In my experience with the VPI JMW-10, the optimal level of damping fluid has been very cartridge dependent. The cartridge I ran during most of the time period that I owned my JMW-10 was the van den Hul Frog. It sounded best with very little damping fluid in the well. Too much and the sound was dull, lifeless and very contrained - just as Stltrains described.
