How to apply podcast eq presets in your browser
- Step 1Be on a Pro plan — These presets are a Pro-tier tool (
minTier: pro). Free locks them and caps the audio family at 50 MB / 30 min; Pro gives 200 MB / 120 min per file. - Step 2Drop your episode voice file in — One file per job. MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG, and Opus decode. For the cleanest result, EQ a single-voice track; EQ each host separately if you have isolated tracks.
- Step 3Choose a preset — Male (general), Female (higher voices), Bright (broadcast) (the most forward, radio sound), or Warm (thin/harsh voices). These are the only four presets — there's no custom-band mode.
- Step 4Apply in the browser — FFmpeg runs the preset's high-pass plus two peaking bands as one
-afpass locally. Seconds to under a minute for a typical episode; first run loads the WASM engine once. - Step 5A/B before publishing — Compare the preset against the raw file on the devices your audience uses. Switch presets if needed — Bright for more cut-through, Warm if it's too harsh.
- Step 6Build the rest of the master without a DAW — Chain the other browser tools: ai-noise-reducer before EQ, then speech-leveler and loudness-normalizer after — or run the whole thing with podcast-master.
The four presets at a glance
Each preset is a fixed three-stage chain. These are the literal curves from the processor; you cannot edit the bands.
| Preset | Character | Exact curve |
|---|---|---|
| Male | Balanced, general-purpose | highpass=f=80, -2 dB @ 300 Hz, +3 dB @ 3 kHz |
| Female | Presence tuned for higher voices | highpass=f=100, -2 dB @ 300 Hz, +3 dB @ 4 kHz |
| Bright (broadcast) | Forward, radio-style, most cut-through | highpass=f=80, -1.5 dB @ 250 Hz, +4 dB @ 5 kHz |
| Warm | Fullest, gentlest, least change | highpass=f=70, -1 dB @ 350 Hz, +2 dB @ 2.5 kHz |
Browser presets vs a DAW parametric EQ
An honest comparison so you pick the right tool for the job.
| Aspect | These presets | DAW parametric EQ |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | None — pick a preset | Install, load plugin, set bands |
| Customisation | Four fixed curves only | Fully adjustable bands |
| Speed for common case | Drop, pick, download | Slower |
| Cost | Pro plan, no plugins | DAW + possible plugin licence |
| Privacy | Browser-only, no upload | Local (most DAWs) |
| Best for | Standard spoken-voice EQ | Music, problem frequencies, surgical fixes |
Tier limits
Pro feature; per-file; single file per job.
| Plan | Max size | Max duration | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 50 MB | 30 min | Locked |
| Pro | 200 MB | 120 min | Yes |
| Pro-media | 100 GB | Unlimited | Yes |
| Developer | 100 GB | Unlimited | Yes |
Cookbook
Choosing the right preset for real podcast episodes, with the exact FFmpeg chain each runs.
Standard solo episode
Male is the balanced default and works for most spoken voices straight out of the box.
Preset: Male highpass=f=80, equalizer=f=300:t=q:w=1:g=-2, equalizer=f=3000:t=q:w=1:g=3 episode.wav -> episode-eq.wav
Higher-voiced co-host
Female keeps the presence boost where a higher voice needs it (4 kHz) and high-passes at 100 Hz.
Preset: Female highpass=f=100, equalizer=f=300:t=q:w=1:g=-2, equalizer=f=4000:t=q:w=1:g=3
Radio-style branded show
Bright (broadcast) is the most forward preset for a polished, announcer-style sound.
Preset: Bright (broadcast) highpass=f=80, equalizer=f=250:t=q:w=1:g=-1.5, equalizer=f=5000:t=q:w=1:g=4
Thin or harsh guest call-in
Warm is the gentlest preset — keeps body, smallest boost — for a brittle remote guest.
