Mitty

Are longarms noisy, or is it about the same as a sewing machine (which are a bit noisy)? I'm not looking to buy, I'm just curious. If it's in the same room as a TV, can you hear the TV?

I know I wouldn't make the time to learn to use one, so I'm not in the market, but I think I'm looking for other reasons I can't get a longarm.

Dolphyngyrl

They are noisier to me than sewing machines

Doggramma

They're noisier

mamagrande

They are noiser, and mine had a stitch regulator that sounded like a tractor so I stopped using the regulator and when I got the machine repaired with new boards it is not quieter and now no stitch regulator.

cathyvv

Noisier, but that is expected for a bigger machine, bigger motor, and on a frame.

feline fanatic

You could if you cranked up the volume enough. I regularly listen to music when I am longarming and I have no difficulty listening to music while quilting but I do have the volume up. I won't wear earbuds because I want to be able to hear if my machine is making any weird noises. Plus I am not a fan of earbuds. My LA is upstairs and my DH reports when I am going fast he can hear me downstairs but I believe what he mostly hears is the vibration.

I suspect if you were longarming in the same room that someone was trying to watch TV, the watcher could get annoyed and miss parts of the dialogue on the TV. They are most definitely louder than a regular sewing machine.

mkc

They are definitely noisier than a sewing machine. You might be able to raise the TV volume up enough to hear as background sound for yourself, but the longarm noise would be very annoying and distracting to anyone else in the room trying to watch TV.

Peckish

Some are noisier than others. I watched a demo of a machine, I think it was a Nolting, and was absolutely turned off by how noisy it was. Innova and Handiquilter seem to be a bit quieter.

I don't watch tv while sewing and quilting, I watch Netflix on my computer with noise-cancelling bluetooth earbuds. The buds form a seal in my ear canal that greatly reduces outside noise, which means I don't have to turn the sound up as high.

kristakz

I had to buy wireless headphones in order to hear my TV while running the longarm. Unless I want the volume so loud it's painful when the machine stops, that was the only option for me.

Reasons not to buy one (I have two longarms, so just playing devil's advocate here to help you out )
1. loud
2. space
3. cost (think of all the fabric you could buy)
4. uses electricity (more cost)
5. the lint (omg the lint! Somehow it seems worse than my regular machine)

quiltingshorttimer

had to laugh at your post, Krista!
Yes, definitely louder, but I do watch (or rather have it on and half-way listen) to tv or music while quilting.