apply-podcast-preset

Apply Podcast DSP Preset

Push a curated parametric-EQ preset to a Music Assistant player, optimised for podcasts and audiobook content.

The preset

Six peaking/shelf bands plus a small preamp trim. Tuned for full-range speakers; a separate variant is provided for small/desktop speakers.

Variant: podcast-default

#	Type	Freq (Hz)	Gain (dB)	Q	Purpose
1	high_pass	70	—	0.7	Roll off sub-bass rumble / room noise
2	peaking	200	-3.0	1.0	Cut "muddy" lower-mids
3	peaking	500	-1.5	1.2	Reduce boxy midrange
4	peaking	2500	+3.0	1.0	Lift vocal intelligibility
5	peaking	4000	+2.0	1.4	Add presence / clarity
6	peaking	7000	-2.5	3.0	Tame sibilance / harshness

Preamp: -2.0 dB (compensate for the +3 dB peaks so output stays clean).

Variant: podcast-small-speaker

For desktop / smart-speaker grade hardware that lacks low-end. Drops the high-pass and the 200 Hz cut (already missing on the speaker).

#	Type	Freq (Hz)	Gain (dB)	Q
1	peaking	2500	+3.5	1.0
2	peaking	4000	+2.5	1.4
3	peaking	7000	-2.0	3.0

Preamp: -2.0 dB.

Steps

1. Load config per the reference skill. Resolve the target player (by name or ID).

2. Ask which variant to apply if the user didn't specify. Default to podcast-default.

3. Stash the player's current DSP first (so the user can revert):

   $DATA_ROOT/state/last-dsp-<player-slug>.json
   

   Use the config/players/get command (or the matching REST endpoint) to fetch the current player_config, extract its dsp block, and save the whole player_config payload alongside.

4. Build the DSP payload. Authoritative shape (per Music Assistant docs — see reference skill):

   {
     "enabled": true,
     "preamp_gain_db": -2.0,
     "per_channel": false,
     "bands": [
       {"type": "high_pass", "frequency": 70, "q": 0.7, "enabled": true},
       {"type": "peaking",   "frequency": 200,  "gain_db": -3.0, "q": 1.0, "enabled": true},
       {"type": "peaking",   "frequency": 500,  "gain_db": -1.5, "q": 1.2, "enabled": true},
       {"type": "peaking",   "frequency": 2500, "gain_db":  3.0, "q": 1.0, "enabled": true},
       {"type": "peaking",   "frequency": 4000, "gain_db":  2.0, "q": 1.4, "enabled": true},
       {"type": "peaking",   "frequency": 7000, "gain_db": -2.5, "q": 3.0, "enabled": true}
     ]
   }
   

   Supported filter type values (verbatim from MA docs): peaking (a.k.a. Peak/Bell), high_shelf, low_shelf, high_pass, low_pass, notch, all_pass. Not supported: Modal, BP, LSC x dB, HS x dB, AP, LS with dB slope, HS with dB slope.

5. Apply via the config/players/save command (WebSocket) or the equivalent PUT /api/config/players/<player_id> endpoint, merging the new dsp block into the existing player_config.

6. Verify by re-fetching the player_config and confirming the DSP block matches what was sent. Print a one-line confirmation: living-room: applied podcast-default (6 bands, preamp -2 dB).

7. Tell the user how to revert: Run /media-assistant-ops:update-dsp-settings and choose "revert last change" — or restore from $DATA_ROOT/state/last-dsp-<player-slug>.json.

8. Offer to also save this as a named DSP preset for the player (delegate to save-dsp-settings) so it shows up in their preset library.

Adapting for other content

If the user asks for variations:

• More bass for a TV speaker doing podcasts: drop the high_pass to 50 Hz, add a low_shelf at 120 Hz +2 dB.
• Harsh-sounding speaker (cheap tweeter): deepen band 6 to -4 dB and add a peaking at 9 kHz, -2 dB, Q 2.0.
• Mono in-ceiling speaker: keep per_channel: false. For stereo desk monitors, set per_channel: true and apply identical bands to both channels by default.

Do not

• Do not push gains above +6 dB on any band — combined with program material it will clip.
• Do not assume the player supports DSP. Music Assistant DSP only applies to Music Assistant–native player flows (snapcast / built-in player). Hardware players that handle their own decoding (e.g. some Sonos modes) bypass MA's DSP. If the player_config lacks a dsp key, tell the user this player doesn't support MA-side DSP and suggest applying EQ at the device.