Could this be one reason tubes (and perhaps records) sound better?

desktopguy, sounds like you are handling your tinnitus very well. I have had two patients that were crippled by it. Interestingly, both developed Alzheimer's. So, as long as you can handle it you're in business:) The technique of masking not only works for tinnitus but other sensations the most important one being pain. Any child will tell you the cut feels better after you put a Band-Aid on it. When I give an injection I give a firm pinch which covers up the needle stick. The pinch and the Band-Aid are masking sensations. 
Desktopguy, just in case you did not know 3 new meds where just approved for migraines. Erenumab (Aimovig) is the one I am familiar with.
It is a once a month subcutaneous injection that decreases the frequency, intensity and duration of migraines. I have not had a chance to use it yet.
You might want to take it up with your MD. 

1+++ atdavid and jnorris2005. Now for a little anthropologic physiology.
There is always noise in our natural environment. Those of us that could identify danger through the noise out-survived those that could not and so our hearing has developed certain sensitivities. We are very sencitive to phase and volume for location and we have a canny  ability to evaluate and identify important sounds through noise. The difference between a twig snapping and the rustle of wind through leaves. Higher levels of background noise require us to pay even more attention to identify danger. Background noise causes us to focus on important noise like music. We do this without thinking about it. We listen better with background noise. Some of us actually feel uncomfortable without some background noise. After listening to Tape hiss and vinyl noise for all these years digital sounds unnatural because there is no noise and I do believe many of us prefer vinyl because of the background noise but still find the occasional loud pop disturbing. It makes you snap to attention reflexively. Call it dither or bias or whatever. Noise is definitely an important part of the equation. This would be a great subject for further study if it has not been already.