Oh dear, sounds like some machine and thread snobs. I do own a high end machine now but I have owned many Singers over the years. If the machine is working for you, don't let them intimidate you. I do think needle down is a key asset for Free Motion Quilting. It allows you to stop in the middle of a quilting design to reposition your hands without the quilt sandwich moving. If you don't FMQ, it isn't as critical.