I kind of disagree with Flytoolow. I started out with a Blade CP in January and decided to upgrade to the T-Rex 450 SE. If you can fly the Blade inverted and do some Aerobatics with it, you are ready for the SE in my opinion. After flying the Blade, the Trex is so amazingly stable. Hovering it is pretty much boring. I've had my 450 SE for 3 weeks (2 weeks in the air) and almost 30 flights with no crashes yet. You sound further along than me as far as flying the Blade. It's a dream to fly after flying the Blade. If you are flying the Blade like you say, then don't waste your time with the 450XL and go straight for the SE. Upgrading the XL to an SE will cost you way more later. My setup is as follows:

Trex 450 SE, Hitech HS56 servos for collective, Futaba GY401 and 9650 digital servo for tail (highly recommended), Futaba 9CHP Super xmitter (great radio), Futaba 146IP PCM receiver, Dean's whip antenna, TP 2100mAh 16C Lipos. The whole thing was $1,139 from DeeTeeEnterprises. I really recommend the GY401 and a digital tail servo, no more fighting the tail all the time like on the Blade and it's solid as a rock. A PCM recevier is a great way to go and will help reduce the chance of glitches.

Anyway, whichever heli you choose, you will not be dissapointed in the XL or the SE.

Doug