I have a Janome 6500. I paid over a thousand for it when it was new, but now that the new 6600 has come out, you can pick up a 6500 for less than $500. I love my machine. I would like it to have a built in walking foot, but I have found that putting on the attachment is not much of a problem. I love the thread cutter, the needle threader, the knee lift, and the fun stitches. I have had no problems at all with my machine. The only drawback I have found is that it does not have a free arm. I sew patches on my husband's uniforms and I have to use my old Montgomery Ward machine for that. However, if you are mainly looking for a good machine for quilting, this is my recommendation. (I looked for months at a variety of machines and this fit my price and what I wanted in a machine. I own two Janomes now and I really like them.)