I tested them for a while before returning them.

I like the studier build, the proper depth in the earcups, and the software features they added/improved. The worst parts about the q45 are the lack of headband padding and the lack of earcup swivel.

Sound-wise, I'd categorize them as sounding cold/unnatural. A bit of a tricky one to EQ since there are a lot of narrow peaks/dips. IMO, if you're using the app EQ I wouldn't touch the bands over 800 Hz.

For the price and brand, I like Soundcore because they punch above their price and they're lenient with the warranty. Though there is a privacy concern with Anker and Eufy.

The q45 is a good purchase, though you might want to buy a headband cushion and experiment with some EQ if you're not happy with the sound.

Imo, you're fine with your bass shelf. A lot of orchestral music isn't favored for the low and high end AND they tend to be at a much lower overall volume then your modern track. If the majority of your library is mainly that genre, you should be using the EQ that fits your preference towards that genre.

The volume you listen at matters a lot when it comes to AB testing... Sure, that bass boost may seem extreme if you're listening to EDM or kpop at max volume, but you can simply lower the volume... If you listen to EDM and kpop at a reasonable volume and all you hear is bass, no mids and treble, then that may be a case where you want to re-examine the overall tonal balance of your EQ.

Personally, I will use two different EQs, one with your typical Harman tuning and one with ~5 db additional bass and treble. Volume-matched while ABing testing, they're not so different, but they token the mood/genre I'm going for.

Since you used mathaudio EQ, did you tend to adjust the upper treble as well? In my experience, a lot of EQs will neglect the ends of the frequency response because there can be a lot of variability between people and the EQ creator wanted to play it safe (autoEQ/oratory).