Setting tonearm angle?

When leveling the tonearm parallel to the record surface I think it makes more sense to concentrate on the cartridge rather than the tonearm, especially if the tonearm tube is tapered.

The front of my cartridge is perpendicular to it's top, therefore if I can get the front perpendicular to the record surface, the tonearm will be level.

I made a reference block by squaring up a piece of oak with 90 degree edges on the table saw and jointer. From that flat board with square edges I cross-cut 3" long blocks, knowing the tops and ends were perpendicular to each other.

With the stylus set to it's normal tracking force and at rest on a non spinning 180gm disc , I adjusted the tonearm height until the face of the cartridge was flat against the perpendicular edge of my reference board. My tonearm and cartridge assembly were now more or less parallel to the record surface.

My tonearm has no scale or markings to measure the tonearm height. You loosen a setscrew, raise or lower the post and pray for the best as you re-tighten the set screw. I used playing cards as shims between the bottom of the spindle and the base varying the height by varying the number of cards.

I can now measurably change the VTA and judge the sonic effect for myself by adding or subtracting playing card shims. Now it is possible to adjust the VTA by ear simply by adding or removing shims.

Azimuth adjustment is also possible using thin paper shims between the headshell and the cartridge.

Dear Islandmandan: +++++ "
In other words, I haven't noticed the necessity of adjusting overhang as VTA is adjusted. " +++++

the cartridge/tonearm alignment set up is critical to achieve the lower tracking error and lower tracking distortion. All the alignment " methods ": Baerwald, Stevenson Löfgren and the like has its foundation on the precise offset angle and overhang where any tiny tiny deviation on each of these parameters means higher tracking eror that means higher distortions.

That you be aware of those distortions or not is not the issue because that higher distortions exist if that overhang is not spot-on.

When you change VTA/SRA you change the overhang too out of its " ideal " set up and what you are hearing is not only ( as you said. ) " the improvement...by the VTA change " but a degradation on distortion level of what you heard because that overhang tiny deviation.
I repeat: that you are not aware of it it does not means is not happening. To be aware of it needs in deep training on how deviation on overhang sounds, so maybe you shoul start some method to learn about.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

I got a tiny bubble level for my Akito and set it on the flat top above the cartridge and levelled it. Seems to have done the job and the cart tracks perfectly.

The implicite assumption is that cartridges are made for
the parallel position with the record. The other implicit
assumption is about the bearings position in relationship
to the record surface. Those are, uh, theoretical assumptions.
The actual state or situation always start with: 'it depends...'
But VTA has only 3 possibilities: parallel, up or down.
I would say 'depending' on the position (angle) of the stylus
in the groove and the position of the coils in the generator
which depends from the VTF.

I have been looking into this recently, perhaps you should read Michael Fremer's articles on SRA and VTA. I suppose what troubles me is that in order to change the SRA by 1 degree the tonearm (9") needs to move about 4mm, longer arms more! This would put the bearings in a very unnatural position with respect to the record surface if more than a couple of degrees is required. So I don't have an answer, like you I'm searching for the truth/a solution. Just some things to think about, especially the magnitude of adjustment required to make a meaningful change in the SRA. Going by ear is fine if your baseline is close enough, you can tune the sound! but I suspect stylus and record wear may be a factor if the angles are way out. Please let me know when you find a solution.