Well, almost anyone can learn, or more accurately teach themself. I would suggest that you first read the faq at http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/faq.html
I found the article "Tonearm Geometry and Setup" by Kessler and Pisha very informative in that it de-mystifies all the black art nonsense about setup. Laura Dearborn's article "Turntable Setup" is also good.
As far as setup aids are concerned you need a way of measuring vertical tracking force (VTF). I mostly use a Shure stylus force gauge but you could buy a set of electronic digital scales. You'll need a good protractor and you can download these from audioasylum or vinylengine.com
My personal favourite is the "Vinyl Alignment Solution" which is usually available on ebay. It's a protractor plus an Excel spreadsheet. By entering a couple of measurements it helps you identify the "null points" (where the cantilever should be parallel to the markings on the protractor). This is particularly useful because if your cartridge alignment is out it will never sound at its best.
I would suggest that you experiment with a cartridge that you can afford to play around with (i.e. not your Allaerts! - a Shure, AT or Ortofon MM is quite robust and relatively forgiving) and try out removing it and re-installing it and doing the alignment stuff. Next, try experimenting with different vertical tracking angles (VTA) by raising and lowering the arm pivot and also experiment with the effect of increasing and reducing VTF and bias.
The instructions you get with a cartridge give mid-range setting recommendations. You will always get the cart to sound better by making small tweaks to the settings and using your ears to decide what sounds best.
I found the article "Tonearm Geometry and Setup" by Kessler and Pisha very informative in that it de-mystifies all the black art nonsense about setup. Laura Dearborn's article "Turntable Setup" is also good.
As far as setup aids are concerned you need a way of measuring vertical tracking force (VTF). I mostly use a Shure stylus force gauge but you could buy a set of electronic digital scales. You'll need a good protractor and you can download these from audioasylum or vinylengine.com
My personal favourite is the "Vinyl Alignment Solution" which is usually available on ebay. It's a protractor plus an Excel spreadsheet. By entering a couple of measurements it helps you identify the "null points" (where the cantilever should be parallel to the markings on the protractor). This is particularly useful because if your cartridge alignment is out it will never sound at its best.
I would suggest that you experiment with a cartridge that you can afford to play around with (i.e. not your Allaerts! - a Shure, AT or Ortofon MM is quite robust and relatively forgiving) and try out removing it and re-installing it and doing the alignment stuff. Next, try experimenting with different vertical tracking angles (VTA) by raising and lowering the arm pivot and also experiment with the effect of increasing and reducing VTF and bias.
The instructions you get with a cartridge give mid-range setting recommendations. You will always get the cart to sound better by making small tweaks to the settings and using your ears to decide what sounds best.