside the app?
No. Taxonomy DJ's EQ only applies to music played in the app. In exchange, there's no driver to install and no system permission to grant.
Will big bass boosts distort?
No. The app lowers the level automatically when you boost a lot, so the sound doesn't break up. You can also pull Preamp down yourself.
Does switching tracks reset my EQ?
No. The EQ applies to every track, stays when the next track starts, and is still there after you restart the app.
Is it free?
Yes. The player, the EQ, 34 EQ presets, and 13 Space presets are free on every plan, with no track limit.
Do it fast with Taxonomy DJ
The Taxonomy DJ music player and EQ runs on macOS and Windows:
- In the Music Library tab, click Add music folder to bring in your music. Select a track and press Space to play.
- Click the EQ button to open the EQ window, styled like a studio plugin. Pick one of 34 presets, step through them with ‹ ›, or drag the dots on the graph. Prefer the classic look? Switch to 10 sliders.
- In the Space section at the bottom of the EQ window, pick where you're listening from 13 presets: headphones, laptop speakers, PA speakers, a club rig, the car, and rooms from small to hall.
- Flip the EQ switch to Off to hear the original and back to On to compare. Happy with it? Save it as your own preset.
A few extras music lovers will like: a waveform colored by lows, mids, and highs; skipping the first 26 seconds and last 30 seconds of each track (set it in Settings ▸ Playback); and tempo from 0.5× to 2× with the pitch kept. All free. Download Taxonomy DJ and try your first preset.