Source of Brightness

If your ears are ringing, you have bigger problems than deciding which format to listen to. I recommend seeing a doctor, and laying off listening to any system for a while.

What are your cables? None of the three components you mentioned are particularily known to be bright. However, all Maggies tend to show any harshness in the system. Also, the Maggies have no bass! when you have no bass, the highs catch more attention, so that can add to the sense of brightness. Lastly, Maggies are EXTREMELY picky as far as distance from back wall, which effects the midbass and bass response. You might try moving them forwards and backwards, to see if you can increase the midrange and midbass, which will certainly help put the highs into better proportion.

Both prior suggestions are noteworthy and other possibilities are yet to be explored.You mention about the sacd format.If you have one of these players as I once had,then from extensive researching of many posts and audio reviews,one needs to burn the player in for 500 hours for each of the 2 formats for the optimum in sonic satisfaction.If you play at a very loud listening level,then this will add to your problem,as well as will the acoutic nature of your room.

try carpeting your room