behave differently depending on which batch was used in your unit. Every unit coming out of the factory has manufacturing variations. Here is why you can't rely on other people's custom monitor profiles. If you use a $500 calibrator, the results will be even more accurate as long as you set the right target values. Necronym and I do: You get a monitor hardware calibrator like a Huey and you have it generate a profile based on precise sensing of your monitor's actual color output. You might try running this at a target gamma of 2.2. At least you get to pick your gamma and white point, though. But this is a quick-and-dirty, not very accurate method. The second-best choice is to hit the Calibrate button in the Displays preference and use the profile it generates. If your main concern is it looking bright and washed out, then you might prefer a profile generated at gamma 2.2, which is what many pros use these days. This is a generic profile generated by Apple to represent the average Cinema display, and it is OK if you happen to like gamma 1.8 (yuk). You can use the Cinema Display profile choosable in the Displays preference.