u/_MaXX99_

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to upgrade to a serious closed-back setup for my daily train commute and office use. I need good passive isolation (I don't want my colleagues or fellow passengers enjoying my blastbeats from 10m away).

I’ll be tossing them into a backpack, but physical dimensions or foldability don’t matter to me at all—what I care about is rugged build quality and a detachable, easily replaceable cable.

Since I'm torn between the flagship closed-backs of two of the absolute greatest names in head-fi (with a Focal wildcard in the mix), I wanted to post here to get some real-world feedback from the experts in both camps.

My Setup & EQ Plan: I’m planning to run these portably off a phone using a portable DAC/amp and parametric EQ (PEQ) to squeeze out the best performance. I originally looked at the FiiO KA17, but the known PEQ bugs (mistranslating Q-factors and forcing an unwanted -12dB preamp cut) pushed me toward looking at the Qudelix-5K. That said, I'm also open to other affordable, battery-efficient DAC/amp alternatives with solid EQ capability.

My Library (80% Extreme Metal, 20% Tool, Prog, Blues & Rock): My music profile is pretty brutal on drivers and demands completely opposite acoustic traits depending on the subgenre:

* Technical Death & Djent (Meshuggah, Dying Fetus, Orbit Culture, Igorrr): I need insane transient speed. When blastbeats hit 240+ BPM, I need the driver to resolve the kicks and complex guitar sweeps without turning into a congested, smeared wall of mud. * Doom, Sludge & Groove (Pantera, Gojira, Lamb of God, Alcest, The HU): I need a rich, organic lower-midrange. I want that heavy, chesty "thud" and growling guitar body. * Black Metal (Mglą, Marduk, Satyricon, Kanonenfieber, Rotting Christ): These records are notoriously raw and sibilant. I absolutely cannot stand harsh peaks in the 6 kHz - 10 kHz range when the wall of static distortion hits.

The Contenders I’m Weighing:

* Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro MKII (or DT 700 Pro X): The new TESLA.45 underhung voice coil driver on the 1770 Pro MKII sounds like a dream for Tech Death. The transient speed, low distortion, and raw resolution seem unmatched. The build is also legendary—built like an absolute tank with easily replaceable parts. *The concern:* How painful is the treble on raw Black Metal? If I use PEQ to pull down the high-frequency peaks, does the DT 1770 MKII turn into a perfectly balanced metal monster, or does it lose its technical edge? Also, is the jump from the older STELLAR.45 driver (in the DT 700 Pro X) to the TESLA.45 actually worth the premium for speed, or does the DT 700 Pro X hold its own for metal? * Sennheiser HD 480 Pro: On paper, this seems to have one of the most cohesive, natural tunings for a closed-back. The treble is reportedly smooth and sibilance-free, which would make sissing Black Metal tracks a joy. *The concern:* I’ve read multiple complaints about the 180 Hz dip making the bass feel "pillowy" or "soft". For bands like Gojira or Pantera, I need that chesty, growling thud. Can PEQ actually bring that physical impact back, or is the driver just physically limited when pushing air? * Focal Azurys (The Wildcard): I’ve also looked at the Azurys. Out of the box, it completely sidesteps the lower-mids dip and has incredible physical slam and organic body. But it has that weird 3.5 kHz ear-gain peak ("glare") that can make raw guitars sound screechy, and the rubbery stock cable is a pain.

My Questions for Both Subreddits:

* Sennheiser fans: Can the HD 480 Pro actually slam if you EQ the lower mids, or does it always stay a bit too polite and soft? * Beyer fans: Can the DT 1770 Pro MKII be tamed in the treble via PEQ to make raw, lo-fi black metal enjoyable without ruining its insane transient speed? And is the DT 700 Pro X fast enough for 240+ BPM blastbeats? * Are there any well-founded alternative headphones under 600€ with a detachable cable that I completely missed? * Are there any budget-friendly portable DACs with clean power and solid EQ/DSP implementations that you'd recommend besides the Qudelix-5K?

Really appreciate any thoughts, insights, or comparison experiences you guys can share!

