Tinnitus

Rebbi,
Here's the main point, your hearing ability is still judged to be good. So you're still able to listen to and enjoy music. Just be careful and avoid loud listening levels at home.With really good audio components you don't need loud levels for enjoyment anyway.Get a good SET amp, they are engaging at even low and moderate sound levels (hint).
Charles,

Shortly after I got involved in higher-end, I had my hearing tested because I thought there were issues. Yup. High frequencies on the left ear ain't what they used to be.

Someone suggested to me that left-side weakness was due to us, in our younger years, driving with the window rolled down. Interesting...

Fast forward: Both my wife and I have tinnitus, and we both love to listen to the music. It never really bothers us *while* we're listening. We have Magnepans, and they need a bit of oomph to really shine, so the music tends to occlude the tinnitus.

But, lying in bed in the morning after, we can tell that the ears have been 'disturbed.' The same is true if we drive our Prius, or worse, our pickup truck with fairly loud pipes. After only 1/2 hour in the car, things are ringing.

In short, no, it doesn't bother us while listening, only in the "quiet room", as Roxy54 says. Perhaps we might be missing something in the quieter music passages, but it's difficult to determine what you're NOT hearing due to the raised noise floor inside the head.

What Roxy54 said! +1

Thank you so much for your support! I know that there are far worse ailments in the world, and that "fear of not being able to enjoy my stereo" is a "first world problem" of the most blatant kind. But it's good to know that I can learn to live with this and still enjoy one of my greatest pleasures. I don't know what I'd do without music.

Charles1dad --
Yes, yes, yes, I thought of this already. And yes, I'm working on that SET. :-)
Manley Mahi's sold to a local friend. Manley Shrimp being serviced at a local shop - checked over, really - so I can put it up for sale. Still waffling between the various choices. It'll all come down to my budget. As you are the "Yoda of SET Amps" on Audiogon, I will notify you personally when I've made my decision. :-D