Do you leave your platter spinning while switching

no, i use a TTWeights outer ring weight. The platter must be stopped.

I never turn off the TT when changing LP's.

I also never shut off my belt driven turntable. It runs 24/7 and my theory is that it won't develop a spot on the belt if left in the off position for a day or two.

When I used to shut off the TT, I had a chance to removed the belt after about two weeks of non-use and I found the part of the belt that wrapped around the drive pulley developed an "image" of the drive pulley on the radius of the belt.

I must turn off. I have a Basis with vacuum.

Notbananas, Don't you have to "pick your poison"? If you leave the tt running at all times, then you accelerate wear on the moving parts (tt bearing, motor drive shaft and pulley) and the belt that connects them. No free lunch. But I can see that with some belt drives that use low-torque motors, one saves time by leaving the motor running whilst changing records (or turning the LP over to hear the B side).

I actually get a kick out of turning off my SP10 Mk3 between LPs, so I can see how it comes up to speed almost instantaneously upon re-start. None of my other direct-drives or my Lenco are quite like that, but nevertheless, I always shut down between sides.

No...Rim and spindle weights demand that I stop it.