Best Equalizer Settings for Games

Game audio can sound very different after a few small EQ changes. I have found that the biggest difference usually comes from controlling the low end instead of simply making everything louder. For example:

• Too much bass can make explosions and gunfire overpower quieter sounds.
• A small mid-range boost can make footsteps and movement easier to hear.
• Too much treble can make gunshots and other sharp sounds uncomfortable.

The best equalizer settings depend on your game and headset, but these changes give you a useful starting point. 

In this blog, I will share the best equalizer settings for different types of games and explain how each frequency affects game audio.

Key Takeaways

• Reduce excessive bass to make quieter game sounds easier to hear.
• Use small boosts around 1 kHz to 4 kHz for clearer game audio.
• For FPS games, focus more on the 2 kHz to 8 kHz range for footsteps and movement sounds.
• Adjust your EQ based on your headset, game, and personal preference.
• Make small 1 to 2 dB changes and test them before making further adjustments.

What Are the Best Equalizer Settings for Games?

A balanced gaming EQ should make important sounds clearer without making the audio harsh or unnatural. For most games, you can start with the following settings:

These settings are a starting point rather than a fixed rule. Your headset may already have strong bass or treble, so you may need to reduce or remove some of these adjustments.

For example, if you read Rana Wajahat Tajamal’s PHOINIKAS Q9 gaming headset review, you will notice that he clearly mentioned that its large ear cups help block external sound and its 40mm drivers can produce loud, immersive audio. 

This means you may need different EQ adjustments depending on how the headset already sounds to you. 

The goal is to make useful sounds easier to hear while keeping explosions, music, dialogue, and environmental sounds natural.

Best EQ Settings for Hearing Footsteps

If you mainly play competitive FPS games, you may want an EQ that makes footsteps easier to notice.

Footsteps can be difficult to hear when they are mixed with explosions, gunfire, vehicles, and other loud sounds. Heavy bass can make this problem worse because many low-frequency sounds become more prominent.

Try these settings as a starting point:

The lower frequencies are reduced slightly to leave more room for quieter details. The boost around 2 kHz to 8 kHz can make movement and other sharp sounds easier to notice.

Do not assume that a bigger boost will always make footsteps better. Too much treble can make gunfire and other sounds uncomfortable or harsh.

What Does Each EQ Frequency Do in Games?

An equalizer lets you change the volume of different frequency ranges. Each range affects different parts of game audio.

60–125 Hz: Bass and Rumble

These frequencies contain deep bass and low-end rumble.

You will hear some of this range in explosions, vehicles, weapons, and other powerful sounds. If your headset has heavy bass, reducing these frequencies slightly can make other sounds easier to notice.

250–500 Hz: Body and Low-Mid Sounds

This range adds body to many game sounds.

Cutting it too much can make audio sound thin. Keeping it around its original level is usually a good choice unless your headset sounds too warm or muddy.

1–2 kHz: Presence and Movement

The 1 kHz to 2 kHz range can add presence to voices, movement, and other sounds.

A small boost here can help important game sounds stand out without making the audio overly sharp.

4–8 kHz: Detail and Clarity

This range is useful when you want more detail from footsteps, clicks, weapon sounds, and other sharp audio cues.

A small boost can improve clarity, but too much can make the sound harsh. If your ears become tired during longer gaming sessions, reduce this range.

16 kHz: High-Frequency Detail

The highest frequency band mainly affects very high-frequency details.

You usually do not need to boost it for gaming. Leaving it at 0 dB is a safe starting point.

Best EQ Settings for FPS Games

FPS games often benefit from a more detail-focused EQ. Footsteps, reloads, weapon sounds, and other movement cues can be important, so you may want to reduce some low-end energy and slightly raise the mid and high frequencies.

A simple FPS starting point is:

This type of EQ can work well as a starting point for games such as competitive shooters.

However, every game has its own sound mix. A preset that sounds good in one FPS may not sound exactly the same in another. Your headset also affects the result.

Best EQ Settings for Specific Games

The general EQ settings above can work across many games, but some games benefit from slightly different adjustments. 

