Gary,

I was lucky...one of my band-mate's father was an "ear doctor", and I got into using earplugs at the outset of playing and consequently saved my hearing.

I tried your piano sound...good, if a bit on the strong side(loud) but still didn't sound exactly right to me.

Bose make a good product with the L1, I agree, but as you say, they aren't for everybody.

Ian