hearing loss and amp choices

@asvjerry

You could be correct on that account Jerry.

@ secretguy...Lol and wonder how many other "secrets" you may have missed.

First of all I am NOT changing out my system. My integrated suffered a catastrophic failure.

I posed the question to help flavor my next purchase of an amp. I am not at the stage for aids as yet or so told to me or I should say unless i am immersed in certain situations such as a crowded restaurant, but I am interested in terms of what possible alterations of my previous sound tastes, may have occurred with these new to me findings.

To wit: I used to feel the highly articulated, detailed sq of certain amps as "sterile". Is that still in evidence I ask myself? Unfortunately, the jaunt to the next audio salon that used to be an hour ride round trip, has now turned into a 6 hour journey so I would have liked at least a "clue" (before I venture into this realm) as to what effects in personal preferences may have occurred for others.

I appreciate all the suggestions and agree with many of the premises. I know what I ask is rather a "drill down" that may be too specific. But it has caused me to wonder, nonetheless, of what others have experienced in this regard that may have altered their own sound appreciations.

So here is what i’ve learned so far: 1. I should consider an amp w tone controls. 2. Unfortunately, there is not much to do with the room. I live in a log home with wooden walls, carpet and drapery. 3. There may be minimal difference and i should hear a bunch. 4. There are differences attributed to acquired hearing aids. 5. Do not take two cross country trips on motorcycles without hearing protection beyond what a padded helmet provides.

I guess it will be interesting to discover what I disdained before, becomes more appreciable to me now.

@bigtwin

I dunno. My amp tanked months before that.

You do raise a point. I thought the highly articulated amp sterile even then and I’m sure my hearing didn’t go south just now. The only reason I had the hearing test in the first place is to have ruled out why i was feeling dizzy w no blood pressure issues. So they gave me the mri to rule out tumor and then the subsequent hearing test. They think it was a residual of covid I had back in Nov. calling it some kind of nerve edema. Still haven’t gotten full taste and smell as yet.

Coming to conclusion sometimes takes the plethora of contributors for the op to come to meaning.

Of course the brain is the "it" of hearing. My tinnitus is not an ear issue as much as a brain short circuit.

I will go forth and assimilate to the directions and suggestions this thread has provided.

Thank you

@hotei and ghdprentice: 

Always wanted tubes thru these ProAcs. Had the Manley Stingray once but that piece was more ss sounding. Had a friend who lent me his Quick Silver triode mono amps. I think they just made 100 of those. Those were sublime but ran very hot.

Always wanted the Vsi75 when I first saw it. It was so compact and "together" looking. Why they made their new I 50 case work so hideous looking is beyond me or else might have sprung for that.  

What bothers me is when the 75 first came out, I saw it at $7950. Should have followed my heart then. Now it's 10K and i don't know what changed except the price. I understand it is not being made any longer. 

So on my short list is the Raven Osprey, Vsi 75, Rotel 6000RA (which is said to have a lot of Michi innards), and the Moon 700 series int. (dunno why that's at 16K. have to look inside). 

At least I will no longer consider to not being "ear worthy" for these more favored brands. Life has enough road blocks w/o imparting another one upon thyself.

@mahgister 

Well sir I am intrigued by your acoustic experiments. I understand you have a Sansui as your amp. I know some of these models are still sought after as  nonpareil in SQ to this day.

I am very limited to acoustic nuance trials as I have no dedicated listening room. More like a "listening space" within the living room. 

So I went ahead and popped for the Audio Research Vsi 75. I have to get a separate phono stage but that's ok. 

Brand new at Audio Connection for $7500. 

If anyone has one of these, any problem with top clearance for heat issues? I'm hoping it to fit into a 12"x19" x 19" deep space.

So I have listened to the ARC Vsi 75 for about 8 months.

It is to my taste as it is natural, resolute, deep and wide sound stage and articulated enough w/o being sterile. Instruments and voice appear "in the room" like as well as spot on timbre. It has just the right amount of distortion for my tastes to produce musical weight w/o too much loss on high end.

It is perfect for me as it relates to my taste in music reproduction much like Wild West Pizza out west in Montana had the perfectly tasting pizza I have ever had along with Gould’s Sugar House in Shelburne Falls Ma. had the best pancakes i’ve ever had.

So the ARC is as perfectly balanced as the pizza and pancakes from the above mentioned places.

If anyone is interested, there is a guy selling brand new Vsi 75’s for $5995.

I believe the place is called Paragon Audio