Yep, I looked at the Viking Sapphire - it's a nice machine but when I was looking, I was hell-bent on the Front load bobbin and the built-in walking foot.
Candace, I was in the neighborhood today (met Pat for lunch) so I stopped in at Meissner's. Test drove the Janome 6600 and sorry to say, I don't like their walking foot setup at all. It is almost as loud as the Singer - not as clunky though. So I have scratched Janome off the list. Talking to the sales person, I did not get why the new machine is so much more expensive than the 6600. Not worth it to me AND it will still have the same walking foot.
Now for the funny part: The machine I drove that absolutely had me in stitches (nice easy quiet humming stitches) has neither a front load bobbin nor a built in walking foot. It's the Babylock Espire. What a nice machine.
Now I'm off to check those out. Did I mention I LOVE machine research?????