Digital BW, The Print

I'm hoping someone can give me tips on how to go forward.

Using: Epson C86, UT EZW, and Somerset Enhanced Velvet (supposed to be
optimized for inkjet).

I wanted to try Somerset Enhanced Velvet. It's 100% cotton rag and costs
half as much as Hahnemühle Photo Rag (188 grams) from my supplier.

I bought 2 boxes I was so sure it would work out.

It feels like I'm printing on a sponge (yes, I'm printing on the coated,
"enhanced", side).

The shadows block up to no end.

With 1.8 gamma +/- 0 contrast it still blocks up. If I hold the print up
to a light, creating backlight, I can see the detail I want there. But not
under normal view conditions.

Should I start moving the brightness slider or should I start lowering the
contrast.

This probably insn't a paper specific question but more a question of how
others go forward when trying to nail down a new paper.

It might be cheaper than Hahnemühle, but it's not peanuts (about 1 USD a
sheet). So I'd appreciate hearing about others' methods for arriving at
workable settings.

Thanks in advance,

Daniel Ridings
http://www.dlridings.com/paw2005/1.html (yes, soon to be 2.html)