Media player slow to change track and can't play whilst ripping

A couple of questions about media player 11:

When Im playing a track and then double click on another to play it, it
takes about 10 seconds to start playing again. I've noticed that the words
"changing media" appear in the bottom left while im waiting. Is this normal?
It didnt happen with the old media players!

Also when i play any tracks while ripping a CD they are disrupted i.e.
crackly, jolty, sound wrong! I thought you could listen to things whilst
riping a cd?

Thanks for any help on the above queries.
Tom