[kach22i]

In general.............................

Belt drive:
Dynamic energized lively sound with good transparency which can get a little hyper or bouncy/splashy on lower end decks.

Direct Drive:
A foundation of solidness and drive especially with the bass. Done wrong or on a budget can be opaque or shunted sounding by exhibiting little space or air around the notes.

I prefer to go to high end shops which will let me hear both, educate me and in turn I reward them for their time and expertise.

Getting what you want even when you don't know what you want at first is priceless.

Happiness (long term) is not measured by savings, it is measured by value.

NOTE:
Old tech is awesome, tube phono section with tube pre-amp and tube amp mellows out any harshness or surface noise on LP's like they were made for each other. A glass of wine doesn't exactly hurt either.