diff --git a/dion/dion2.py b/dion/dion2.py
index e79eab1..8837aea 100644
--- a/dion/dion2.py
+++ b/dion/dion2.py
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ def __init__(
         epsilon: float = 1e-8,
         adjust_lr: Optional[str] = "spectral_norm",
         flatten: bool = False,
-        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = False,
         use_triton: bool = False,
-        use_polar_express: bool = False,
+        use_polar_express: bool = True,
+        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = True,
         newton_schulz_func: Optional[Callable] = None,
         verbose: bool = False,
     ):
diff --git a/dion/megabatch_base.py b/dion/megabatch_base.py
index 92f8e2c..519e6ce 100644
--- a/dion/megabatch_base.py
+++ b/dion/megabatch_base.py
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ def __init__(
         distributed_mesh: Optional[Union[DeviceMesh, ProcessGroup]],
         algo_name: str,
         defaults: dict,
-        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = False,
+        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = True,
         use_triton: bool = False,
-        use_polar_express: bool = False,
+        use_polar_express: bool = True,
         newton_schulz_func: Optional[Callable] = None,
     ):
         super().__init__(params, defaults)
@@ -75,7 +75,14 @@ def __init__(
                 )
             self._newton_schulz_func = newton_schulz_func
         elif use_gram_newton_schulz:
-            from gram_newton_schulz import GramNewtonSchulz
+            try:
+                from gram_newton_schulz import GramNewtonSchulz
+            except ImportError:
+                raise ImportError(
+                    "use_gram_newton_schulz=True requires the 'gram-newton-schulz' package, "
+                    "which is not installed. "
+                    "Install it with: pip install gram-newton-schulz"
+                )
             use_polar_express = True
             _gns = GramNewtonSchulz(
                 ns_use_kernels=use_triton,
diff --git a/dion/muon.py b/dion/muon.py
index c24d5fc..a320052 100644
--- a/dion/muon.py
+++ b/dion/muon.py
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ def __init__(
         nesterov: bool = False,
         adjust_lr: Optional[str] = "spectral_norm",
         flatten: bool = False,
-        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = False,
+        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = True,
         use_triton: bool = False,
-        use_polar_express: bool = False,
+        use_polar_express: bool = True,
         newton_schulz_func: Optional[Callable] = None,
     ):
         if lr < 0.0:
diff --git a/dion/normuon.py b/dion/normuon.py
index 831842e..a419186 100644
--- a/dion/normuon.py
+++ b/dion/normuon.py
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ def __init__(
         cautious_wd: bool = False,
         epsilon: float = 1e-8,
         nesterov: bool = False,
-        adjust_lr: Optional[str] = "rms_norm",
+        adjust_lr: Optional[str] = "spectral_norm",
         flatten: bool = False,
-        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = False,
+        use_gram_newton_schulz: bool = True,
         use_triton: bool = False,
-        use_polar_express: bool = False,
+        use_polar_express: bool = True,
         newton_schulz_func: Optional[Callable] = None,
     ):
         if lr < 0.0: