Direct Drive

Whatever Harry Weisfeld wrote on Audiokarma, it cannot be accessed unless one is registered over there.

Sunnydas1, what is your point? In a direct drive turntable, you can think of the platter as the rotor part of a typical motor.  As in a classical motor, the rotor is driven by the stator due to electromagnetic interaction.  Nothing physically touches the rotor (in this case, synonymous with the platter) in a motor.

At entry-level, I would start with a Technics SL-1200 Mk2 (one that was not used and abused by club DJ's), there are some out there that were not used by a DJ and start there, and you should get one of those for $500.00 or so, and start with an Ortofon 2M Blue and go up from there (a Denon DL103 or better comes to mind here).

Further up the food chain, I would then hunt for a Technics SP-10, use whatever tonearm that sonically pleases you, then start with a Denon DL Series Phono Cartridge and go on from there.  
 

Don't forget not skimp on the phono stage while you're at it.  I do like the Sutherland Phono Stages.  Maybe overkill for the SL-1200 Mk2 depending on which model you select.  Now, with an SP-10?  You're good then.  Don't want to spend a King's ransom on a phono stage (which I don't), then I would look for a PS Audio GCPH that's also well kept.  Those were $1,000.00 when they were brand new, but you should be able to find one for $500.00 or less now.

Good Luck and Happy Listening.

--Charles--

@chaskelljr2001 - you match the phono stage to the cartridge - it has nothing to do with the turntable. I have the Sutherland Insight LPS and really like how quiet it is, and it's very straightforward design. Matches nicely with my van den Hul One Special. Plus Ron Sutherland is a great guy and will be glad to talk to anyone - he picks up his phone! It's a one man company with the manufacturer local to him so he can insure quality. He talked me through the install of the LPS, (which I got directly from him) in my Insight after I got a nice deal on a basic used one (under $1K). I couldn't believe the time he took with me for a $350 purchase.

@mahler123 If you possess an indelible recollection of a very good impression left from experiencing a DD TT in use and find the thought of using DD as a Turntable an attractive idea.

The chances are that there is not too much more to do, you have discovered the TT Drive that one can Wed themselves to.

Why not see if you can create an opportunity to share in the experience once more, the outcome might be that ’socks might struggle to remain on’.

I have a history that is loyal to LP as a Source. I am deeply rooted in using a LP as a source material and did not become a DD TT user for many years.

Belt Drive was the first motor drive and was in use for some years, Idler Drive Superseded the Belt and remained in use for many years, and now DD is the TT of choice, and I won’t be going back to the other drives as the main motor in use.

I can still use an alternative motor drive, but mainly put one to use occasionally, for nostalgia and sharing the experience of using one with others.

Digital arrived much later for myself, and I am now at a place with it, that is very satisfying. CD has of recent years, proved to be a very good source material; I have no concerns for it being in partnership with the LP source.

@sokogear , Yes, that is what I said.

@lewm , accepted. I know exactly what speed my platter is running at to 1/1000th of an RPM. The turntable tells me in bright green LEDs. The motor is not mounted to the sub chassis. It is mounted on a separate platform that places the pulley, belt and thrust bearing in the same plane. Under normal circumstances there is no movement between the motor and sub chassis and no belt slippage at all. The belt itself is a filter, a low frequency filter. Below that frequency everything moves together such as if I lift the turntable up and down slowly. Above that frequency such as at pulley speed all vibration is absorbed by the belt. Nothing gets to the platter.