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to upgrade to a serious closed-back setup for my daily train commute and office use. I need good passive isolation (I don't want my colleagues or fellow passengers enjoying my blastbeats from 10m away).

I’ll be tossing them into a backpack, but physical dimensions or foldability don’t matter to me at all—what I care about is rugged build quality and a detachable, easily replaceable cable.

Since I'm torn between the flagship closed-backs of two of the absolute greatest names in head-fi (with a Focal wildcard in the mix), I wanted to post here to get some real-world feedback from the experts in both camps.

My Setup & EQ Plan: I’m planning to run these portably off a phone using a portable DAC/amp and parametric EQ (PEQ) to squeeze out the best performance. I originally looked at the FiiO KA17, but the known PEQ bugs (mistranslating Q-factors and forcing an unwanted -12dB preamp cut) pushed me toward looking at the Qudelix-5K. That said, I'm also open to other affordable, battery-efficient DAC/amp alternatives with solid EQ capability.

My Library (80% Extreme Metal, 20% Tool, Prog, Blues & Rock): My music profile is pretty brutal on drivers and demands completely opposite acoustic traits depending on the subgenre:

• Technical Death & Djent (Meshuggah, Dying Fetus, Orbit Culture, Igorrr): I need insane transient speed. When blastbeats hit 240+ BPM, I need the driver to resolve the kicks and complex guitar sweeps without turning into a congested, smeared wall of mud.
• Doom, Sludge & Groove (Pantera, Gojira, Lamb of God, Alcest, The HU): I need a rich, organic lower-midrange. I want that heavy, chesty "thud" and growling guitar body.
• Black Metal (Mglą, Marduk, Satyricon, Kanonenfieber, Rotting Christ): These records are notoriously raw and sibilant. I absolutely cannot stand harsh peaks in the 6 kHz - 10 kHz range when the wall of static distortion hits.

The Contenders I’m Weighing:

• Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro MKII (or DT 700 Pro X): The new TESLA.45 underhung voice coil driver on the 1770 Pro MKII sounds like a dream for Tech Death. The transient speed, low distortion, and raw resolution seem unmatched. The build is also legendary—built like an absolute tank with easily replaceable parts. The concern: How painful is the treble on raw Black Metal? If I use PEQ to pull down the high-frequency peaks, does the DT 1770 MKII turn into a perfectly balanced metal monster, or does it lose its technical edge? Also, is the jump from the older STELLAR.45 driver (in the DT 700 Pro X) to the TESLA.45 actually worth the premium for speed, or does the DT 700 Pro X hold its own for metal?
• Sennheiser HD 480 Pro: On paper, this seems to have one of the most cohesive, natural tunings for a closed-back. The treble is reportedly smooth and sibilance-free, which would make sissing Black Metal tracks a joy. The concern: I’ve read multiple complaints about the 180 Hz dip making the bass feel "pillowy" or "soft". For bands like Gojira or Pantera, I need that chesty, growling thud. Can PEQ actually bring that physical impact back, or is the driver just physically limited when pushing air?
• Focal Azurys (The Wildcard): I’ve also looked at the Azurys. Out of the box, it completely sidesteps the lower-mids dip and has incredible physical slam and organic body. But it has that weird 3.5 kHz ear-gain peak ("glare") that can make raw guitars sound screechy, and the rubbery stock cable is a pain.

My Questions for Both Subreddits:

• Sennheiser fans: Can the HD 480 Pro actually slam if you EQ the lower mids, or does it always stay a bit too polite and soft?
• Beyer fans: Can the DT 1770 Pro MKII be tamed in the treble via PEQ to make raw, lo-fi black metal enjoyable without ruining its insane transient speed? And is the DT 700 Pro X fast enough for 240+ BPM blastbeats?
• Are there any well-founded alternative headphones under 600€ with a detachable cable that I completely missed?
• Are there any budget-friendly portable DACs with clean power and solid EQ/DSP implementations that you'd recommend besides the Qudelix-5K?

Really appreciate any thoughts, insights, or comparison experiences you guys can share!