4 headset brands with software that really makes a difference

The best headphones and earbuds should wow you right out of the box. You may need to remove your glasses, extend the headband, or choose a smaller set of tips, but that’s it as far as hardware adjustments go. But software is a whole different story. The apps associated with some headphones offer little customization or enhancements, while others are packed with features and settings you don’t want to live without.

If you’ve spent a good amount of money on your favorite noise-canceling headphones, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your purchase. Free companion software isn’t offered by all audio companies, but the four headphone brands we’ve selected for this list take software very seriously. And the best part is that all these apps are completely free. Isn’t it nice, for a change, to not have to sign up for yet another subscription that you may or may not remember to cancel before the seven-day trial ends?

Owning a pair of high-end Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4 to be exact, has been one of my greatest joys in life, at least when it comes to consumer technology. Out of the box, these noise-canceling cans sounded fantastic, but I was able to make them sound even better using the free Sony Sound Connect (formerly Headphones Connect) app. Sony’s mobile software is packed with features and settings, including numerous audio presets and a 10-band equalizer.

If you own a pair of Sony headphones, the fun doesn’t stop with the audio customization; The Sound Connect app also lets you adjust the ANC and transparency strength. This is especially useful if you spend a large part of your day in an office full of chatty colleagues. The same goes for other features like Sony’s Speak to Chat, which automatically turns off ANC for your compatible headphones or earbuds once you start speaking. Sony Sound Connect also offers a range of virtual soundstage features, including 360 Reality Audio, head tracking and spatial audio presets.

The Bose app (formerly Bose Music) offers a robust set of features and customizations that will make your favorite Bose cans or headphones rock even more. The software provides a range of EQ presets, as well as a three-band graphic EQ to create your own sound profile. Powerful ANC is a Bose calling card, but the company lets you dial in the level of attenuation you prefer. The app also has a Modes menu, which combines various ANC and virtual soundstage settings to create unique presets.

You can even assign shortcut commands to the multifunction button on your headset; the Spotify Tap launcher is particularly practical for subscribers to the music platform. If you’re looking for more granular optimizations, the Bose app may seem a bit disappointing, as the software is far more intuitive than offering every audio tweak under the sun. But if you want to go further with your compatible Bose on-ear or in-ear headphones, the Bose app will help you get where you want to go.

The Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app is one of the most feature-rich software we review. Compatible with most of the brand’s best wireless headphones and earphones, Smart Control Plus denies minimalism in favor of options. Audio presets and an eight-band graphic equalizer (five bands for older products) are some of the surface customizations you’ll have. Dig a little deeper and you’ll discover features like sound customization, sound check, and our favorite sound zones. The latter uses phone or tablet-based geofencing to automatically adjust EQ and ANC settings based on your listening space. There are also manual controls for ANC and wind noise.

The Anker Soundcore app has the most in common with Bose’s portable audio software. The user interface is quite minimalist, but all the most essential features and settings are there and easy to find. Anker isn’t kidding either; a multi-band EQ and a wide range of audio presets deliver improvements large and small to products like the Soundcore Space Q45 and Space One Pro. The Anker Soundcore software offers several noise cancellation settings, including the ability to switch between adaptive ANC (adjusts noise cancellation in real time) and manual ANC.

The latter includes several power options, as does the app’s transparency mode, allowing you to set the perfect awareness settings for your ears. Although button mapping isn’t as effective as the customization you can do with competing apps, you can still program custom ANC and BassBoost settings to your headset’s NC button. Whether you use it all the time or only when a firmware update is released, you’ll want to have the Soundcore app installed on your phone or tablet.