I've been thinking of upgrading my machine also. I've been sewing on a Janome Quilters Companion 6260 for almost 10 years and was looking into the 7700. Now that I've heard about the 8900 and 8200 I have much more to think about. The 8900 may be too expensive but the 8200 could be manageable. Makes me wonder if Janome realizes that the 7700 just wasn't working out. Seems odd to phase it out after a couple of years. So would it be wise to avoid it. Or will Janome drop the price lower to get rid of the inventory they have. I will be taking a trip to my Janome dealer soon to ask many questions. Glad to hear you have found your dream machine. Happy sewing!