Interesting to see a reviewer pick up on a few of the same things I did. I also found the design of the headshell fingerlift to be a little funky at first, but now I think it's fine- just a little different than I had been used to, is all. Also, aesthetically, the wife loves it, and she doesn't say that very often. I think it is svelte and sexy in a non-nonsense kind of way.