Schubert,
I am listening to music with great satisfaction. Tweaking the sound is part of the hobby.
Theo,
I completely relieved the tension on the arm's VTF spring. The completely relaxed spring does not "rattle" at all.
I went with the 130 gram counterweight because I wanted it as close to the pivot as possible (more stable and better sound). The only caveat is that I have to be careful when I use the arm lifter every time the cart reaches the end of the record becuse it ends up being extremely close to the outside weight of the conterweight.
Other than that, I couldn't be any happier.
Bobheinatz,
Haven't auditioned an RP10 but I extensively listened to an RP8 and, with good isolation and properly partnered, this TT can compete with the likes of VPI Classic, Well Tempered Amadeus, Clearaudio Performance, etc.
Happy listening!