You are quite welcome! I agree it's definitely a leap to buy a machine you haven't tried before.. I don't think I've ever bought one that I did try before..
. I had sewn with my lqs owner's Janome Memorycraft 10001, which is not at all the same..I guess better than not at all..lol. I also know even the exact same machines can sew differently..for sure operator error can contribute to that (in my case..lol).
If you plan to do anything other than piece, quilt, or sew straight seams, I know you already know the Brother 1500 or Juki 2010 will probably not be your best option. You already are a step ahead by doing your research and weighing your options. Good luck to you, whatever you decide.
K