My response won't be whole lot of help, I love my Janome 6600, but if I could buy a new machine right now, I'd buy the 8200. I tried it out at my local dealer and the combo of price and features was just what I was looking for. If the 8200 had been available when I got the 6600, that's what I would have gotten instead. I'm toying with selling my 6600 to get the 8200.
I didn't look at the 8900 as I knew it was out of my price range (really, so is the 8200, or I would have brought it home!) and I knew the 8200 had all the features I needed.
Amy Johnson
freemotionquiltingadventures.blogspot.com