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Recommended solid state amp for user with tinnitus

Hello all,

I'm 58 and been a music lover since my teens. Through a variety of jobs in noisy work environments (metal working), target shooting, loud rock in my teens, etc., etc., I have been a sufferer of tinnitus for many years.

I am finding the 20-year old Martin-Logan Stylos speakers in my home theater are aggravating the tinnitus. I am replacing them as the front left-right mains in my home theater with the new Monitor Audio Gold 300's (gen 5 2019), along with a PS Audio DirectStream DAC. My  Marantz AV7702mkII home theater processor will be the preamp for 2-channel playback. The speakers use a MPD (Micro Pleated Diaphram) high-frequency transducer for the tweeter,  90 dB Sensitivity (1W@1m) • 4 Ohms Nominal Impedance • 3.5 Ohms @1 kHz Minimum Impedance, 250 Watts Power Handling (RMS) • 100 - 250 Watts Recommended Amplifier Requirements (RMS).

I was looking for a solid state amp in the $2000 - $5000 range that would work well with the Gold 300 speakers and keep the sound warm and non-fatiguing with good resolution. Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated. I'm wondering if McIntosh might be suited for my situation(?). Any suggestions for solid state are welcome.

In my office, I have a PrimaLuna HP tube amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC and Monitor Audio PL100 monitors, and they tend to be much easier on my ears and tinnitus issue. I do NOT want a tube amp for my system that I am asking for recommendations on, no way to place it in my cabinetry.

Thank you in advance,
Sam
128x128samster777
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,159 posts
 
Flatblackround, I hope what you had was an MRA of your neck and brain. Magnetic Resonance Arteriogram. Usually the cause of your problem is plaque in an artery plus or minus a conductive hearing loss. Sound is not getting from the eardrum to the inner ear normally but the inner ear itself is fine. Rarely do you find a congenital kink in an artery disrupting the blood flow causing the bruit. Usually this bothers people most at night especially if you bury your left ear in the pillow. Try the fan trick. It sometimes helps here also. Good luck,

Mike  

Guys I need your addresses so I know where to send the bill;)))))
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
Mijostyn offers excellent advice about masking and determining what frequencies might be reduced or augmented to alleviate your problem.  Some McIntosh integrated amps offer equalizers that could be used for this purpose.  My issues are a bit different but masking certainly applies.  Good luck and happy listening.
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
Thanks Doc for your assessment and advice.  In spite of the problem my hearing tests ok.  I’ll review this with my new pcp.  Currently involved with recent onset of Afib which altered the character of my hearing issue.  Conversion has me in sinus rhythm and the heartbeats are now heard loud and clear.  Audio and medicine.  Fascinating. Getting old sucks.
timo62
278 posts
 

Samster777,  To keep the sound warm and non-fatiguing , you really need to address your entire system, including the room itself.


I have the same exact issue you have with my hearing and preferred sound. The main thing for me was to find the correct speaker , associated gear and cables that kept me in that comfort range. Treating my listening room also helped from keeping certain frequencies from getting out of hand and becoming bright , or harsh.


I think it might be a mistake to limit yourself on your amp of choice based on what will fit in your cabinet. I think you should find the right amp for you first, then change the cabinet if needed.

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,159 posts
 
Yes flatbackround, getting old sucks. Interesting solution to the problem. You could just stay in A.fib. Maybe only a third of the beats will conduct. If you are comfortable in A.fib. I would stay in A.fib long before I would take any medicine like Amiodarone. Some people unfortunately go into CHF and your hand is forced but I have loads of people in continuous A.fib doing just fine.
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