Do you get Ringing in the Ears from your hi-fi?

Elvis-costello: The test I frequently use to test myself for hearing loss is based on a century-old medical exam called the "watch tick test". A person with normal hearing can usally hear the ticking of a pocket watch held at approx. arms distance from the ear. After listening to efficient loud Altec single frame speakers my hearing actually improves, however after listening to the same music over KLH or other sealed enclosure speakers even at lower sound levels, I am unable to hear the pocket watches ticking. Also, the only way to test for ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is to lay still in a bed for ten minutes in a very quiet room. You may then hear the sound of the "ringing" is a constant high pitched sine wave tone (800Hz to 2000Hz). This is what the Beatles referred to as a muscian being "tuned to a natural E(tone)". I have found that after a few half hour exposures to loud music that this high pitched ringing in my ears lasts for several weeks. I cannot believe that none of the other readers have heard this ringing in the ears. This sound indicates that the nerves and cochlea have been overstressed. It is the bodies way of telling you to "STOP WITH THE LOUD MUSIC OR YOU'LL BE DEAF" Sometimes this tinnitus can become permanent, and becomes louder with more exposures to loud music, there is no cure but this ringing may stop after 5 to 10 years of NO LOUD SOUNDS. Please give your ears a rest. One way to restore eharing is to place soft rubber ear pllugs in the ears for 4 to 12 hours, this allows the entire inner ear to have full rest and recovery.

Years ago an occasional drunken party and my Cerwin-Vega D9's at 101/dB/w/m being hammered with 330 w/ch resulted in a few ear ringers. I still have the speakers, but they are in retirement...

I think the car stereo caused as much or more damage though.

All in all, I'm surprised I can still hear as well as I can - which is not to say extremely well, but enough to still enjoy it.

By the way the ringing in the ears is called tinnitus.

TOO MUCH VOLUME WITH DISTORTION MIGHT DO THAT!! I prefer McIntosh tubes and Vandersteen speakers and 'normal' volume.
I have no taste for classical, prefering music with lyrics.
Regarding reflex vs. acoustic suspension speakers, it is well known that reflex speakers have more distortion in the bass. But, our hearing does not pick that up as much as it would in the mid range. So, maybe that is a moot point. I'd think that the treble being harsh due to a forward biting tweeter could cause ringing,especially if the room has excessive reflections. I can listen all day with no fatigue to my system. I you can not, there is a problem somewhere. Mating solid state with a biting tweeter and cold walls in your room could be the problem. More volume just makes it worse.

The medical term for ear ringing is called Tinnitus. Do a google search on this - there's plenty info.

Hpims viewpoint is spot on. Also, I find playing music louder comes from a high system noise floor. Over the years of improvements introduced in my system, volume levels have dropped.