Hyperacusis. Looking for recommendations

Thanks to everyone for replying back with some excellent ideas. Sorry I couldn’t chime in sooner. Work. You know...

JD! Yes! I ordered the Stella. I saw all the tubes, did a double-take, counted 16, initially, bought it, recounted to 20 and was like..OMG. That was the fastest audio purchase decision of my entire life. All of one minute from finding the ad to purchasing. Lol. It is what it is. I’m stoked to finally get it (maybe next week?).

As for the other speaker recommendations, I have taken notes and will start down-selecting. I am certainly looking for full range. I’ve demo’d Spatial Audio’s M3 Sapphires before. That was different. Smooth. Warm. Nice detail. Not "hot." But moving away from the sweet spot was detrimental. The AAD 2001 speakers I currently have playing in the background sound excellent even way across the house. That’s nice because if my ears are on fire but I still want to listen, I just turn it up and chill in another room. Not the greatest experience but it does the trick.

I have a bit of audio gear now and the PS Audio Stellar 1200 mono blocks seem to be able to play very quiet and capable of the slightest nuance (much better than my ears would hear!), but the ARC SP-20 won’t let them go as quiet as the Creek, but sounds 100x better. Also has a ton more body, where the Creek was smoother and silkier. Easier to listen to the Creek but again, the sound quality isn’t quite there. That’s why I also ordered the Stella because an integrated, in my experience, has more latitude in volume control. I miss my last integrated quite a bit. Had that one for just over 10 years which I modded, rewired and all. Sounded phenomenal for a crappy Chinese hybrid integrated. But, it did the job! I’d love to build another if I can find another Bada laying around somewhere. I digress...

As for SET amps and high-efficiency speakers, that may be the ticket for "those days." Besides, who the hell doesn’t love a cool little 1W tube amp?!

Anyhow....

Thanks again everyone for the support and recommendations. And to those of you suffering from one form of hearing loss or another, I feel for you as well. It’s a crime to lose something so important, especially when we love good audio and appreciate that gift the way we do.

Lastly, if you haven’t heard, check out www.soundpharma.com. They are in Stage 3 clinical trials for a drug to treat tinnitus, vertigo and other inner ear dysfunction. I’m watching closely. Pray they make it through! It would be the first drug of its kind to enter the market to treat such things. Pretty incredible if it happens. Anyway, thought I’d share some good news. But don’t smoke that cigar yet. The fat lady hasn’t sung yet. Don’t jinx it!

John

I hope you get relief and me as well. I suffer from HyperA-ringing- and loss at 8000hz. I wear hearing aids which help make the sound from my system more transparent. Constantly chasing a rainbow every 6 months my audiologist and I sit down and tweak the frequency settings. My hyperacutis affects the bass as much as the highs. I usually have to cut off my Home theatre subwoofer now. The pounding bass drives me nuts. It does not help my next door neighbor's grandson from hell and his buddies all have bass boomer trucks. It makes my head feel like it will explode. If you find any relief let us know. I use a Bel Canto E1X with Spendor classic 2/3 speakers for the time being. I may at some point just throw in the towel. 

I used to love going to movies.  Unfortunately the combo of getting hyperacusis and the stratospheric sound levels that became common, mostly ruled that out.

Especially for the big tent action flicks.

I can put in heavy duty ear plugs which are good for protecting from the higher frequencies.  But they are powerless against the bass - onscreen explosions etc send bass conducting right through the bones of my body (and ear bones) and I'll walk out of the theater with my ears screaming for a long time afterwards.