CamillaDSP vs EQBase

CamillaDSP is a free, open-source family of tools for real-time audio processing, including active crossovers, room correction, and configurable DSP pipelines. Its engine runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with audio backends including ALSA, PulseAudio, JACK, WASAPI, and CoreAudio. Pipelines combine filters and mixers, with channel mixing, resampling, dynamic loudness, and chains of filter stages. Filtering includes IIR biquads and FIR filters processed through FFT/IFFT convolution; room correction can use FIR filters alongside EQ and delay adjustments. CamillaGUI is a browser interface for building and editing pipelines, monitoring levels, and applying changes live. It runs from a local backend and does not need an internet connection. For automation, pyCamillaDSP connects to a running engine over its WebSocket API, which must be enabled with the -p flag. The software is available under GPL version 3 or Mozilla Public License 2.0; an ASIO backend build is GPLv3 only. Major releases may require configuration updates, while minor releases preserve compatibility.

EQBase is a system-wide macOS equalizer that processes sound from apps in real time. It includes a 10-band EQ and measured correction profiles for more than 8,600 headphone models. The free tier has no time limit and can record system audio in MP3, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, or AIFF. Pro adds microphone-based room measurement and a fitted parametric correction curve, per-app volume, mute and tone controls, and routing audio sources to one or more outputs. Pro also supports Audio Unit plugins. EQBase uses headphone correction curves from the open-source AutoEQ project. Audio is processed locally; the privacy policy says audio content, recordings, and listening information are not collected, stored, or transmitted. Normal setup does not install a driver, while optional Audiophile mode and Pro routing use a user-space Core Audio driver. It requires macOS 14.4 or later and supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Pro Monthly costs $4.99 per month for three Macs; Pro Annual is $39.99 per year for three Macs, and Pro Lifetime costs $79.99 once for one Mac.