[Gvt1911]

Hello everyone, I have been ill for some time and found out I have an Acoustic Neuroma in left ear ( Benign Tumor ) and had a SEVERE sinus infection in right ear last year that left me with BPPV and Vertigo... I wear hearing aids for a few years now,due to work place noise...I am 60 years old,retired and was told that the best way for me to get back into music was listen thru headphones...It has been more that 25 years since I had a set...
So my question is: What tube head amp to get ( since I am a tube guy) that has plenty of power to drive the cans pretty loud, since I am half deaf in left ear and 35% in right...
Pretty much I need the amp and the cans that would match well...I have a good supply of 6dj8's, 12ax's, 12au's,etc...I have looked at headfi site and got dizzy over there...
Any help would be greatly appreciated...TIA

[mcgsxr]

I imagine we can source a few ideas.

Couple of questions:

Do you have a budget in mind for the tube amp?
Do you have headphones already?
If you don't have the headphones, is there a combined budget for both amp and 'phones?
What style of headphones - on ear or in ear?

Thanks!

[Gvt1911]

Mark,
I do not have anything, no amp and no phones...I would like to spend up to $500.00 for a good amp and about $400.00 for the cans...I do not wish to go IN ear as I wear hearing aids all day and need a break...I am old school...I looked and some kits which look good as I have been building tube amps and preamps for years, so a kit is OK as long as it will do the "job"...I like the Torpedo, Bottle head Crack is so - so and I think the Woo WA3 is a bit overpriced...I am from NY and I remember the old days with his old prices...LOL...Now I live in the mountains of Virginia with the moonshiners...
So let's say I need everything and the budget is about $800.00...
Thanks

[parbaked]

Hi There!
The Torpedo and Crack are both great choices. It is very helpful that you can build!

The Torpedo is wonderful with Grados and other low impedance headphones.
Doug designs very good amplifiers!

The Crack would be perfect with Sennheiser HD600/HD650.
One benefit for the Crack is that you may be able to build with dual volume controls so you can balance out any differences in your left and right hearing.

Cheers!

[Gvt1911]

Thank you guys...Would you know which one will "play" the loudest without any distortion? I will be "pushing" both the amp and cans...

[parbaked]

Thank you guys...Would you know which one will "play" the loudest without any distortion? I will be "pushing" both the amp and cans...

I don't know which can plays loudest without distortion but I do know that Grados leak a lot of sound, so if you play them loud, the rest of the house may hear them too.
You may want to consider closed headphones if you play really loud and are not alone...

[hibuckhobby]

The Crack and the Sennheisers will play loud enough to be painful.  Please be aware that
high levels for an extended time can/will damage what hearing you have left.  Don't
try to pursue experiences you have had in the past in an effort to replicate what you heard
before your hearing loss.

That said, the Crack and the Senns...or a Decware Taboo and some Audeze cans will fill
the bill in terms of what you have asked for.
regards,
Hibuck....

[Gvt1911]

Thank you fellows for all your honest replies...About the phones leaking sound really does not matter as I am alone while listening...Also thanks for the advise about listening to them too loud...I found a happy medium when I was given a hearing test that was OK with the professionals at the hospital...I will do some more homework on the ones mentioned, but keep them combo's coming...
Really Appreciate it 

[borism]

Another vote for the Bottlehead Crack. I built mine and have the Sennheiser HD 650. As far as loudness, I can only turn it up about a quarter turn (if the range is a full turn) and it gets way to loud. The sound quality is great. Very enjoyable!
Finally, to listen to something one has built oneself is a great experience.

[parbaked]

Finally, to listen to something one has built oneself is a great experience.

^That...and I'll add that the Crack can be customized (base, top plate finish, knobs, tube choices etc) to your liking compared to the Torpedo.
The Torpedo would have an advantage if you decide on low impedance headphones like Grados.

[adydula]

I have a crack with the speedball update...remember its only designed to work with high impedance headphones....250 ohms and above.....Beyerdynamics T90's...Senn's 600/650/800 etc....

Plenty loud enough.....and its really a fun amp to solder up....

Bottlehead has a improved version of the Crack now the Crack-a-two I believe but its $699.
Their Mainline head amp is great with all impedances, but is over $1K.

All the best
Alex

[Guy 13]

One more vote for the Bottlehead Crack with HD650.
No speed ball up grade and it sounds good anyway.
I did lots of tube rolling,
but did not hear much difference-improvement between makes,
models, new or NOS.
Can't go wrong with that combo or any other head phones.

Guy 13

[Gvt1911]

I think I may go with the Torpedo and a set of Grado 325's...The Crack seems to be a never ending upgrade machine...Any other good combo's ???
Thanks...

[Gvt1911]

Thanks for your concern as to my medical condition...I have asked 2 specialists that deal with acoustic neuromas and was advised it was perfectly OK as long as I don't blast them...I also spoke with my audiologist and he recommended that I would be better off removing my hearing aids and using headphones...I would do more damage with the hearing aids in and listening thru speakers because of the compression factor of the aids...I am sincerely grateful to everyone for their kind thoughts...I have made another appointment with a new ENT and will see what he has to say...I would like to have an ENG done also and need his reference...
Kind Regards

[Gvt1911]

Dalethorn,
You have made a very good and wise point...Before I do anything I will consult with both the ENT and the Gentlemen that sold me the Widex aids...They were suppose to be able to "tune" them for different situations and I had to go back for adjustments many times...They even have a "music" setting on them which is useless...He finally advised me to leave them in normal mode ( which was the cleanest sounding) and raise the volume of my system...When I do that it stills sounds BAD...Claims I have to upgrade to a $6K pair...
I will make sure everything is a go before I pull the trigger...
Thanks !

[Douger]

Good luck with your health and your hearing. The Grado 325s are very good performers. Some may need a long period of breakin, don't give up on them... They will settle down and give you great results

[Gvt1911]

Dale,
I agree with you..Just spoke with the hearing center and he claims it is OK to get regular phones...He said NOT to play them too loud...The Acoustic Neuroma on the 8th crainial nerve has been there for over 25 years according to the specialists at the hospital...Ever since I can remember I was never able to speak on the telephone using my left ear...The doctors say that "sometimes" it will grow but most of the time it is dorment...I can hear lows and highs quite well with the left ear, but not speech...Now with the right ear, I can hear speech just fine, but lows and highs are subdued...If they remove the tumor, I loose all hearing in left ear with many other complications...He advised me to have an MRI done once a year to check that it is NOT growing and leave well enough alone...I am in a quandry...Have some nice high end audio just sitting downstairs doing nothing...
So far I got one OK  for phones...I await to see new ENT and see what he says...Thanks for opening my eyes and I am sure these posts will help others also...