I think you are sitting way too close to the speakers. If your speakers are 7.5 feet apart, the minimum distance you sit from the speakers should be the same or preferably further. The #1 key with Quad's is positioning. You need a lot of room behind them, the more the better to reduce interference of the back wall and bass frequency being cancelled out from reflection at the back. The sides are not as important but the back space will determine how they sound. Mine are good 10 feet from the back wall. As a rule of thumb, the Quad's should be sitting roughly 1/3 of the length of your room. You need a long narrow room for Quad's. I find Quad's have wondefful bass if you have the room behind them and the right amp for them. I never felt I need a subwoofer. The room and the space behind your Quad's and the right amp dictate how much bass you hear. If you don't have the room behind your Quad's, they will sound bright and forward. The reflection from the back wall and the cancelling of bass frequency will let you not hear the full frequencies (lack of bass) and that's why it sound bright, glare and forward.