Preset: Warm highpass=f=70, equalizer=f=350:t=q:w=1:g=-1, equalizer=f=2500:t=q:w=1:g=2
Full no-DAW master
Stack the browser tools to master an episode end-to-end without ever opening a DAW.
1. /audio-tools/ai-noise-reducer (RNNoise) 2. voice-eq (pick a preset) 3. /audio-tools/speech-leveler 4. /audio-tools/loudness-normalizer (-16 LUFS) 5. /audio-tools/true-peak-limiter (-1 dBTP) Or all at once: /audio-tools/podcast-master
Edge cases and what actually happens
Want to tweak a preset's band
Not availableThe presets are fixed curves — you can't change a frequency, gain, or Q. If you need to nudge a specific band, use a DAW's parametric EQ. These presets are for the standard, no-customisation case.
Looking for a music EQ preset
Wrong toolEvery preset is voiced for spoken voice — high-pass, low-mid cut, presence boost. They'll thin out music and over-brighten a bed. EQ music in a DAW; use these for the voice.
Free user can't access the presets
Pro requiredGated at Pro despite 'free'/'browser' in the URL. Free locks the tool and caps the audio family at 50 MB / 30 min.
Preset made it too bright/harsh
Switch presetBright is the most forward; if it's harsh, step down to Male or Warm, or run the de-esser afterwards to tame the top end.
Preset boosted the noise floor
Order issueThe presence boost lifts hiss too. Denoise first with the ai-noise-reducer, then apply the preset.
Episode over the duration limit
400 — duration exceededPro caps at 120 minutes per file. A long episode is rejected even under 200 MB — split with the audio-splitter, apply the preset, rejoin with the audio-merger.
File over the size limit
413 — too largePro caps at 200 MB per file. Convert to a compressed format first, or move to Pro-media (100 GB) for large WAV masters.
MP3 in, slight re-encode loss
ExpectedApplying a preset re-encodes to the same container. MP3 in becomes a re-encoded MP3 out. Apply presets to a WAV/FLAC master if you keep one.
Tried to batch a season at once
Single fileThe tool processes one file per job. For multi-file mastering across episodes, use podcast-master.
Different presets sound right on different hosts
By designA single preset can't be ideal for two very different voices in one mixed file. EQ each host's isolated track with its own preset before mixdown.
Frequently asked questions
What podcast EQ presets are available?
Four: Male, Female, Bright (broadcast), and Warm. Each is a fixed high-pass plus low-mid cut plus presence boost tuned for spoken voice.
Do I need a DAW or a plugin?
No. The presets run in your browser on FFmpeg WASM — no DAW, no plugin, no install. You just pick a preset and download.
Can I customise a preset?
No — the curves are fixed. For adjustable bands you'd use a DAW's parametric EQ. These presets cover the standard spoken-voice case.
Which preset should I pick?
Male for most voices, Female for higher voices, Bright for a forward radio sound, Warm for thin or harsh recordings.
Is it as good as a DAW EQ?
For the standard podcast EQ moves, the result is comparable and much faster. For surgical fixes or music, a DAW's parametric EQ is more flexible.
Is my episode uploaded?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser; the file never leaves your device.
Is it free?
Free of upload, cloud queues, and plugin licences, but the tool itself requires a Pro plan.
Should I denoise before applying a preset?
Yes. Denoise first with the ai-noise-reducer so the preset's presence boost doesn't amplify hiss.
What formats can I use?
MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG, and Opus. The output keeps the input format.
Can I apply a preset to several episodes at once?
No — one file per job. Use podcast-master for a multi-file mastering chain.
Can these presets master my whole episode?
They only do EQ. For a full master, chain denoise, leveling, normalisation, and limiting — or use podcast-master, which does all of it.
What if a preset makes the voice harsh?
Switch to Warm (the gentlest) or run the de-esser after EQ to tame harsh S sounds and top end.
Privacy first
Every JAD Audio tool runs entirely in your browser via FFmpeg (WebAssembly) and RNNoise. Your audio files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.