You will have a learning curve no matter what brand you buy. Even Singers have changed a lot since the Touch 'N Sew days!
Personally, I would look seriously at the Janome 5500 or 6600 (preferably 6600 because of the accufeed feature, but it may be out of your price range). These have the large harp size that makes machine quilting so much easier.
Do you have a state fair in your area? I would recommend going to every dealership in your area to test-drive machines. (Bring your own fabrics and quilt sandwich practice pieces.) Decide what machine you want, then buy during the state fair. That is when you get the deepest discount on the machine.
Edit: Above is if you want to buy new. As someone else mentioned, buying a used machine from a dealership can be a very good choice as you tend to get a lot more bang for your buck that way.