Why do my ears ring with my new amplifier?

It's a sign from God to buy better equipment

Its time for an upgrade.

The flatter the frequency response, the less fatiguing the amp will be. It's just that simple. Whatever other attributes/detriments it has will be irrelevant. Just because you spent huge money on somebody's 'recipe' doesn't necessarily make it soa. It's been flavor of the month as far as amps go. The best ones are both unremarkable and spectacular at the same time. If you can't say that about yours, then I'd be curious of the shape of it's response on a foot long tape. The best is also the amp you can crank to levels that surprise your ability to tolerate. The others you have to be 'careful' with.

"02-06-15: Csontos
The flatter the frequency response, the less fatiguing the amp will be. It's just that simple. Whatever other attributes/detriments it has will be irrelevant."

How could you come up with something like that. The fact that a piece of audio equipment will be less fatiguing to listen to just because it has a flat response, doesn't even make sense. And before you come back and start arguing with me, can you back that statement up with something real?

Noom, it is my experience that if you have to turn up the volume to hear one thing at the expense of something else, in your case to hear instruments in the background the problem isn't necessarily too much detail as a general lack of overall resolution of the system. As to what is the specific cause, it could be anything and not necessarily the amplifier.

A very good system should be flat and smooth enough to allow the listener to hear everything on the recording even at moderate levels. If you have to turn up the volume to an uncomfortable level this would indicate to me a balance and/or lack of resolution issue somewhere in the chain. Rooting out the problem can be a tough call and could be a multitude of issues. At a basic level it is most important for the amp and speaker to be electrically compatible with each other. Of course a good source component and preamp are most important for fully realizing the potential. It is difficult for me to separate out one thing over another in these matters as everything, including room, placement, components and last but not least cabling are all important for realizing satisfying music in the room at reasonable levels. The devil is in paying attention to all the details.