Graham Phantom damping fluid level.

From my experience, close to nothing is the most "true reproduction" but it will vary from cartridge, Phonostage and what kind of records you listen to.
With newer records I would say, forget it, it doesn't matter, because none of them are true in the tone.
I did listen to a Living Stereo 2400, Strauss Waltzes, Side 1, Track 1
Phantom with Zyx Universe, VTA is a little bit higher in the back
The Vienna Blood allows you a view into the performance, a little bit from above, the strings section left is excellent for that, the tone has to go up and down like their bows and you can hear the reflections on the side walls.
When the fluid is too high, the separation of the strings are a bit "muddy", not really clear, a kind of "wall of sound".It softens the tone.
I checked this tone of this performance with 2 other (top) Record Players, For me: nearly nothing

For anyone interested...just finished my own two day Phantom install,and calibrating.More enjoyable than I had thought,but very tedious.Thank goodness my family left me alone for a few hours!
The entire installation took me 6 hrs on Saturday,with two more on Sunday(today)to get to an acceptable level of performance.As of now,definitely beating my previous 2.2,but not killing it!
Yet,there is more to get,as my set up jig,had some play in it,and I think my armboard was drilled slightly off.No problem,and I'll soon have it all scoped out!But,in all honesty....SHEEEEEEEEESH!!!!!.....What a delicious pain in the tush!!!I am NOW a bit tipsy on my celebratory Amorrone!Been saving it for this exact moment!!
I hope to NOT look into too many new things to do,in the near future!!!
Really fine performing arm!Still more of my reference LP's to "voice to"!!...I can't wait for the end game!!!!!
Best.

Sirspeedy, what is your current fluid level? If you could say where it is in relationship to the machined square on the bearing cap that would help. Glad you are having fun with your new tonearm.

Frank,currently I have the fluid level just touching the very bottom of the squared bearing block.Just overlapping it,by a tiny margin.I only have "one" lengthly listening session with the arm,so I may very well add a touch more fluid this week.I have the (old?)blue fluid,which seems to be quite good.One thing different from my friend's Phantom.....the bearing on my arm is much pointier,and it does NOT slip out of alignment,like my pal's does.Not a big deal,but a better modification.
Fortunately I have a very good idea how my specific ref set-up LP's should sound,and this dramatically cuts down on the "voicing" time.The set up time was a pain,though kinda fun,but because I want to max out my Orpheus,I am being fanatical about all parameters.I spent about 6-7 hrs on overall set-up,and am literally exhausted.
Also,because of the general excellent feedback, from all other posters here,and their comittment to exactitude,I am attempting to go a bit beyond what I normally think is very good sound!....I have a Wally set-up tool on the way,to verify what I have done with the acceptable(not perfect)Graham jig!
Best.

I always prove alignment with my own protrator (designed on my CAD system) and I am actually very impressed with the outcome of alignment using the Graham jig. As a machinist, I am a stickler for ultimate accuracy, hence all the questions I ask regarding fluid level.

If there is a downside to the Graham arm design, I would say the azimuth alignment/adjustment could be improved upon. I find it extremely difficult to install the armwand and repeat azimuth with any degree of accuracy. Bob obviously designed in the ability to adjust azimuth by moving the magnet up or down but I find it perplexing that the armwand has several degrees of play where it locates on the actual pins where the wand meets the base. If it was my design I would have implicated 2 pins to register the wand postively with the base for exact alignment to make swapping wands a "walk in the park" As it is now, I dread removing the armwand.