So, I busted out my newest brush last night for the first time, a spanking new Da Vinci Restauro 5506 #1. I thought I would give a short review here on my thoughts, since people frequently ask questions about brushes.
The Technical Jargon first. This brush is a Da Vinci 5506 Restauro #1 Kolinsky Sable. I paid around $15 for it. I decided to try it because I wanted a brush with shorter bristles than the W&N S7 and RMS, but not as short as the W&N S7M.
So far I've only done two base coats with it, but I have to say I am mightily impressed. This thing comes to a point like a dream, with almost no effort involved. It doesn't hold as much paint as the S7 and the RMS, but it is amazing for details. I think if I stick with this model for painting I might step up to a #2 for base coating and general work. Obviously I can't speak for longevity yet. As far as quality of materials I would say they are easily as good as any of the W&N and RMS brushes I own (which are pretty much my go to brushes). I will definitely continue to try out new brushes as the need arises, but I think this will be my primary brush for fine detail and eyes. It seems to be a good compromise between a S7M and a S7 brush.