Embroidery Machine Guide

Brother · Sewing and embroidery · Specs checked October 2026

Brother Dream Machine 2 XV8550D: hoop size, file formats and specs

Also written: XV8550D, XV-8550D, Dream Machine 2, The Dream Machine 2, Innov-is XV8550D, Innov-ís XV8550D, Innovis XV8550D

Brother's discontinued top-end sewing, embroidery and quilting machine. It has a 9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm) embroidery field, 982 built-in designs, 726 sewing stitches and a 10.1 in screen. It has no Wi-Fi and no cap frame, and Brother lists it as discontinued.

The Brother Dream Machine 2 XV8550D is a discontinued sewing and embroidery machine with a 9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm) embroidery field. It reads .PES, .PHA, .PHB, .PHC, .DST files and gets designs by USB stick or Memory card or USB cable to a computer, and has 982 built-in designs and 22 lettering fonts.

XV8550D hoop size and embroidery area

The XV8550D can stitch a design up to 9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm) in one hooping, which is the 9.5 × 14 in size. That is the field limit: a larger hoop from another maker will not let it stitch a bigger area.

XV8550D field8 × 126 × 105 × 74 × 4
The XV8550D field (filled) next to standard hoop sizes, drawn to scale.

In the box: 9.5" × 14" hoop (9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm)), 8" × 12" hoop (extra large) (8 × 12 in (200 × 300 mm)), 9.5" × 9.5" square hoop (9.5 × 9.5 in (240 × 240 mm)), 5" × 7" hoop (large) (5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm)), 4" × 4" hoop (medium) (4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm)).

Optional from Brother: 7" × 12" hoop (extra large) (7 × 12 in (180 × 300 mm)), 6" × 10" hoop (extra large) (6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm)), 8" × 8" square hoop (8 × 8 in (200 × 200 mm)), 6" × 6" square hoop (5.9 × 5.9 in (150 × 150 mm)), Border frame (about 4" × 7") (4 × 7 in (100 × 180 mm)), Border frame (about 4" × 12") (4 × 12 in (100 × 300 mm)), Small frame (about 1" × 2.5") (2.4 × 0.8 in (60 × 20 mm)).

Fits in one hooping at typical size: left chest, full front, full back, pocket, sleeve, beanie, towel, baby onesie, baby bib, tote bag, pillow cover, quilt block, patch.

Check if your design fits the XV8550D

What file format does the XV8550D use?

The XV8550D reads .PES, .PHA, .PHB, .PHC and .DST files. You load designs by USB stick or Memory card or USB cable to a computer. Designs in other formats (for example .JEF or .EXP) need converting first with embroidery software.

Where to buy the Brother Dream Machine 2 XV8550D

Discontinued: you will mostly find it used or refurbished.

Check price on Amazon

We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we write. Disclosure.

Brother Dream Machine 2 XV8550D specs

TypeSewing and embroidery
Embroidery field9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm)
Hoops included9.5" × 14" hoop (9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm)); 8" × 12" hoop (extra large) (8 × 12 in (200 × 300 mm)); 9.5" × 9.5" square hoop (9.5 × 9.5 in (240 × 240 mm)); 5" × 7" hoop (large) (5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm)); 4" × 4" hoop (medium) (4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm))
Optional hoops7" × 12" hoop (extra large) (7 × 12 in (180 × 300 mm)); 6" × 10" hoop (extra large) (6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm)); 8" × 8" square hoop (8 × 8 in (200 × 200 mm)); 6" × 6" square hoop (5.9 × 5.9 in (150 × 150 mm)); Border frame (about 4" × 7") (4 × 7 in (100 × 180 mm)); Border frame (about 4" × 12") (4 × 12 in (100 × 300 mm)); Small frame (about 1" × 2.5") (2.4 × 0.8 in (60 × 20 mm))
Cap frameNo
File formats it reads.PES, .PHA, .PHB, .PHC, .DST
Design transferUSB stick or Memory card or USB cable to a computer
Built-in designs982
Lettering fonts22
Sewing stitches726
Screen10.1 in, colour, touch screen
Max embroidery speed1050 stitches per minute
Weight37.5 lb (17 kg)
StatusDiscontinued
Skill levelAdvanced

Who the XV8550D is for

A fit for someone who wants one large machine for sewing, quilting and big embroidery and is happy to buy it used or refurbished. Skip it if you want Wi-Fi, a cap frame or a machine Brother still sells new.

