Rick, don't worry... for this engine to really hit its stride it takes about 3-4 gallons through it.

The 18.1x10 is significantly noisier than anything with a 12 pitch. But it's good for break-in, or even a 17x10 such as Ed Alt mentioned a while back. More RPM's for break-in is better.

Don't overlook airframe noise. A loose canopy or other vibrating components can make a lot more noise than you might think. Look critically at everything between the spinner and rudder to find all vibration sources, even between wheels and axles. A little donut of silicone or tygon tube between the hubs and wheel collars can quiet them down a lot.

What are your needle settings now?