TrainYourEars Alternative: Mixing Ear Training in Your Browser
3 min read
TrainYourEars EQ Edition is a respected desktop tool for one very specific skill: learning to hear and correct EQ. People look for an alternative when they want to train more than EQ, or when they’d like to practice away from their computer. Here’s a fair comparison, including where TrainYourEars comes out ahead.
Full disclosure: Earlytics is our app. Details below were checked on each site in September 2026.
What TrainYourEars does well
TrainYourEars goes deep on equalization:
- Two training methods. In “Guess” mode you identify the EQ change you hear. In “Correct” mode you actually operate the EQ to undo it, which is very close to what you do in a real mix.
- Hundreds of random equalizations to identify or correct, with difficulty adjustable from beginner to professional
- Your own music: load your own tracks and train on them
- A custom exercise designer to build drills around your weak spots
- One-time price: a lifetime license for €49 (listed as reduced from €89)
The “Correct” method is its standout feature. Few tools make you move the controls yourself, and that transfers directly to real sessions.
Where people run into limits
EQ only. It’s an EQ edition: compression, saturation, panning, stereo width and reverb aren’t part of it.
Desktop only. It runs on Mac and PC. There’s no mobile or browser version, so no quick sessions on the go.
No music theory side. Intervals, chords and scales are out of scope.
How Earlytics is different
Earlytics trains the whole mixing chain in short sessions you can do anywhere:
- 12 mixing categories: EQ boost, EQ cut, compression, compression ratio, attack/release, saturation, panning, stereo width, volume gaps, filters, reverb, frequency matching
- 5 solfège categories: intervals, chords, scales, rhythm dictation, cadences
- Adaptive difficulty per skill: 10 levels per category, following your accuracy, so your EQ level and your compression level move independently
- Runs in any browser and installs on your phone like an app, which makes a few minutes a day on the bus realistic
The free plan gives you 8 questions per month in every category. Paid plans are €4.99 per month, €39.99 per year or €59.99 lifetime.
Side by side
| TrainYourEars EQ Edition | Earlytics | |
|---|---|---|
| EQ training | Yes, in depth (guess and correct) | Yes (identify boosts and cuts) |
| Operate the EQ yourself (“Correct” mode) | Yes | No |
| Compression, saturation, panning, width, reverb | No | Yes |
| Solfège | No | Yes (5 categories) |
| Your own tracks | Yes | No, built-in loops |
| Platforms | Mac, PC | Any browser, installable on phone |
| Price | €49 one-time | Free plan, or €4.99/mo, €39.99/yr, €59.99 lifetime |
Where TrainYourEars is still the better pick
- EQ is the skill you want to master, and you want the deepest possible drill for it
- You value the “Correct” method, turning the knobs yourself, over identification drills
- You want to train on your own stems and mixes
- You prefer a one-time desktop purchase and you train at your desk anyway
Where Earlytics is the better pick
- You want to train beyond EQ, especially compression and saturation, which are usually the next skills producers struggle with (our saturation guide and compression guide explain why)
- You want to practice on your phone, in short daily sessions
- You want mixing and solfège in one place, with progress tracked skill by skill
They also work well together
These tools aren’t mutually exclusive. A setup many producers would find useful: TrainYourEars at the desk for deep EQ correction work, and short daily sessions elsewhere for everything else. If you want to see where your ear stands first, the free 2-minute Earlytics test covers EQ, panning and compression, no account needed.
For more options, see our ear training apps comparison, and the EQ frequency guide for a tool-independent method.