. . ."don't know that stuff on levelling, tonearm alignment, etc. if i read reference materials, will i know if i'm doing things properly?". . .
Hi XLR
yes & no. you have to DO it & listen to the result/s
'table setup could be easy as 'plug and play' (well, almost - you have to AT LEAST level your platform &/or your 'table AND set the proper cartridge pressure + bias/anti-skate). . . even those that come with fixed tonearms and factory pre-set have to be leveled
. . . better 'tables require more work if you want to really enjoy what you have
i'm afraid we have to admit that analogue playback is not for the faint of heart
consider this:
1. level your platform
2. level your plinth; if it is a suspended 'table, check the springs
3. some tables require leveling the arm pods, others don't have this (you lucky you
)
4. you may need to verify overhang (or pivot-to-spindle distance)
5. verify/setup your cartridge: this is THE fun part. . .
then, we have LPs that are thin, thick, warped, not centered, etc. . .
your cartridge is really practically ABUSED whenever you play that record, and it is probably the MOST expensive part of your table, too.
well, we can just pop down that fave LP and listen to that music we've been wanting to since the start of the day
enjoy!
egay