Good Bookshelf Speakers for a Hearing Loss?

I sympathize with your condition. Usually, high frequency hearing loss is noise-induced. It also brings with it an intolerance of accentuated high frequency sounds. This is very common, everything from loud concerts to factories. I have heard several speakers that I believe might work. Unfortunately you won't know until you have listened from an hour or more, which one works best. Before you get inundated with everyone's favorite brand, I suggest that you either buy used with the idea that you can sell them if you don't like them, or buy over the internet from a company with a return policy. I like fabric dome tweeters more than I like metal tweeters. It is a generalization that was more true in the past, but to me the metal dome tweeters were too harsh for my ears. Brands with which I am familiar and recommend to you: Dynaudio Focus, Von Schweikert, AV123 (several models). Brands which i have not heard but fit your description (disclaimer): Quad, Ohm, Spendor, Vandersteen. Good luck!

I have high frequency hearing loss, also known as "construction workers syndrome". We didn't realize that homeowners needed hearing protection while working with chainsaws in the 70's. I now own 3 pairs of ear protectors because hearing loss is cumulative. One pair is always out and within reach. (mowing grass, hammering, air-tools, vacuuming)

I have the Kef 103-2 bookshelf speakers which give good clear highs without hurting my ears. Their midrange is superb and I can hear all the lyrics clearly. They give a decent soundstage, i.e. I can hear instruments and voices at different places in the room The bass is not booming, but that's o.k. A tube pre-amp is good for me because I can hear the woodiness or timbre of music in the midrange especially. And a solid state amp with very low distortion works well.

Empirically, one could install an precise equalizer in the system to amplify the exact frequencies one cannot hear well, and lower those one does not want to hear.

I agree with Tgrisham on fabric vs metal tweeters .
But , I feel that speakers are only part of the fix for your problem . The source and amplification can go a long way to giving you what you seek .

Given that , there are a pair of Soliloquy 5.0's listed here for $399 that would give you a nice start . I have owned a pair of their floorstanders and they did help quite a bit , very warm . The only problem is that the company is out of buisness ! Still , for that price it is a very worthwhile speaker to try .

Good luck .

Wow, what a great forum. Not just great responses but some solidarity as well. Thank you! BTW, I worked in a lumber yard as a youth, so the Stihl chainsaw was my bane as well.

A couple more complicating items. I am new to this (after 30 years of being one of the stereophiles on my dorm floor). I just bought a Denon 1909 receiver (90 X 7 stated). I would have bought a high end amp if I knew all this, but I am going to start with this receiver. That means 4 ohm and power hungry speakers are out (e.g. Dynaudio, I think).

Also, I am starting a system, so while those Soliliquys and KEFs look like great suggestions, I think I should get a brand with more flexibilty to add on to. Also, my newly built stereo stand has room for a 13.4 bookshelf but no horizontal center speaker. The Quads 12Ls sound perfect - 6 ohm, non metal tweeter, and an 11L could fit in the speaker stand. I realize that a non matching center is not perfect but I am thinking that such a close match should be fine for HT.

Finally, another question. It seems in my brief listening that bookshelf speakers sound better than towers. Why? It seems that the larger base drivers in the same unit block the highs and midrange for me (I hear base well, too well in some situations). It would seem the logical solution is bookshelf units with a good sub, no?