"Alignment" has to do first with the tonearm, not the cartridge. VTA and azimuth are a function of stylus shape, however. There is nothing odd about the styli on the ART9X cartridges, so far as I know. The ART7 got no special attention from me in terms of VTA or azimuth. Tonearm is parallel to the LP surface. If your phono stage has enough gain, I recommend the low output version of the new ART9X pairing. (Sorry I just cannot recall whether that is the Xi or the Xa.) I bought the ART7 over the original ART9 a few years ago, because of my own bias. The ART7 uses an amorphous core coil and has a very low output, 0.12mV. I think the low output version of the new 9X pair (which seems to be the replacement for the ART7) has a bit more output, would be easier to implement. The ART7 was a bit "clinical" sounding at first, very detailed but not very warm, or not as warm as real music. However, within about 20-30 hours it has become a real gem. I am using it on a Kenwood L07D, the OEM tonearm with an aftermarket carbon fiber headshell, into a 3160 J&R Phonolinepreamp, in balanced mode (which helps with gain and is dead quiet). Recognize that it is high in compliance compared to the typical LOMC, which is a plus. Anyway, don’t be put off the AT cartridges by fear of alignment difficulties. (Sounds like something a dealer would say, if he wanted to sell you something else.)