Scott, no worries. I like the older shimano corados. I have a bunch of the new ones and don't LOVE them. But they are alright. ABU Garcia is really producing some nice stuff lately. I personally avoid all quantum, some people swear by them, I've just had bad experiences.
I guess it really depends on how much you want to spend VS what your looking to get out of your reel. Light weight? line cap? big spool? small spool? etc... One of the best reels I've ever owned was a under $149 bucks. I've never bought a reel without putting it on a rod and getting the feel for it first. I recommend doing that if you're unsure what brand to buy.