I love love my big machines. It does everything. I have never regretted its purchase. Suprisingly thought my little cheap machine has been a tough little trooped has done everything I have asked of it. I also use it all the time so it may be your machine just isn't powerful enough. I have had 4 brothers and 1 babylock, cheap and high quality, and they are all different. some of my cheap brothers can't handle thickness while others can and even my pricey babylock could not handle what my pricey brother can so it is all dependent of the motor power. Needle type and size also play a very significant role and people sometimes discount a machine when they really were not using the correct needle. I don't feel my big machines were complicated at all to learn, but I have used a viking which was easy to use and a Bernina which was not so ease of use is really brand specific when talking high end machines. I used all mine direct from box no classes needed but the lovely thing about big machines is you grow with them. I have had my biggest machine for over 4 years and I still learn new things about it to love. If you really liked the 6600 I would look at the janome 9400 as that is one amazing machine that even turned my eye and I am truly a brother-made kind of gal