This is mainly because explosions, gunfire, abilities, vehicles, and footsteps are mixed differently in each game. 

Use the following settings as starting points and adjust them based on your headset and what you want to hear most.

Counter-Strike 2

CS2 relies heavily on footsteps, reloads, jumps, and other movement sounds. A small boost in the mid-range can help these sounds stand out while keeping the bass under control.

Valorant

Valorant has clear movement and ability sounds, so you can put more focus on the mid and upper-mid frequencies. Keep the low end controlled to prevent unnecessary rumble from covering quieter sounds.

Current Valorant audio guides also focus on the 2 kHz to 6 kHz range for movement detail while reducing unnecessary low-frequency energy.

Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone has explosions, gunfire, vehicles, and other loud sounds that can mask footsteps. A stronger bass reduction with a controlled boost in the mid-range can help bring movement sounds forward.

Warzone-specific EQ guides similarly recommend reducing deep bass and increasing frequencies associated with footstep body and detail.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends has a busy mix with gunfire, abilities, movement, and environmental sounds. A balanced boost through the mids and upper mids can help movement sounds remain noticeable without making the audio too sharp.

Rainbow Six Siege

Rainbow Six Siege has footsteps, rappelling, equipment sounds, destruction, and movement through different surfaces. A moderate mid-range boost can help these smaller audio cues stand out while avoiding an overly bright sound.

Rainbow Six Siege is also included in current game-specific EQ resources, with footstep and movement detail being a common focus.

Fortnite

Fortnite has footsteps, gliding, building, weapons, and other effects competing in the same mix. A mild bass reduction and mid-range boost can make movement sounds easier to notice without removing too much of the game’s overall sound.

These settings are starting points, not fixed presets. The same EQ can sound different on different headphones, so make small changes if the game becomes too bass-heavy, sharp, or thin.

How to Adjust Your EQ Settings?

The exact way you change EQ settings depends on your gaming setup. Some games have built-in equalizer controls, while gaming headsets may have EQ settings in their companion software. If you are using gaming PCs, you can also change EQ at the PC or system level using audio software.

The available frequency bands and controls can therefore vary between setups.

Regardless of how you access the EQ, the adjustment process is similar. Start with a preset and then make small changes based on how the game sounds.

• If the audio sounds too bass-heavy, reduce 60 Hz or 125 Hz slightly.
• If the sound becomes sharp or uncomfortable, reduce the 4 kHz to 8 kHz range.
• Make changes of 1 or 2 dB at a time instead of making large adjustments.
• If footsteps are difficult to hear, try a small boost around 2 kHz to 4 kHz.
• Test the changes in a game you know well and listen to footsteps, gunfire, explosions, dialogue, and other sounds.

Does EQ Improve Positional Audio?

EQ can make certain sounds easier to hear, but it does not create positional audio.
For example, increasing the frequencies where footsteps are prominent may make footsteps clearer. 

It does not automatically make you better at determining whether a player is behind you, beside you, or above you.

Directional audio also depends on the game’s audio system, stereo output, HRTF, spatial audio settings, and your headphones.

If you are having problems with directional audio, changing the EQ alone may not solve them.

Gaming EQ Settings for Different Headphones

The same EQ settings can sound different on different headphones.

• Some gaming headsets already have strong bass.
• Others have a brighter sound with more high-frequency detail.

Applying the same preset to both can therefore produce very different results.

This is also something to consider when choosing the best gaming headsets. A headset with a balanced sound profile may need fewer EQ changes, while one with strong bass or treble may need more adjustment.

If your headset already sounds bass-heavy, a small reduction in the low frequencies may help. If it already has strong treble, you may not need to boost 4 kHz or 8 kHz as much.

This is why it is better to use these settings as a starting point instead of treating them as universal values.

Final Words

The best equalizer settings for games depend on your headset, game, and personal preference. As a general starting point, reduce excessive bass around 60 Hz to 125 Hz and add small boosts around 1 kHz to 4 kHz for clearer game audio.

If you mainly play FPS games, you can increase the focus on the 2 kHz to 8 kHz range for footsteps and other details. You can also adjust your settings for specific games, but always make small changes and test how they sound on your own headset.