This hidden Wi-Fi speaker feature has blown my mind — here’s why you should demand it in all your audio gear

1. Audio
2. Hi-Fi
3. Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers

This hidden Wi-Fi speaker feature has blown my mind — here’s why you should demand it in all your audio gear Features By Josh Russell published 25 January 2026

A trailblazing feature for taming troublesome sound

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Future) Share Share by:

• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Whatsapp
• Reddit
• Pinterest
• Flipboard
• Threads
• Email

Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google

I’ve spent years testing wireless speakers and I’m always struck by how methodically and incrementally brands seem to add new features. You’re lucky if you get a new line of speakers every five years from many companies – and that means there’s not quite the same arms race to develop new features that you see with gadgets such as phones.

But when testing the WiiM Sound Lite recently, there was one hidden feature I stumbled upon that seriously piqued my interest: parametric EQ.

Unless you buy one of the best wireless speakers, not many devices have absolutely spot-on sonic balance out of the box. As a result, I’m always keen to experiment with EQ to even out errant frequencies.

You may like

• Ditched your Sonos speaker? Ensure your upgrade has this vital feature
• I’ve tested tons of Bluetooth speakers, and this little-known JBL feature is a major reason I recommend its products so strongly
• This is one of the best small-sized Bluetooth speakers I've tested, and it doesn't come from JBL or Bose

However, I often find the tools provided slightly blunt instruments – at their best they offer a limited number of bands for you to adjust; at their worst they only allow you to boost or reduce the bass and treble.

Compared to some of these basic options, WiiM’s parametric EQ is like being handed a scalpel after trying to practice surgery with a flint axe. It’s a genuine breath of fresh air and a far better instrument for audiophiles looking to give their listening experience a bit of a nip-tuck.

What is parametric EQ?

To understand why parametric EQ is such a game changer for your audio devices, it’s first worth explaining how traditional graphic EQ works.

Perhaps a familiar sight to those of you that grew up using hi-fi and stereo, a graphic equalizer splits the frequencies of your music into a number of different bands at different frequencies. Increasing or decreasing that band raises or lowers that frequency, so it’s easy to boost or duck sections of the mix that don’t sound right. However, the drawback is the frequencies are set by the manufacturer, meaning that you can make tweaks to any narrower frequency ranges than that.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

As its name suggests, parametric EQ instead allows you to change multiple parameters to each band. So rather than just altering the volume of a given band, you can also set the precise frequency you’d like to change as well as the bandwidth it affects. In practice, this allows you to create a number of wider or narrower curves that alter whole ranges of frequencies with far greater precision than a graphic EQ can.

So why do I find this improved EQ to be such an invaluable feature? Because it makes it significantly easier to correct flaws in your speaker’s sound or tailor its sound profile to match your tastes . If your audio gear goes too hard in the upper bass, you can simply shape a curve to duck the errant frequencies. Even better, the fact that these bands can overlap each other means you can easily boost whole areas of the mix, while removing tiny notches that you find problematic.

In fact, this kind of detailed control is much more akin to the way sound engineers tune speakers in the first place and how the tracks you listen to is produced. I’ve been producing music in my free time for years and parametric EQs are an essential tool for perfecting the sound profile of tracks and balance of competing elements. So putting that kind of detailed control in the hands of audiophiles wanting to get the best out of their gadgets can only be a good thing.

You may like

• Ditched your Sonos speaker? Ensure your upgrade has this vital feature
• I’ve tested tons of Bluetooth speakers, and this little-known JBL feature is a major reason I recommend its products so strongly
• This is one of the best small-sized Bluetooth speakers I've tested, and it doesn't come from JBL or Bose

And that’s why I’m confident you’ll be seeing this feature hitting more of your audio gear as time goes on. Already I’m seeing hints of this: not only has WiiM rolled it out to its wireless speakers but Sennheiser has already been adding it to some of its high-end headphones, such as the recent hi-res Sennheiser HDB 630.

So if you’re an inveterate audio tweaker or just want the option of being able to polish up your speakers sonic profile, parametric EQ is definitely a feature worth keeping an eye out for.

Today's best WiiM Sound Lite and Sennheiser HDB 630 dealsSennheiser HDB 630 SG$749 SG$654.81ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Josh RussellSocial Links NavigationReviews Editor

Josh is Reviews Editor at TechRadar. With over ten years of experience covering tech both in print and online, he’s served as editor of T3 and net magazines and written about everything from groundbreaking gadgets to innovative Silicon Valley startups. He’s an expert in a wide range of products from Spatial Audio headphones to gaming handhelds. When he’s not putting trailblazing tech through its paces, he can be found making melodic techno or seeking out the perfect cold brew coffee. 

Show More Comments

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more Ditched your Sonos speaker? Ensure your upgrade has this vital feature    I’ve tested tons of Bluetooth speakers, and this little-known JBL feature is a major reason I recommend its products so strongly    This is one of the best small-sized Bluetooth speakers I've tested, and it doesn't come from JBL or Bose    I made my home audio setup sing using a roomEQ kit – here's how you can too    WiiM VS Sonos – which Wi-Fi speaker offers the best sound?    These understated new desktop speakers have one little feature that'll make them rival your TV's soundbar    Latest in Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers JBL's new speakers can remove instruments or vocals from songs in realtime    WiiM Sound Lite vs Sonos Era 100 — can this spacious-sounding, hi-res speaker topple the champ?    Marshall's Wi-Fi music hub turns Bluetooth speakers into multi-room marvels    Ditched your Sonos speaker? Ensure your upgrade has this vital feature    This dictaphone-style music player would be my perfect commuting companion    Edifier ES60 review: a solid speaker that falls just short of the competition    Latest in Features New report suggests Apple will release an AI Pin in 2027    I've rated all the key Samsung Galaxy S26 rumors    5 things to expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked – and 5 things we probably won’t see    This hidden feature I found makes it much easier sculpt your Wi-Fi speaker’s sound    The 3 biggest lies robot vacuum brands are telling us, by a professional tester    I tried the world's smallest ANC earbuds, and they sound amazing for $40    LATEST ARTICLES

1. 1This hidden Wi-Fi speaker feature has blown my mind — here’s why you should demand it in all your audio gear
2. 2Are robot window cleaners any good? I tested one – here's what you need to know before you buy
3. 3I reviewed this compact Dolby Atmos soundbar from Klipsch, and it would be a true great if it weren't for this one flaw
4. 45 surprising benefits of cold plunges, according to research – and how to make the most out of them, whether you're out on a wild swim or at home doing a 'James Bond shower'
5. 5WiiM Sound Lite vs Sonos Era 100: I let these Wi-Fi speakers slug it out, and the showdown was far closer than I ever would have imagined