I agree with Lugnut that it seems fundamentally silly to pursue an analog setup designed to optimize performance on defective records, were that possible. If you go 'lowest common denominator', then what's the point of even investing in new vinyl at all? I also agree with Viridian that there is no issue of damaging your cart playing slightly warped records. I personally have found the same thing that you have buying heavy pressings (which I do not seek out and end up with only out of necessity) regarding the high incidence of warpage. However, I find clamping to be essential not only for dealing with normal warps, but also for obtaining best sound from all records. I know Rega doesn't espouse clamping, but the platter on the 9, unlike the glass platters on their cheaper models, shouldn't be prone to excessive ringing, so I would give clamping a shot, maybe in conjunction with a Sorbothane or similar replacement mat (hey, it works on my SL-1200, and that platter sans mat rings like a bell). I would recommend a non-resonant locking clamp, such as the inexpensive Michell black delrin model I use.
Warped record playback
I have recently bought so many new LPs that turn out to have, to some degree or another, edge warp that I am wondering what to do. Equipment-wise the situation is now this: I bought a new Rega P9 and Kontrapunkt B a few months ago and put my venerable AR ETL One up for sale. Despite some discussion, it has not sold. I am always leery of damaging what is for me an expensive cartridge with a nonuser replaceable stylus by playing warped records. I am also leery of doing harm to the stylus by playing records (whether new or used) that have, to use a polite term, imperfections. What if I kept the ETL One, sold the Rega RB 300 arm and bought a different arm and a new cartridge optimized for tracking of warped records. Am I wrong in thinking that an arm with lighter effective mass can negotiate warps better? What would you recommend insofar as such an arm and relatively inexpensive cart to go along with it? I might have done myself a favour by not selling my Shure V15 V mr, but it's too late now, it has found a new home. The other problem also being that my phono section only has input for one turntable. Any suggestion, short of plugging and unplugging as needed, to get around that one. Thanks.