Help! My system is very bright it hurts my ear

Big Oriental Rug, Thick. 
Buy about 5 boxes of Owens Corning 703
Mullard tubes-tone down a system like no toher
Dedicated lines-electricity pollution gives a frenetic edge to an otherwise nice audio signal. It probably won't matter what you do until you get the "noise" out of the signal. .Clenaing up the signal was the most significant shrillness eliminator I found.
If you were to drop in an acoustical ceiling a lot would change also.
Unless the room and electricity is right a neutral or even warm system wil sound wirey and bright.
Good luck, I can tell it means a lot and wish you success.

Good catch waterzlife,

also in the Techradar review,
"Turning it up makes the mild bass and treble excess a little obvious"
and  "  as it does mean the 22L2 will have a sonic character that's subjectively significantly brighter than average. "

I believe the Quad 22L2  mixed with Pop music, glass table top and big mirror at the end of the room adds significantly to the problem, especially if the Pop music is turned up loud.

Don't worry. Most Systems are bright and hurt... But most like that. Especially when it was expensive to reach that level.

Asking why a system is too bright is like asking a mechanic why a car won't start.  There are so many possible reasons that it would take a book to list and explain them all. 

I would suggest, starting with treating 
your ac.
Get some good audio grade outlets
I use Maestro (these are under $100.00
and outperform those twice their price).
Synergistic XOT's attached at your 
speaker terminals, do a good job in 
curbing brightness.
A good power conditioner, one without 
a transformer in my opinion should do
the trick. 
Grounding your component, where buy
on placing your ear to you speakers, 
it is black, like if your system is turned off.
The proof of what I am saying is just 
listen to your system in the mid afternoon or evening, and then listen
at midnight.
You will notice a greater clarity in the
music and a much beter base response
without making any changes.

Well I hope this helps.

Best regards and happy listening,

Xavier






evening, then listen to it at midnight.