Between…

http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-17703-audio-technica-atlp5-usb-turntable.aspx

http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-18795-project-essential-iii-a-turntable.aspx

http://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-27802-rga-planar-1-bgl.aspx

Head is leaning towards the Audio Technica as the speed can be changed easily. Taking platters off and moving rubber bands isn’t an issue for me, but the deck will be used by my wife and daughter who can be cack-handed!

It will have to go near a speaker too which could be an issue with the Rega?

Auditioning? Can’t see the point as and demo centres amp and speakers and environment will be way better than mine.

Do you find you’re just going round & round?

Taking platters off and moving rubber bands isn’t an issue for me

Oh, you think that… so did my mate when he first bought one. Now he just plays everything at 33 😆

I’d get the AudioTechnica, cos it looks like my Sony (sob! go the audio snobs!) this un- http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-17947-sony-ps-hx500-turntable-with-high-resolution-audio-ripping.aspx

Superb it is.

I have the LP5, nice turntable. Initially I had some Dali Zensor 3 speakers very close to the tt and suffered with reverb through the speakers (tried to isolate the tt and speakers without success) but they were on the same surface. I now have a pair of Dali floorstanders either side of the tt unit and no problems.

Have been using Rega decks for a few years now and must say the quality of their newer Planar range P1 to P3 is excellent. Don’t forget, you would need to factor in a reasonable phono stage for the Rega and Pro-ject decks.