App

The Nothing X app is widely praised for clean layout and deep controls (ANC, EQ, multipoint, wear detect, spatial), including advanced audio tools like EQ sharing and newer personalization features; a few settings are buried or off by default.

The Smart Control app is widely viewed as a strength with deep feature coverage (fit testing, firmware updates, EQ, Sound Personalization, Sound Zones, battery tools). A minority find it feature-dense/overwhelming or report occasional glitches and control quirks.

Feature-rich companion app for updates, ANC/ambient controls, and sound personalization (including guided EQ); powerful but can feel cluttered, and occasional crashes were noted with some app builds.

The JBL Headphones app is viewed as essential to unlock the full feature set, including EQ, ANC controls, fit tests, personalization, and case configuration. Most reviews like its depth and layout, though some report occasional instability or connection issues.

The Razer Synapse desktop suite plus the Razer Audio mobile app provide deep control over EQ, spatial audio, ANC, mic tuning, and power settings, and most reviews call the feature set robust and genuinely useful. A few note Synapse can feel finicky and some feature interactions exist (such as certain esports presets not working with spatial audio), but overall the software is a major part of the headset’s appeal.

Sennheiser’s Smart Control app is widely viewed as a strong value add, providing firmware updates, EQ tools, sound personalization/Sound Check, and granular noise control including Adaptive ANC and location-based Sound Zones. Some functions require permissions and sometimes account creation, and multiple reviewers cite limited touch-control remapping as a common annoyance despite otherwise excellent feature depth.

Fractal's Adjust/Adjust Pro configuration runs primarily as a web app for EQ, RGB, mic settings, and firmware, with an offline downloadable option added/confirmed later; some reviewers note it prefers Chromium-based browsers and can be problematic on Firefox.

The Melomania Connect app is described as smooth and easy to navigate, with a refreshed layout and a prominent DynamEQ toggle exclusive to the SE. Reviewers highlight quick firmware updates plus deep controls for ANC modes, wear detection, gaming mode, and a capable 7-band EQ with presets.

The Soundcore app (iOS/Android) is a core part of the experience, offering mode control, battery readouts, fit testing, HearID, multipoint toggle, and firmware updates. It’s generally liked, though the feature count can feel intimidating or occasionally quirky across multiple devices.

The Sony Sound Connect app is central for managing the XM5, giving access to EQ, ANC optimization, spatial audio and firmware updates, but it also requests substantial personal and location data that some users may find intrusive.

The Marshall app shows battery, noise modes, and ANC strength, plus EQ and presets, Soundstage controls, and firmware updates; it also lets you customize shortcuts like the M button, Spotify Tap, and auto play or pause, and includes battery health options such as charge limiting; the layout is generally straightforward, though some reviewers still consider it relatively basic compared with richer ecosystems.

The Denon Headphones app is central for personalization, EQ, firmware updates, and control mapping, and is often praised for depth of features. A few users report stability issues such as crashes, so experience can vary by device/version.

Instead of a standalone companion app, controls live inside iOS Settings/Control Center and provide a deep feature set (fit test, modes, Spatial Audio options, Find My, and accessibility tweaks). The tradeoff is limited tuning control (notably no manual EQ), and Android use is comparatively clunky with many features unavailable.

The companion app is generally seen as clean and easy to navigate with battery status prominent and quick access to ANC, EQ and spatial features. Customization is still limited compared with enthusiast apps, with a simple 5-band EQ and little control remapping.

Technics Audio Connect app is feature-rich (ANC/ambient controls, multipoint behavior, EQ, spatial features, firmware) and usually described as stable; some find the UI clunky or menu-heavy compared with the best apps.

Melomania Connect (iOS/Android) handles ANC/transparency settings, a seven-band EQ with presets, gaming mode, wear detection and firmware updates without requiring an account, though some users note app-store confusion between Melomania versions and limited EQ labeling.

HeyMelody app on Android/iOS unlocks ANC levels, EQ, control remapping, fit tests, Find My and firmware updates; generally feature-rich but occasional connection/UI confusion is reported.

The Bose app is generally seen as polished and feature-rich (modes, firmware, fit/seal tests, device management, case battery display, and control toggles); the main criticisms are navigation complexity for custom modes and limited EQ tools.

The Bose Music app is described as clean and user-friendly for firmware updates, device naming, EQ tweaks, and configuring noise-control modes and multipoint. Several sources stress the app is optional for basic use, but at least one notes you must accept a privacy prompt to proceed, which can be off-putting.

Sony’s Sound Connect mobile app and INZONE Hub on PC offer simple control over ANC, EQ presets, and spatial sound, with the mobile app saving profiles to the headset while the PC app can overwrite them when reconnected.

The Bose Music app is routinely described as simple and user-friendly, mainly used for EQ, mode creation, Immersive Audio settings, multipoint toggles and shortcut mapping; it is not considered deeply advanced versus some rivals, and at least one review notes you can handle firmware updates via Bose tools without relying solely on the app.

The Galaxy Wearable app is the hub for EQ, noise modes, controls, and extra features. Several reviews note it’s required to get the full experience (and some AI features are Samsung-only), while iPhone users lack full app support and therefore lose settings control and updates.

Sony Sound Connect provides deep control (Scenes/Adaptive Sound Control, Auto-play, EQ, spatial options and gesture settings), but the UI is often described as crowded with nested menus, creating a learning curve and prompting calls for a redesign.

There is no separate companion app; settings live in iOS and macOS system menus, which is convenient for Apple users but leaves Android with limited management options.

App support can be confusing across versions (1More app vs older 1More Music), but once connected it provides EQ, mode toggles, firmware updates and extras; the interface is often described as dated or clunky with key items like multipoint buried in submenus.

On iOS, most controls live in Settings/Control Center, while Android users rely on the Beats app for similar functions like mode toggles, renaming, button customization, firmware updates, and locate features; customization is fairly limited and there’s no full EQ.

There is no standalone AirPods Max companion app; controls live in iOS, iPadOS and macOS settings, while non-Apple users primarily rely on basic Bluetooth pairing and on-head buttons.

There is no companion app, so phone-based customization is minimal: ANC level fine-tuning and app EQ are not available, and users rely on on-headphone buttons and the built-in listening modes. This simpler approach also means fewer smart features than many flagship travel headphones.