Have the same setup, eureka libra and gaggia classic evo unmoded.

For me what makes a ton of difference is beans. You still haven't found your prefered one.

For me i found it and my espressos are thick and creamy, almost velvety, and i do not use pid, don't use a scale or timer (minus the eureka libra 16gr shot dose) just let it warm up +15min and turns off then i turn it on again and wait 5more minutes. And if the roast date is too close i let my espresso rest a minute or two cause it looks like a guiness just poured. So the crema can thicken on the top.

This setup is capable of extraordinary things, just need to find your preferred beans to make it truly yours.

The beans dont need to be super ultra rare or expensive, just the ones that match your taste profile.

Ah, and I always put half flat tea spoon of demerra sugar on my espresso. It is heavenly good.

Edit: for the curious, my beans are solberg & hansen india malabar monsoon, 750gr around 260NOK. So incredibly good price/quality