The best advice is for you both to go to your dealers and test drive them!
Ask questions. Lots of them. Then go back and do it again ... and again .... until you are comfortable with your decision.
The Janome Artistic, while labelled Janome is not made by them, if that is an issue for you.
Janome do represent them and offer the servicing, from what I understand.
Two big differences between the Janome and most other sit-downs is that you sit at it, in the same way as you would a DSM. Also, the Artistic has very little table space to your left, and more than ample behind. That is, unless they have changed that since I looked at it.
Without checking, I am more than certain that the Babylock Tiara, Pfaff, Husqvarna and the HQ Sweet 16 are all the same machine. They are all made by by HQ, and just painted/trimmed up differently. The important/working parts are the same.
Keep in mind that with these machines having been on the market for several years now, there have been updates. If you are doing comparisons between the S16 sisters, you may find a difference, and that is simply explained by the different updated models. Just make sure you know which you are seeing ... and which the prices apply to. You may get a super deal, only to find that the updates are not on the one you buy.
To me, two things are vital.
First, what style/model you like ....... and then what dealer is going to not only sell you a machine, but provide the training, service and follow up after the fact.