Strengths

  • 9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm) embroidery field, big enough for large jacket-back designs
  • 982 built-in embroidery designs (166 of them Disney) and 22 embroidery lettering fonts
  • 726 built-in sewing stitches, a free-motion quilting foot and about 11.25 in (286 mm) of space between the needle and the arm
  • Reads designs from a USB flash drive or, after Brother's v1.20 update, an SD or SDHC card
  • 10.1 in color touchscreen, and the embroidery speed goes up to 1,050 stitches per minute

Limits

  • Brother lists it as discontinued, so you are looking at used, refurbished or leftover stock
  • Brother's pages list no Wi-Fi: designs come in by USB, SD card or the USB cable to a computer
  • Brother lists no cap frame for it, so it is not set up for finished hats
  • Single needle, so you change thread color by hand, and it is a big machine that needs a sturdy table

Good to know: Brother's US page calls it THE Dream Machine 2 and marks it Discontinued; Brother's support site names it the Innov-is XV8550D. The US page gives a maximum embroidery area of 9.5 × 14 in and a work space of 5 × 11.25 in, but it does not list the hoops in the box, the file formats, the weight or the embroidery speed. Brother's operation manual (version 03) fills most of that in. It gives the embroidery field as 360 (H) × 240 (W) mm and lists four frames in the box: 4 × 4, 5 × 7, 8 × 12 and 9.5 × 14 in, plus a scanning frame. A 2016 manual addendum says the machine also takes a 9.5 × 9.5 in (24 × 24 cm) quilt frame, and Brother's Australian page lists that frame as a fifth one in the box, so it is marked as included here; check with the seller if you need it. The same Australian page gives a top embroidery speed of 1,050 stitches per minute, which matches Brother's 2015 brochure for the earlier XV8500D. The manual's list of optional frames shows 6 × 10 in, 8 × 8 in and 6 × 6 in frames, two border frames and a small 1 × 2.5 in frame. The 6 × 10 in frame's own page does not name the XV8550D, but the manual and Brother's support page do. Brother's support page also lists a 7 × 12 in frame (SA440), which is not in the manual, and a 7 × 5 in magnetic frame (SAMF180) and an about 12 × 7 in magnetic frame (SAMF300). Brother gives no stitch area for the magnetic frames, so they are not listed above. The US page's headline says 10.1 in screen and its table says 5.3 × 8.5 in, which are the same screen. It lists 22 embroidery lettering fonts and 17 alphabet fonts. The manual says the machine reads .pes, .pha, .phb, .phc and .dst files. Brother's v1.20 update notice added the SD card slot (SD and SDHC only, not SDXC). The manual gives the machine weight as about 37.5 lb (17 kg), plus about 10.1 lb (4.6 kg) for the embroidery unit; the weight above is the machine alone. Brother's pages do not name a successor or a model it replaced.

How the XV8550D compares

Listed in our buying guides

Frequently asked questions

What hoops fit the Brother Dream Machine 2 (XV8550D)?

Brother's manual lists four hoops in the box: 9.5 × 14, 8 × 12, 5 × 7 and 4 × 4 in. Brother's Australian page adds a 9.5 × 9.5 in square hoop to the box. Brother also lists optional 6 × 10, 7 × 12, 8 × 8 and 6 × 6 in hoops, two border frames and a small 1 × 2.5 in frame.

What is the embroidery size of the Brother Dream Machine 2?

Brother gives a maximum embroidery area of 9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm). That is the most you can stitch in one hooping, and only the 9.5 × 14 in hoop covers all of it.

Is there a magnetic hoop for the Brother Dream Machine 2?

Brother's support list for the XV8550D shows two magnetic frames: a 7 × 5 in one (SAMF180) and an about 12 × 7 in one (SAMF300). The SAMF180 page names the Dream Machine XV8500D and XV8550D. Brother does not publish the stitch area of either.

Is the Brother Dream Machine 2 still sold new, and what does it cost?

Brother's US page lists the XV8550D as discontinued and shows no price. We show no price range because we found no big US dealer listing it new. Prices on used and refurbished machines vary, so compare several sellers.

What is the difference between the Brother Dream Machine and Dream Machine 2?

Both list a 9.5 × 14 in embroidery field, 726 sewing stitches and 166 Disney designs. Brother's 2015 brochure counts 939 built-in embroidery designs for the XV8500D, and Brother's US page counts 982 for the XV8550D. Brother describes the Dream Machine 2 as building on the first Dream Machine.

Sources

Specs come from Brother's own pages and manuals, checked October 2026. Prices are typical ranges, not live prices. We are not affiliated with Brother. See how we research.