I have this machine. Am just getting to know how to use it. Pieced my first baby quilt on it this week. Unfortunately the dealer who sold it to me went out of business about a month later so I am having to teach myself how to use it. Lucky I have 50 years of sewing under my belt. I don't find it to be particularly noisy but when I am quilting I am not thinking about the noise the machine is making. I think if it were unusually noisy I would notice. I purchased because I am a free motion quilter and have been quilting on my old Singer 301 for years. Decided I wanted more throat area and this was the machine that I felt I could afford. Didn't want a long arm and couldn't afford the only other machine with a larger throat area, which was a Bernina 801. For the money I don't think you can find a better buy.