CloodyBlueless

Thanks to everyone who has replied to my original post. From what I can understand, it would appear that removing and placing records to and from the platter mid-spin is a fairly easy task that'll not cause any damage to the vinyl, but, equally, if I was to opt for turning the TT off and back on again every time I either change a record or flip sides, then any added wear on the machine is minimal at best and therefore, basically it's just personal preference, either options are fine and ultimately, there is zero cause for concern, just enjoy playing records. Is that pretty much it? Also, a bit cheeky but instead of starting up a whole new thread. Anyone got any recommendations on a good amp and set of speakers that would pair nicely with the P1? My current finances are not the best but I'd really like to experience vinyl, albeit at a relatively bare-bones entry-level for the time being, as soon as possible. Therefore, while I appreciate the Marantz 5000 amp and the Mission LX2 speakers are not the best pieces of hi-fi equipment, by a long shot, would they be more than adequate paired both with one another and with a P1? If not, any cheaper entry-level receivers and speakers that would go well with a P1? My maximum budget right now is £550 and preferably I'd like to get some speaker stands in with that too (I know, I'm not asking for much!). The LX2's seem to get very good press and seem to be among the most well revered among the entry-level speakers available but I have heard that they can be troublesome when pairing. Not sure if understanding the sort of music I listen to would help at all but I generally listen to rock from the 60s onwards, my favourite artist is Electric Light Orchestra, I like a lot of the classics like The Beatles and The Kinks, and some more alternative bands such as Pixies and The National, I also listen to quite a lot of snyth (OMD, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Human League etc), as well as some classical, a bit of ska and I occasionally like to listen to something mellow and relaxing with a female vocalist, such as Enya! Thanks

So, I'm looking to get into vinyl and plan on getting a 'proper' set-up, with all the key components seperate, as opposed to an all-in-one cheap briefcase style, but I'm merely looking at the entry-level: around £250 for the turntable. I have a couple of queries (please see bottom of post) that I was hoping some of you lovely people with the knowledge I lack, could help me with. Please note: I've done my research and I know considerably more about record players than I did previously but I still have a lot to learn, I'll try to use the correct terminology and refrain from asking the obvious, but I apologise now if I make any stupid errors: I am admittedly an utter novice. Having done my research, the Rega Planar 1 (2016) appears to be the best bit of kit for the money, at least in the UK (if I was in the US, which I'm not, I'd have probably said the U-Turn Orbit instead) and it sounds great but one silly thing puts me off, and that is the fact you are seemingly forced to keep switching the motor off and on via the switch underneath, which apparently according to Rega themselves, causes undue strain on the motor and the belt, and therefore they advise you leave the platter spinning whilst changing records. I have found mixed opinions on this, and even many audiophiles who have been part of the vinyl community for 30+ years appear to hate this idea and would never dream of potentially scuffing/scraping or dropping their records via having to quickly lift a record spinning at at least 33.3 RPM. My queries therefore are: 1) Is the strain on the motor/belt really that pronounced? Surely, that would imply the build quality is rather poor, and I am led to believe that Rega are a fairly prestigious and well-respected brand in the world of record players. Could I switch off and on every time I switch sides/records and still have a bit of kit that will last me decades or will it inevitably break after a fairly short length of time due to doing this? I ask this because I am unlikely to want to upgrade any time soon and may well be content sticking with an 'entry-level' bit of kit for a long time. 2) Assuming the consensus is with the fact that not changing records whilst spinning will have a majorly adverse affect on the life of the motor, my next questions are :just how difficult is it to lift up/place down a record whilst the platter is spinning? will it take a lot of practice to master without hiccups? have you ever tried this and experienced a mishap (such as scuffing a record)? and finally, how on earth do you do this with tiny singles that are spinning at 45RPM and, what about if you want to use a clamp on warped records? Thanks in anticipation