Tweaking the new Grado Timbre Sonata 3


I have about 10 hours on my new Grado Sonata 3.

relevant system:

VPI Prime > Sonata 3> ARC PH3se (phono pre) > Herron 1A (preamp) > ARC Classic 60 (amp) > Thiel CS 2.4’s (speakers)

My old cart was a Nagaoka MP 500.  While good, the Grado is better overall. But the highs are a bit more extended than the Nagaoka, which seems to be a bit excessive, but just a bit, almost, but not quite sibilant.  
Alignment was done with my trusty AS Smartractor, though difficult to use on the Grado due to the long wood body overhang on the Grado. 

Raising and lowering VTA has little effect. 
My question, before I get too worried about this prior to complete break in, is will the highs “soften” up once broke in. Is that typical with Grados? Or, is it I gots what I got. 
last_lemming
Very few manufacturers of the phono stages will give you optional load for MM/MI, for this reason I am using JLTi Phono stage with special mod made by the manufacturer for me. I can use whatever resistors (RCA plug- in parallel) for my MM or MC cartridges, because internal load resistors in my JLTi is 500 000 Ohm, for my MM or MI i can use whatever up to 100 000 Ohm (100k Ohm).

For all my MM/MI I’m using 47k - 100k Ohm.

But if i want to load it i can do that to 10k or whatever.

Apart from Grado the OP is referring to, I have never seen any other cartridge with recommended load resistors range from 10k to 47k given by the manufacturer.

But very often the recommended range is 30k - 100k Ohm for MM.

The 47k Ohm is not mandatory for MM or MI cartridges and never was!

Accidentally posted this in my Hum thread but it should have been posted here:

Ok. Update.
It’s not the TT, cart, stand, motor, and it’s not the phono preamp (since I changed phono pre and it still did it).

i just hooked up a different TT with a different cart set on the concrete floor, and ran it to the same preamp / amp and I’m STILL getting the pumping.
So it must have something to do with the amp or preamp.
They are both tube components, so what could be happening here? They are both old in the tooth, but what’s odd is they don’t do it with the CD player, just when the TT.