New direct drive turntables?

At the risk of beginning a DD vs. belt drive debate -- which is not at all my desire, as those so frequently turn into rants -- I'm wondering the following: Are there any new, reasonably affordable, decent-quality direct drive turntables? (I'm thinking about something that might compete with the lower-end Regas and Pro-jects, something in the $1k range, give or take.

I'm asking because it seems so odd that the Technics tables stopped being produced at about the moment that vinyl really took off again. Isn't there some company -- Denon? Onkyo? Technics? -- that has already done the R&d, that knows how to manufacture the motor, etc., that might be able to bring a reasonably priced direct drive turntable back onto the market now to compete with the belt drive units of similar price?

Just wondering.

Thanks.

-- Howard