I purchased a Brother Innovis 1600e and love it. I'm new to embroidery but this machine really spoke to me when I tried it in the store. I bought mine some months ago ... the regular price was $2499 ... on sale for $1999 ... but the sales lady sold it to me for $1699 and threw in a free 6 x 10 hoop. If you have a Brother dealer nearby, check it out. You can save your designs to a flash drive and use them if they are in the pes. format.
Good luck with our search.