I would definitely look at the brother dreamweaver 3000. I love my combo 6200D(same sewing features as the 3000) it has been an amazing machine and has sewn everything beautifully. I have done quilts, bags, dresses. I adore it to pieces. The dual feed on it is amzing. It is the main reason I purchased the machine 4 years ago and it is still my most absolute favorite feature to date. The only other machine I would recommend that has turned my head is the Janome 9400. My 6200D has been so amazing that nothing has really peaked my interest until I saw a demo of this machine. It is a beautiful machine and if I had endless money and endless space trust me it would be in my house. With your budget there are a lot of nice machines out there. I do love love the stitch quality of the vikings as well. I sewed on a saphire and it was also a lovely machine but I prefer mine and the 9400 to it but it has some nice features. Really with your budget you can't go wrong. You could even get a Bernina in that range. They are not my cup of tea but many love them. I suggest trying a few of each brand in your range