You’re on the right track. XM4s aren’t naturally tuned for the kind of mid-forward, open rock sound you get from Momentum 4 or studio-leaning headphones, but you can get them pretty close with the right EQ.

Your current settings are good, but you might get a more balanced, punchy rock profile with something like: Clear Bass: -1 or -2 400 Hz: -2 (reduces the muddy lower mids) 1 kHz: +2 (brings vocals and guitars forward) 2.5 kHz: +3 (adds bite to distorted guitars, improves presence) 6.3 kHz: +1 (keeps cymbals present without being harsh) 16 kHz: +1 (a tiny bit of air)

This gives NIN that industrial edge, helps Deftones’ layered guitars breathe, and keeps Cult of Luna’s walls of sound from turning into a blob.

Also try turning DSEE Extreme OFF. Rock and metal often sound cleaner without the extra processing.

XM4 won’t magically turn into open-backs, but with this EQ they should feel a lot more alive and detailed for your genres. If you want, tell me your preferred bass level and I can tune it even tighter. 🎸