I'm new to quilting. I recently purchased a Brother CS6000i because it was "Sew Affordable" and I could learn free-motion quilting on it. After one project I decided that I wanted a bigger machine. I researched all the big name brands and have decided that I'm not ready to spend thousands of dollars on a sewing machine just yet. Maybe someday. So after all that researching, I decided to buy the Brother PQ1500S. I just ordered it today from AllBrands.com. It's almost identical to the Juki 98 and both machines have outstanding reviews.
I plan to use the straight stitch machine for piecing and free-motion quilting and have my CS6000i for fancy stitches when needed. I think the Brother PQ1500S is a great buy. I say go for it!