I too am looking for a machine. I just started quilting less than a year ago and have been working on a Babylock BL9 ($100 machine), and now I'm ready for a REAL machine. I'd really like an 11" throat, but I want a machine I can take to classes/retreats, and I've accepted that big throat machines are too heavy, so I'm thinking 8" throat. I'm really attracted by the Babylock Soprano, which one dealer is offering for $1,200 including a three-year service package. Then I saw a Janome Skyline S7 for $1,800. It's a floor model but has never been sewn on and comes with a new machine warranty. The max stitch width on the BL is 7 mm and on the Janome is 9mm; other than that I'm a little fuzzy on the differences between the two. If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful!