According to your Clearaudio Owner's Manual your table came with the cartridge already set up and aligned. So you can forget about that. Did you level as instructed? Then that is done. Did you double-check VTF? That probably is correct but always good to be sure.
Everything from here on out is done by ear. VTA will be first but your arm doesn't make it very easy.
VTA works like this. If you increase VTA by raising the arm base up the sound will become more tilted up with more emphasis on the treble and the attack or initial first transient start of notes. If you decrease VTA by lowering the arm down the sound will become more rich and emphasize the full body tone of notes. So if you go high lots of detail but no body, low lots of body but no detail. Nail it perfect, exact middle, you get the best of both.
This is entirely a judgment call. Wherever it sounds best to you, is best for you. Main thing to know, we are talking very small adjustments here! Like a tiny fraction of a mm can make a difference you can hear. Your arm makes this very hard. So don't sweat it. Just do what you can.
Always remember, if you like it you are done!
By far your biggest "setup" gains will be from things you will think of as tweaks not setup. The gains you can get from your table with this kind of attention to setup are huge. You can make that thing sound like a whole new turntable.
What is it on? Townshend Pods or Platform will be huge, but also expensive. Nobsound springs will be impressive and very inexpensive. Put that table on Nobsound springs, on MDF or a butcher block sitting on an inch of packed sand, grand total investment maybe $50, well just try it you will see.
TA-103 fO.Q tape, Synergistic PHT, those two together will be about $200. Together with the springs and sand $250. Between adjusting VTA and doing these you can spend way more time and money on alignment and have much less to show for it. Those are not the setups you are looking for. These are.
