Mac OS music app equalizer not working

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only person having this problem, it's been driving me crazy since the Catalina update. I'm having this problem on 3 different Macs so definitely not some kind of hardware issue. I'm also finding that the play, pause and skip keys work intermittently and require the music app to be completely closed and restarted to get them working again.

Ok, there is definitely a bug with the EQ in Music, but I've discovered that if I pull up a playlist and select all, get info, select Options, there's a box there for EQ setting. if you set this, you'll notice it in playback. the first few seconds of each song will play without EQ, but it will revert to the EQ setting you used. Pain in the butt, but it "works."

I have the same problem since the new Catalina update. I hope Apple will fix it soon. It has to be something in this new update.

My alternative easy solution is installing an equalizer app. I'm using now Boom3D and I'm very satisfied with it. But you can find free apps too like eqMac2.

https://www.globaldelight.com/boom/

https://bitgapp.com/eqmac/

Just got off of the telephone with a representative for the fourth time within the last five days, and they have yet to remedy the issue :-/ This doesn't seem like it should be a difficult problem to solve.

It’s a Shame the Way Apple is doing the upgrades!!! Can not Take a minimum resguard that the simple things works fine? Hoy could is this possible? will return us the apple music’s payment till solve the problem?

too many questions Apple cannot response!!!

I've found a workaround using the third party app - Boom3D, very simple yet effective. Works even better than built-in eq in Apple Music app. And can be applied system-wide. Worth a shot. I was tired of waiting for Apple to fix that annoying bug.

While we wait for an official fix: Select all songs > Right Click > Get Info > Option > Equalizer (Choose Rock, Pop, etc.) > Hit Ok. Songs will maintain that assigned EQ while playing. Greetings.

I just made the transition to Catalina as well. Using a Mac Air. Having the same EXACT issue. On the new Apple Music program the equalizer isn't working. So frustrating. I'm actually regretting the OS upgrade now....

If I want the equalizer sound enhancement to work, I have to adjust (click on) one of the EQ frequency settings while a track is playing, wait a few seconds, and then the equalizer kicks in. Of course, the equalizer automatically disables before the next track begins.. What gives with that? I was so happy using iTunes and pairing my Mac with bluetooth on my home audio set up. Without the EQ, the sound is flat. There is no dynamic range or separation in the sound. If this is the best Apple can do, at least let us download the last version of iTunes so we can go back to better quality sound..

I recommend the work-around that luiscr04 and others have posted. Select all your songs and right click to get info and select the options tab. Choose the equalizer setting you want and that will be the new default for all songs.

Unfortunately, for decades, it's been typical for Apple to say about many reported bugs for which they don't yet have a fix, "That's an unknown problem", as if each person is the first to report it to them. Often, they'll say that to everyone who reports the bug until they have a fix.

Solution: Downgrade to Mojave or the last Apple OS you had on your system, and get the last iTunes version. I did that yesterday, and two things happened. I no longer have to pay for a MS Office subscription to get their 64 bit version, and I now have a fully functional iTunes app. with working equalizer. The Catalina OS offering is not what many of us bargained for.

unfortunately, we should not have to do a song by song workaround. how many thousands of catalina casualties will it take before this unknown problem becomes knowledgeable? for all of my years as an imac owner,i am astounded and beyond annoyed at the disconnected, unconcerned support response.

Yes got exactly the same issue, thanks for posting and thereby saving me spending hrs trying to trace a specific fault with my Mac.

Obviously a software upgrade issue as like you I didn't have problem before Catalina update.