Chadsort, sorry to hear of your disappointment. Many good suggestions here: first, live with it a while (an option that costs you nothing); listen to some original, all-analog records (no need for audiophile recordings); re-inspect set-up (including P2S); see if you can borrow a separate phono stage that will allow some adjustment of loading; and do consider trying a cheap alternative cartridge that’s better matched to the arm. (I couldn’t find it in their current website, but at one stage VPI had a page of recommended matches; I seem to recall they endorsed the Ortofon 2m series, none of which are expensive and any one of which you should be able to resell easily)
Finally, something that has not been mentioned so far: there is huge variation in “house sounds” among brands, and you might have had a lucky find with the Esoteric. I now prefer to listen to vinyl records most of the time, but the absolutist “any analog beats any digital” mantra is just silly. I once also had a Classic 1 and ended up selling it — no flaming others, but the sound just wasn’t for me, and I preferred digital on my AMR. So see if you can listen to some other rigs that offer a different presentation (say, Well Tempered) — you might find something that changes your mind.
Finally, something that has not been mentioned so far: there is huge variation in “house sounds” among brands, and you might have had a lucky find with the Esoteric. I now prefer to listen to vinyl records most of the time, but the absolutist “any analog beats any digital” mantra is just silly. I once also had a Classic 1 and ended up selling it — no flaming others, but the sound just wasn’t for me, and I preferred digital on my AMR. So see if you can listen to some other rigs that offer a different presentation (say, Well Tempered) — you might find something that changes your mind.