TMBackstrom I'd go so far as to say belt drive is the absolute standard for hi-fi. We don't care about how good it is for rapidly changing speeds, or scratching, or other various DJ-oriented stuff.
TMBackstromThe vast majority of modern audiophile turntables are belt drive. Check out VPI, Rega and many others.
In fact there is, if anything, a bias against direct drive turntables by many in the audiophile reviewing class.