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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
helomech
1,702 posts
 
Have you tried addressing your tinnitus? I suffered tinnitus for years until I began taking vitamin D supplements and cut back on the drinking.

That said, it seems the inclination for those with tinnitus is to seek very smooth amps, like McIntosh, or those of class A topology. However, I found such amps were actually more fatiguing over long listening sessions. I moved onto a class AB Yamaha that is not exactly smooth but somehow is far less fatiguing. I have no explanation for why that is - maybe its circlotron circuit design that is very rare these days.


bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,831 posts
 
A good tube amp might provide welcome relief from solid state hardness in the treble range, as well as some other benefits.
gryphongryph
381 posts
 
The Usher R1.5 is class A the first 50w then 150w into 8ohm a/b
it is said to be very tube sounding, maybe worth a try!
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
Tinnitus can be very frustrating, especially for audiophiles.  I suffer from pulsatory tinnitus hearing loud swooshes of blood flow in my left ear with every heartbeat.  I can turn it down by adjusting my head and neck position. Crazy and maddening.  An MRI ruled out any major health concerns.  I have learned to live with it and when it comes to music I turn up the volume. 
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