Under 9000 DA mine will easily exceed 2600. A strong running O320 that doesn't burn any oil, I'd hate to change anything. Yes more pitch but then I'll lose out on the climb rate.
I don't think this prop is for me. I'm probably better off looking at composites that might be a little more tolerant of deviation from the Normal AC configuration and harmonics. Probably a GA.
Thanks
Tim
The best prop match on an RV for the best possible "Total Performance" using a fixed pitch prop, is one that requires some amount of throttle reduction below about 12K density altitude to stay at or below 2700 RPM.
My 6A with a 180 fixed Sensenich does a TAS of 168-169 kts starting at about 10.5K with a slight throttle reduction in MP to keep me around 2600 RPM (it would exceed 2700 at that DA and WOT). That is an RPM it is happy and very smooth at. Though I don't personally have a concern about spinning it faster, it just makes more noise and burns more fuel but doesn't seem to go much, if any faster.
If I cruise higher, I can keep pushing the throttle in a bit more with each increment of 1000 ft and have the same or just slight faster TAS.
In my airplane this is actually a benefit since it has a carb.
With the carb., reducing the throttle setting slightly makes the mixture more balance because of the slight angle of the throttle plate.
When I am operating at the sweet spot for altitude/RPM/MP/ Mixture, my CHT spread is about 6 degrees and the EGT's are relatively close as well with the leanest at about -20 lean of peak.
So in reality I have a combination Climb / Cruise prop. It just all depends on how someone chooses to operate.
You having the hard limit of 2600 is a bit more of a compromise, but if I owned your airplane, I wouldn't' change it because of the hit on take-off and climb performance.
Follow-up
I wasn't meaning to imply that everyone running higher compression and or advanced timing is flying a ticking time bomb in regards to their propeller...
What I was meaning to say is that unless it is an engine configuration / prop combination that has been tested using test equipment typically used for that work, there is no way to know for sure because it is not something you can feel.
That is why Hartzell has the warnings and disclaimers on their web site regarding installing their propellers on engine configurations that they have never tested.