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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
timo62
281 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
8,570 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.
flatblackround's avatar
flatblackround
279 posts
 
Good to know. Trying to figure this out. Thanks again.

wlutke
728 posts
 
Samster,
I'm 65 with tinnitus.  Can your cabinet handle 240w heat?  My SS Pass Xa-25 runs 90 dB speakers louder than it has any right to.  It's class A at 50w at 4 Ohms (plenty LOUD) and 100w at 2 Ohms, class AB.  Good pricing at Reno Hifi.  Great amp.
jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,620 posts
 
https://www.audioadvisor.com/mobile/prodinfo.asp?number=NUSTA200
This is a cool running,powerful, smooth sounding amp.I have tinnitus also and auditioned this amp for a couple of weeks.It reminded me of a Sunfire amp I used to own,it leaned very slightly to the side side of neutral.I ended up going with a tube amp instead,preferring a little more color in my system.
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