I imagine what you are experiencing are limitations of your loudspeakers. Most folks now days buy speakers that are to sterile with over accented high ends above 7,000 hz. Throw in compromised source material and you have a sure prescription for headaches , tight neck muscles, and other maladies. I designed and installed and maintained large discos, and entertainment systems for over 30 years in the US and old Mexico. I never had an issue with any Mac amp with Power Guard from the mighty 2600 down to the lowly 502 for monitor speakers. Even 2300's throttled with Urei peak limiters never caused fatigue. The only time we ever had fatigue issues was with Klipsch La Scala tops and JBL ring radiators. Altec, Ev, Gauss, Emilar and JBL were speakers of choice. Getting the system voiced properly guaranteed long listing with freedom from fatigue . Only consumers who bought Klipsch, professional based Altec and JBL for home were guaranteed concert levels in the home with out fatigue. Brands we didn't sell, such as Tannoy were capable, too. Today brands such as Magico and B&W guarantee they can produce Concert levels with less than 2 % distortion.. But remember a speaker that can reproduce 120 db in the home may only produce 108 to 110 db at the listing position which is only 4 db above classical concert level and does not come close to Rock and some CW concert Levels. So do a lot of research before buying your next speaker system. Remember even speaker systems from Klipsch and JBL DD series compress the signal 3 to 4 db at maximum power handling levels.
Fortunately for the industry and are hearing we listen at lower levels most of the time, our surveys proved that. And I bet our systems are more than adequate at those listening levels. But if you like your power guard lights to flash look for efficent speakers that can reproduce those levels with that power.
A story: I went to an Altec seminar in Phoenix in the late 70's. Altec was introducing their Mantaray horns. Stanel Sound provided an entrainment system for the central hall meetings. He brought a 4 channels mixed down tape, 1/2 inch 30 ips. of a Neil diamond concert. The system was three channels up front with subwoofers and a rear surround channel. With out any limiting the system was putting out over 120 db at 75 ft. measured with a Bruel and Kjaer Precision Sound level meter in the continuous mode and C weighting. each front channel had 4 604 HPLN mounted in bass enclosures with a 311 horn with a 291 as a 3 way system . The sub woofers were 8 816 enclosures with gauss woofers facing into each corner of the room, The 2 rear channels groups were slimmed down front channels, and I think there was some thing like 8 to 10000 watts. I tried to replicate the sound using 4 Klipschhorms in a sound room that was 24 X20 at the shop using a 2205 as an amp. Not even close with with the Power Guard lamps flashing. And a stacked pairs of 4 ML=4's driven by 2 2300's weren't even close being 16 db less efficient. Even with 3 to .4 times the power per speaker. I don't care how much power you have there is no way a home system can approach a professional concert sound system levels. Today with Line array concert speakers and mighty subwoofers the the difference is even larger.
