I'm planning to load myself up with a turntable or 2. I want to be able to scratch on it also. Would belt drive do the job or is a belt drive bad for scratching? And how much better is a direct drive?

direct drive for scratching, because you move the record on it a lot more, you don't want to take the risk of getting the belt loose, or I dunno how to say it, the belt coming off?

For Scratching,

Belt Drive = Bad

Direct Drive = Good

-LKJ

I would personally go with Direct.

Well as a Turntable crazed DJ..

let me say welcome to the wonderful world of
TURNTABLES...

Now,?. Beltdrive or Direct..??? the hard tuff choice ..?? Or is it?..

Not at all.. why ? well let me tell you.
A belt driven turntable is exaxtly what its name says its belt driven which means it runs off of a belt throught the motor. Where as a direct drive runs directly off of a motor and nothing else..
This means as a Dj if you are doing lots of Continouse Mixing , Scratching which you said you want to do you will WEAR the belt over time very quickly....which you can replace..but dont forget this is time consuming and do you really want to be constantly going out to buy new belts,,that sucks,,,where as if you own DIRECT drive this wont happen its more powerfull and can handle the beating a Dj puts on the table...I mean if that doesent bother you than hey ... buy which ever one you want because the Turntable itself doesent make a difference towards your Scractching style or mixing style...HELL.. i can Scrach on any table..EVEN a Kiddy turntable one of those Fisher price ones...(LOL)...its not the brand really its the motor type. which is DIRECTDRIVE,,,,I strongly reccommend you invest in the few extra BUCKS$$$$$ and go with the DIRECT MOTOR...

Im sorrry if i left anyhting out...DJGUESS>