With a stand-up machine, the front bar needs to be at your belly button. So, you adjust the height to make it comfortable for you. With a sit-down machine, you definitely use your shoulders more. I do think having a stitch regulator is so much better than using a foot control. Babylock machines are basically the same as a HQ, but the contract says Babylock can't have the updates that HQ gets for 2 years after HQ gets them. Another plus for HQ is the "dead bar" or "5th rail." With it, you don't have to adjust the height of the take-up rail, every time you roll the quilt.