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I have the Orion Atlas version of the AZEQ6 and would make a couple of comments.
First up, while I am imaging with it now I used it visually extensively and doing that I used it exclusively in Alt-Az mode so I do not consider it a gimmick. The dual encoders were also a godsend there as if you wanted to change targets you could just unlock the clutches and move the mount manually in much less time than commanding a slew.
For imaging, I find it really easy to deal with via EQMOD, and I have not plugged the hand controller into it all year, tracking I think is as good as you can ask for the price.
The altitude adjustment is streets ahead of the EQ6 and they should redesign those to include it. But they should also tweak it to put a much finer thread on the altitude jackscrew, it really is a bit too coarse for the purpose so what should be a nice progressive adjustment becomes a series of tiny little tweaks. The clutch discs also compres over time and depending on setup may cause the mount to bind up and have all sorts of tracking issues. Fixed in my case by making shims to restore clearance.
Would I buy another one? Probably. It is hard to complain when you can get round stars in a 30 minute sub (In good conditions) at 2200mm focal length with an OAG, but I would probably look up a class weight wise if I were buying now and budget did not stop me.
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