Stellia

I have a bias for closed back for low level details & micro dynamics that get lost in open backs unless you really crank the volume. Also sub bass roll off unless you EQ heavy. For me, the dca stealth + hugo2 has been perfect at conveying the entire mix as clean as possible. Unlike other closed backs(stellia) it presents objects in the mix as small & therefore occupying less space in the mix and hence creating a sense of space / openness. It kinda quells my need for an open back. The stellia on the other hand is more dynamic with bigger objects & more defined boundaries that occlude other tracks in a mix. It's intense & tiring, makes me want something that breathes. That said, i have been itching for an open back purely for technicalities that presents the stage in front of my face like the LCD X did. I wish audeze would drop a LCD 5 that isn't tuned as a hearing aid.

I'm on the same quest. Nothing wrong with the ZMFs or Meze Liric 2, but nothing blew me away either compared to my end-game Bluetooths (Solitaire T) or open-backs (LCD-5, Empyrean). Could be that they require a while to break in. Given my recent experience, I'd jump straight to Dan Clark by process of elimination. Not a fan of Focal Stellia due to strong metallic timbre. Not impressed with Liric 1.

If you have the money why not. I love my focal Stelia. Naturally the sound is amazing but they are also just a very beautiful item. Is the sound much different from a decent pair of Sennheisers. Probably not to my ears but they are much sexier.

I'll write you a long reply, hopefully you read it all :) If you haven't considered it, maybe look into the Sony MDR-Z1R. I've been absolutely enamored by them. I could probably write several paragraphs about just how odd they are but also how tremendously good and fun they are. They do things I've never heard any other headphone do. Bizarrely expansive and layered soundstage, great instrument separation (so easy to pick out bass guitar!), layered, deep and impactful bass. The bass, the layering, it's so unique. You get good extension in the sub-bass, but it remains distinct from the mid-bass, and mid bass doesn't bleed over into the mids. Mids are a tad recessed, but only slightly, and the treble has good energy and sparkle. Resolution wise, they're a cut above the Meze 109s for example. For reference, on the higher-end side of things I've owned Focal Clears, and still own the HD800S, LCD-X, and Meze 109 Pros (they're my wife's now). I recently wanted a closed back headphone with a fun sound signature the Z1Rs absolutely accomplish that. I actually haven't reached for anything else in weeks. The Sennheisers both feel like they're missing so much low-end by contrast, it's fucking with my brain and I don't consider myself a basshead. Besides the sound, they're built very well and can easily be worn all day. The sheepskin pads are plush, deep, and feel great. The one letdown is the headband is pleather, most people get a fabric cover to put over it to keep it from cracking. Otherwise, it uses titanium and wood, and feels super premium in the hand. The box is also nuts, if that matters at all to you. I wanted to up the "fun" even more and recently went from a JDS Labs Atom 2 stack to a Nitsch Pietus Maximus + Mesh DAC and oh boy, the Z1Rs got even better. It's made the bass a little thicker, the mids seem a bit more forward and lush, and treble sparkle is slightly reduced which maybe reduces some fatigue there. If I had to give a brief critique to what you've been considering: Focals; I've owned the Clears and auditioned the Stelias. Gosh, for the money, Focal needs to do more to not make them feel so cheap. They creak a lot. The Stelias did sound really good though. Kind of a big let down for the money. I don't know how to the MGs compared to the OG Clears, but I sold them because the treble was too fatiguing for me and I couldn't move my head without the creaking driving me nuts. As for Hifiman, I won't recommend them until they get their QC issues under control, they seem so grossly over represented when it comes to issues, so in spite of otherwise great technical performance, its a risk I just won't take. The Audeze LCD-X are great. Their bass can be tremendous with EQ (rattle your brain), but I never found the mids or highs to be all that impressive. They were/are best suited for Hans Zimmer or EDM tracks, everything else, meh. I also can't wear them for more than an hour or two before my neck hurts though. As for the Dan Clarks, I haven't tried the E3, but have tried the Noire X. Very impressive neutral tuning and good soundstage for a closed back, but definitely very reference oriented/more analytical. I had comfort issues with them as well, kind of made a pressure point under my ear near my jaw.

Sony MDR-Z1R is most certainly missing from that list, got mine for $1000 used. Without a doubt my favorite pair of cans. They are a good all-rounder, made for very casual listening and mainly work with the genres you mentioned, The bass is very deep and impactful, but there's still bleeding/bloat (muddy sound) in 250Hz-300Hz. Treble on the other hand might be fatiguing without EQ and I needed to get rid of their 3.5KHz peak You might want to take a look into the prices of replacement parts before considering this headphone. Another headphone that is barely talked about is the Final DX 3000 CL, elevated bass that is tighter and not as bloated as in the Z1R, but they are currently hard to find. Other suggestions would be: Meze Liric 1/2 if you want to increase the bass, and also the Meze Strada if you are more into dynamic drivers. From Focal you got the Azurys, Radiance and Stellia (still on your ballpark if you get them used). Radiance's bass is wider and slammier. The Stellia's mid-bass is tighter and direct with more kick. Focals are a good decision considering you like a neutral sound. Not sure about open backs but I know the Philphone is a good one, and the Focal Claer OG

My brother owns the Focals and he broke one his Stellia's drivers while hot swapping into the Radiance and opposite. Haven't yet gotten to try the Stellia with original drivers, Focals are decent but not my favorite. I like the my Z1R's more because their sound stage depth makes the bass feel like a shockwave coming from the driver to the earcups, especially with their wide diameter.

Headphones mostly last for a long time, besides all the mainstream consumer stuff that is usually wearing with time or bad QC. Usually you end up with swapping pads or changing a headband strap. There are headphones like the HD 800/S lasting years, and others that have proven their longevity.

There's r/AVexchange, head-fi, ebay, xianyu (aka goofish purchasing via proxy services like superbuy), yahoo auctions (purchasing via buyee), fujiya avic (japanese store) or buying locally. I had experiences with all of those, but always be cautious for scammers / payments. Usually I pay with PayPal G&S because it saved my brother after getting scammed for a Liric 1.

It seems you are accustomed to listening to gear with a pretty wide soundstage... In that regard, mostly all closed back headphones will sound disappointing at first. Nevertheless, Stellia and E3 are two of the best sounding closed-backs in my book.

From my collection: HD620S, HD25, Amperior, ATH-M50X. I prefer open headphone to be transparent. Bluetooth ANC headphones are excluded from the list by design. Special mention to Focal Celestee (very good but a bit nasal/shouty in the 1kHz region, not sure they are worth their price because if that) and Focal Stellia (very very good but a bit too warm to be close To perfect, but enjoyable nevertheless). Outstanding Closed wired headphones are quite rare in my opinion, in contrary to open headphones.