Android has always been a little strange when it comes to equalizers. For a long time, the operating system has supported equalizers. However, it is not a pleasant experience. Some music applications have these, and some devices include native ones in the settings that are system-wide. However, many programmes, such as YouTube Music, do not, and it is unusual to get everything to operate all of the time. Furthermore, with the Bluetooth revolution, many Bluetooth headphone companion applications modify the EQ of the headset itself and completely bypass Android. You do, however, have several alternatives if you want to try to EQ your device yourself. Here are the best equalizer applications for Android.
The best Android equalizer applications
1. Equalizer and Bass Booster
The Equalizer and Bass Booster are self-explanatory. It has an equalizer as well as a bass booster. It has a five-band equalizer, 10 equalizer presets, and a bass booster, to name a few features. According to the creators, it should work with most music players, video players, and FM radios. The only big issue is that the programme may occasionally close when left in the background, and it does not always operate. It’s one of the most straightforward equalizer applications, and it should work on most smartphones.
2. Equalizer FX
Equalizer FX is one of the more aesthetically pleasing and up-to-date equalizer programmes. It is quite simple to use. It has a five-band equalizer, bass enhancement, virtualisation, and a volume booster (Android 4.4 and up only). It, like others, comes with a widget as well as settings to get you started. According to the creator, this should work with most music players, including Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora, and others. The commercial and free versions are identical. It just eliminates advertisements.
3. Music Volume EQ
One of the most popular equalizer apps is Music Volume EQ and Bass Booster. Fortunately, it works rather well. It comes with the usual five-band EQ as well as nine EQ presets. You’ll also get volume control, bass boost, loudness improvement, and other features. The makers also claim that it should be compatible with the majority of video and audio players. Overall, it’s a good experience for a software equalizer. It certainly won’t work with everything, and some on this list have more settings, but it works OK. As far as we can tell, it’s also completely free.
4. Neutralizer
Neutralizer is one of the most distinctive equalizer applications we’ve encountered. It features an EQ that changes itself based on what you like instead of providing you one to modify yourself. You will be prompted to listen to sounds at various frequencies during the setup process. You adjust the volume based on how well you hear them. When you’re finished, the software creates a custom equalizer setting depending on the speakers or headphones you’re using.
The free version allows you to make one preset, however the pro version allows you to make as many as you need. If you do this, we recommend repeating the audio test with each new pair of speakers or headphones you connect in, as the results will vary. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been an update to this app since 2016, so your mileage may vary.
5. Poweramp Equalizer
Poweramp Equalizer is one of the list’s newest equalizers. The programme has several features that other equalizers do not, such as a customizable amount of bands, bass and treble tone settings, and more. Once you’ve mastered the different options, it’s really simple to use. It should also work with the majority of Bluetooth and cable headphones, as well as the majority of streaming music applications and local music players. Because it is newer, it benefits from a more current approach. This is one of the first ones you should attempt.
6. SoundID
SoundID is a novel concept. It attempts to make your headphones sound like a different set. Digital equalisation may be used for a variety of purposes, as demonstrated by this software. It is compatible with the majority of popular streaming and local music players. You may fiddle with the sound and make tiny tweaks to get everything exactly right. The only limitation is the simplicity of usage. This programme is quite difficult to use and contains certain flaws that the developer has yet to resolve. We hope they do, because this is one of the most interesting equalizer applications available on mobile.
7. Wavelet
Wavelet is, in comparison, the newest equalizer app on the list. It was released in 2020 and isn’t half awful. If you prefer to keep things simple, the app provides a 9-band equalizer as well as a slew of presets. It also has the capacity to auto-EQ over 2,400 distinct pairs of headphones. For best sound, the AutoEQ feature measures and adjusts to the Harman curve. Doesn’t this sound like a commercial? In any case, this one is actually quite good and is among the best available without root access.
8. Viper4Android (root only)
Viper4Android is by far the best equalizer software available for Android. Unfortunately, it is only available to root users. It’s been in the works for a long time. Because it is installed on the system disc, it has significantly more power than any of the standard equalizer applications available on Google Play. The programme also has a ten-band EQ, a plethora of presets and settings, effects, and other features. It might be a pain in the backside to install at times. However, after you’ve done it, it’s well worth it. Viper4Android should work on most rooted smartphones, and many custom ROMs include it by default. It’s excellent, and we hope that Google will include something similar in Android in the future.
9. Many music player apps
Many music player applications have equalizers. BlackPlayer, Poweramp, and Neutron Player are a few famous examples. These applications contain powerful equalizers that really alter the sound. They do, however, only operate within the app. As a result, those of you who stream music will be unable to utilise the equalizers in these applications for your streaming music. Those with private collections, on the other hand, can utilise these all day. The pricing and functionality of music player applications varies. We’ve included a list of our favourites towards the top of the post, just below the first paragraph.
10. On-device equalizers
EQs may be found in the sound area of the settings of several Android OEMs. Some devices perform better than others, but about half of them allow you to alter device-wide audio using an EQ. It’s usually something close to a 10-band EQ with some extras like Dolby Atmos or EQ presets. LG smartphones with Quad DACs provide a 10-band EQ as well as a whole distinct set of presets. Sony’s more recent gadgets with headphone ports provide several features as well. Finally, most Bluetooth headsets include adjustable sound profiles that you should look into. It truly depends on what you’re looking for, although Samsung and LG seem to do it a little better than the rest.