With your budget, I'd go with Janome. You can get a nice, higher end machine for $2K. The Horizon is a bit more than that but also comes with a 11" throat space which is fantastic to quilt on. I even use mine on my quilting frame. I find the Janome very intuitive, and made with the user in mind. Things just fit. The new Horizon also has a ton of LED's to light up the sewing space, and has a built in walking foot. My Janome QC 6260 doesn't have a walking foot but I just added an after market one and it works great. One of the best features for getting a perfect 1/4" seam is the ability to move the needle left or right in a lot of positions and both the 6260 and the Horizon have that. They both also have a large acrylic extension table that comes with them which is good for quilting as it supports the quilt.
Your best bet would be to take your time. Check out some dealers in your area and test drive everything in your price range. You'll see what you like and what you don't like, and what you must have and what you'd like to have.
It's kind of like shopping for a house. You make your list, and your wish list, and then go shopping.
Good luck.