Do you have ways to ease use of vinyl?

A Cantilever / Stylus is a Sacrificial Part of a Cartridge and Obviously very very fragile.

My TT started out in Life mounted at a Height of approx 30 inches, I have previosly Stated I have worked with a TT in the recent years at mounted lower than 18 inches.
My TT's at present are Mounted for use at 48 inches.
From all recollections the 48 inch Mount Height offer the most assured handling of the Tonearm, as the Haptics and Visual elements of the operation carried out in a setting where Good Balance is Maintained and the Visual is very accurate when when using Judgement for aligment of the Tonearm.
No More going onto one knee to eye the Stylus to the Groove and no short cuts by Trusting the oversail from a down view and after mistakes made being over compensating.

The Downside of the assured accuracy that can be achieved when a TT is raised to a Mount at approx 48 inches is that the Outer Grooves will let the listener be aware of how much surface noise is being produced.
When Over compensating the Tonearms oversail is used,                          the Track usually starts with a Stylus engaging a Groove beyond any intro's and the Outer Groove is not coming into contact with the Stylus.

Another point of interest would be to learn, if there is a difference in the numbers of Cantiver / Stylus Handling Damages occuring, due to handling a Tonearm on a Low TT Mount vs High TT Mount.

I ask this, as there are always a story to be picked up on,                          where another experienced HiFi Enthusiast is reporting on the unwanted moment, and a Damage is done.    
  

Hi bayliner
I do relate to the body changes over time... 75 this Thursday.  
Trust, this is NOT a vinyl vs digital.  I have great respect and some envy for vinyl playback.  My musician son has a lovely retro Dual 1229 w/Shure M97xE, Rega Mira 3 integrated, into SA1530 MTM floorstanders. 

In the late 90s, I had a full, post Allen Perkins SOTA Star Sapphire, vacuum with all the trimmings.  Digital finally reached my emotions.   I simply did not have the budget to chase both.  Out went the vinyl.

My good fortune is finding skilled assistance in the digital world.  Great digital playback requires knowledge and skills.  A nearby friend with a uber vinyl front has sold everything but select vinyl, that he's selling by the piece.  His passion for great sound equals mine.  I truly enjoyed visiting, but, he is downsizing and the vinyl is going. 

Does the best of the best shootout fall on the analog side?  Probably?  It shares the most vocal, certainly.  My experience says things are pretty close, emotionally, where it matters.  I do like a good tube(s) in the chain somewhere.   A blue collar budget can certainly do well either way right now.  For me, having worked my system very hard over the last 20 years, the digital equals, and in some ways surpasses the best analog front I've experienced. 

If I had the space and the proper budget (maybe $30K to start) would I have a turntable system.  YES.  Do I regret my choice?  Absolutely not.  My sources are lossless rips of well chosen CDs to my PC and TIDAL streaming...Qobuz is good too.  My Foobar settings are 24/96 playback.  I've experimented with higher resolution, but have settled on 24/96 (for now.)  Everything is absolutely stable in function. 

Searching a favorite artist, say Joni, Ry, Janis, Feat, composers (you choose), music genres to explore, it's difficult to argue against the magic of streaming and the ease.  Finding near entire discographies on selected artists is simply amazing.  Plus, the side roads to which they lead. 

Guys, find expert help, let them remote into your computer to set things to run well, and enjoy life!  Vinyl lovers, LOVE!  More Peace, Pin  

For me, too much listening preparation detracts from the experience.  I keep my records clean.  I give each side a quick brush before listening.  I wipe the stylus every few records with a soft dry brush.  I use a clamp only for records that need it.  I don't want to have to stop and start the motor after each side.  I just want to listen to the music.  I don't want the cleaning ritual to get in the way of that.

Now age 67 I have a rack that puts the platter just below my chin where I can easily see the stylus, a lift that gently lowers the stylus, tables that shim for VTA and no fiddly unipivot tonearm.  I set it and forget it for a year at a time now.  I’ve recently discovered that mm and mi cartridges bring classic rock to life, mc not so much.  Life is good.

Only 66 and you’re physically challenged? 66 isn’t old, that’s my age. I’ve some health issues but I’m as flexible as ever. Guess I should count my blessings.