Thanks for the recommendation!
I'll probably get the DCA Ether Angled to try. Lots of people seem to like these. I know you said you don't like fenestrated pads but honestly its hard to imagine anything will outperform these cheap generic Chinese large fenestrated pu leather pads. They really sound amazing when comparing other pads I have. I have some big angled pu leather pads that resemble the DCA Ether pads and tried some ZMF BE pads and these cheap generic Chinese pads were much better. They also were flatter, giving a better timbre along with better bass and soundstage. They also seemed to quell the ringing in the 9k zone meaningfully. The ZMF BE pads did not sound good. I don't really know why??? I ordered more of these cheap 110mm Chinese pads on Ebay that resemble mine and they should be the same pads. They are honestly exceptional and super comfortable, plus they are cheap!
110mm pads
I also think the fuzzor mod is a must. I did not do the grill mod. The loss of dampening gave some weirdness and affected the timbre due to peaks. I can see why people do it though. Gives more perceived bass and a dynamic feel. Modded with the right pads, these are not very naughty headphones with regards to needing EQ. I like your EQ recommendation. It is very close to mine with my current pads.