janoskiss, I was just about to write that and you beat me.
The AOE 127mm F9 and 152mm f8 are the same scopes as the Meade AR5 and AR6. The 127mm version is the better of the two as far as aberations go and I've heard and read a lot of people say it's "in a different class" (...when you get a good one, as the collamation is not adjustable in the 5-inch).
I have wobbled the 6-inch on an EQ5 and LXD75 and the LXD75 was much more stable. After all, that was why Meade ugraded the LXD55, everyone complained.
The smaller scopes are made by someone else. They are all cheaper than the skywatcher/saxon version though. Three cheers for AOE
!
ballaratdragons, if the kids want to look at planets, I'd get the F10. You can always upgrade to the 20" RCOS later...
Just make sure it doesn't fall on one of the kids.
I'd do the paving before that point...