[Elecraft] Tweak for phone?

[Dave LaBat]

Interesting weekend. First time I've had strong enough signals at the K3 that I felt like I was pushing it at all. 

I have my K3 configured with only a 250 Hz for extra filters, ridiculously narrow for everyday CW, great in a contest! I have no other SSB filters. 

With CW I have noticed that seemingly no matter how strong the nearby signals I can dig out the weak one in between. Didn't seem that way, as much. on phone. I struggled to pull the weak one with nearby strong stations. Used the Attenuator a lot this weekend. 

I noticed when I tried to narrow the passband from the 2.7 nominal that the signals often decreased in intelligibility. I used 1.8 K filters on my Yaesu FT 1K. I also notice I was not tuning dead on to SSB signals, I seemed to be off to the side emphasizing hi end response. I could hear as I swung past the station where the more dead on was. I haven't noticed that with other rigs. 

So I am asking:  Would the 1.8 help, and still maintain good intelligibility? What other tweaks or changes have the list members used for top phone performance. 

As an aside, I flipped a FT-990 in at the end of the contest.... wow, I guess part of it is I am spoiled! 

73, Dave NT6AA