Oh dear! This is one of those questions everyone has an opinion on! HA! I have not owned a baby lock, but I had a sit down HQ that I put on my table top frame. That machine is a workhorse. When I decided I really needed a bigger frame (mine was not an HQ frame and could not handle the weight of bigger quilts) I sold it to a friend-the whole set up. She quilts on it DAILY. Are there dealers for all those machines near you? Can you get on the HQ Yahoo sites and (I assume there is one) Baby Lock site and see what real owners say about them? Have you tried them all out? In the long run, you need to pick the one that FITS you best...that is not just price. You need to get your hands on them and physically try them out. There are sites that sell used quilting systems and you might just find a deal. I have purchased off one site and sold on another. I have an Innova and I will not be changing systems again. Its like buying a car...I might drive a sedan and you might need an SUV. PM if you would like the links to the used quilting systems sites. Good luck in your hunt! (PS I thought more of my friends would quilt on my frame...a few have once or twice, but get what works for YOU) Would love to know what you decide...