Direct Drive

Turntables have two different kinds of motors: belt drive and direct drive. Direct-drive turntables are constructed in such a manner that the spindle and platter are connected directly to the motor, or rather integrated into the motor itself. Direct-drive turntables gained popularity with DJs as the lack of a belt to drive the platter allowed turntablists to manipulate the record either forward or backward repeatedly (called “scratching“) without dislodging the belt, which would cause the platter to stop spinning. A slipmat is used in conjunction with a direct-drive turntable to aid in “scratching” since it reduces the amount of friction between the record and the slipmat.