Thanks guys.

Ian, thank you for checking - so just for clarity, this would mean that one would not be able to perform DSP in Roon (to EQ the headphones) and subsequently get the full unfold/render on MQA material using Exporer2/Prime?

Which begs the question, do the Dragonfly products allow this?

I’m now looking at full-on noice cancelling headphones after deciding that, for this particular purpose, they would be the best investment and maybe passive earbuds, even isolating ones, might not cancel all the noise I need them to. However, I still intend to feed them wired from a DAC/headphone amp as I’ll be at my MacBook while working anyway. I have a slight concern about the ‘cabin pressure’ feeling of noise cancellers, having never experienced them, but I guess you only know by trying.

Currently it’s between the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose Quiet Comfort QC35II. Pros and cons to each, Sony apparently has slightly better noise cancelling overall, and Bose possibly slightly more comfort. SQ differences probably a matter of taste, but I won’t be able to try in a store with Covid out there. Seems many of the Sony benefits in terms of more advanced Bluetooth codecs will be wasted on me in an Apple ecosystem and I won’t really be playing music through the Sony app, so...

HC: 861v4/ID40/LPS, DSP5000, DSP5000VC, DSP3100, SW1600, HD621, Oppo BDP-105, Sony VPL-HW55ES
2-Channel: Oppo BDP-105, TEAC VRDS-7/Trichord Clock 3/PSU, 551, Quad 303, Harbeth Compact 7ES-3, Kimber cables, Russ Andrews mains and supports.
Previous Meridian: 5000C, 5200SL, 7200.2, 6000, 562V.2, 568.2mm, 800v4, 808.2i, 818v2/v3, 861v8, 502