Nellie, you have asked a very difficult question re: noise.
I am hard of hearing but not deaf. I find my sewing machine is louder than the HQ 16. I had the Grace Pinnacle frame already and it is set up to 12 ft. The HQ does have a frame which is standard with it.
The machine runs like butter over the frame. It can be moved with one finger...also over the frame that was made for it. (I tried it out on the HQ frame.) Definitely check for used then if you can't handle it, it won't be so hard to sell IMHO. Mary Alice