Kinda had the same feelings as the OP. I got into a league and played some EM's and it changed my mind. I always felt EM's played slow and floaty. I found EM's can be fast and challening - they just have to be set up right i think (playfield angle, waxed, strong coils?) Now i'm on the lookout for one. A little nervous about the repair aspect, but I enjoy troubleshooting and always like to learn.....