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Jarrod,
When I was a young keen astronomer in nappies, I drooled over the Ads in Sky & Telescope and longed to have a C11. I figured, a bit like you that it could be the "ultimate viewing machine".
The usual issues of no money, family, mortgage etc etc made it just a dream.....
I ended up building a 6" reflector, then a 10" reflector and ultimately a 12" f5 reflector. This was a cost effective method (took lot's of effort though) of getting close to "the dream machine"
The 12" did everything I could want, need or desire....majic..
I'm sure if it wasn't for a change in personal circumstances I'd still have, and be using the 12".....
After the 12" I "downsized" to an 8" Lx3 (no GOTO etc in those days)...I thought I'd gone blind!
Later, I started building again, a 13" and then an 18" Dobbie...great scopes, great light grasp BUT big and bulky. Certainly a challenge for the sole astronomer. A crushed back and three months in hospital led me to sell them and get a 12" Lx200. Fork mounted, all the dangle dollies. Good price second hand. Good optics and a nice scope to use. By then I'd given up on astrophotography - "How many photos do you really need of M42...." and started to get the urge to do something "worthwhile" - spectroscopy!
The 12" did that well. Most spectroscopes prefer an f10 beam, but I found the lack of clearance between the forks a limitation. The weight of the set-up was such it really had to be a permenant fixed set-up - the observatory (TSO1) Cut to the chase, I found a C9.25 and a HEQ5pro mount for portability. A compromise. Very good instrument - one of the best I ever had. Worked well for spectroscopy.
About two years ago I was presented with a C11 (thank's Sue!!!) found a NEQ6pro mount and "settled" down with my "ultimate viewing machine"
After almost 50 years I'd made it!!
I'm 100% sure the C11 will see me through to stumps.
A long story, but as you develop and grown your interest things change and you need to adapt. For visual there's nothing to beat a good Dobbie. IMHO something around the 10" mark is the "sweet spot". It's easy to handle, and works well in the normal seeing conditions.
A 10-12" f5 reflector equatorially mounted is a great option for visual/imaging but needs a VERY good mount which will probably cost more than the scope!!
The SCT's are a compromise. (BTW the Celestron's are much lighter Kg/mm aperture than the Meade's) They can and do provide a compact solution - narrower FOV obviously but very satisfying. There's nothing a C9.25 on a NEQ6pro mount can't do.
Think carefully - and dream of the future................
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