I don't think you're hearing the difference between an R8 and a H150, I think you're just hearing the difference between two different pieces of wood, and two different sets of pickups. I own an R4, R7, R0, and two H150s. And guess what, NONE of them sound alike, they are all individual sounding, and that's why I keep them. Maybe your R8 needs a new set of pickups and/or pots! I also think rough feel of the R8 is just the VOS finish which can buffed off very easily. I buffed that VOS crap off of all of my Gibsons, and blindfolded, I couldn't tell any difference between feel of the lacquer of the Gibsons and the Heritages. Although the R4 and R7 have bigger necks so I would feel that.
This is the stuff I buffed my Gibsons with and it got all of the VOS stuff off...
https://www.amazon.com/Players-Guitar-Scratch-Remover-Eternashine/dp/B008NRF8R2/ref=asc_df_B008NRF8R2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312165945081&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=531106270630495922&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1026969&hvtargid=pla-571115065135&psc=1
I love all of my Heritages and Gibsons, but frankly, I had to do way more work on my Heritages than I did my Gibsons. My Heritages all had very badly cut nuts and sloppy fretwork. I also changed all of the hardware on them, all the pickups, and all of the electronics, on the Heritages.
That said, I hope you get your Oxblood ordeal sorted out and you get a new guitar with NO defects!!!