I need a turntable, only have $450 to spare...

+ on the Technics in that price range. You won't be disappointed. You'll be able to resell for 350.00 when/if you decide to move up.

I'm a big fan of the Technics line, especially for sub-$1K turntables. Sometimes, if you scour the internet enough, you can find a new SL1200mk2 for $350, but not always. You still need to leave room for a cartridge,

Audio Technica makes a creditable knockoff of the SL1210 mk5, called the AT-PL120. As you can see, LPGear, an authorized dealer, offers them for $219. Crutchfield has them for $249; LPGear charges a restocking percentage for most returns; Crutchfield has a 30-day no-hassle return policy (you pay return shipping only).

For the money you save you could get a pretty nice cartridge to go on it, such as an Ortofon 2M Blue (a particularly excellent match with this 'table), a Grado Silver, or with a little stretch, the AT150MLX, which is unbelievable at $307.

A less-known choice would be LPGear's AT95SA, which is an AT95E with an after-market Shibata stylus, for $150. This would bring you in at $400 total, and leave money for a better turntable mat ($20 Technics Supermat from http://www.kabusa.com), and perhaps some replacement feet or a homemade isolation platform (butcher block cutting board supported by squishy feet).

For a review of the AT-PL120 from an audiophile's viewpoint, go to Tone Publications, download issue 11, and turn to page 9.

If one thinks all direct drives are noisy, they've not heard a well-maintained Dual 701/721 w/EDS1000 motor...

Actually, they'd "not" hear it!

You have to get north of $2K, and more often $4K, to find a belt drive with a better s/n than the Technics SL12x0 series. There may be other issues, but they're not noisy, and it's easy (and cheap) with better feet and mat to reduce what little vibration is there.