Winsor Newton Series 7, worth the dough?

Its all about your tool!

( This is inspired by a beasts or war review of brushes...  beasts of war )

As the years have gone on and meeting various different people who are very good at painting bending there ear on various techniques over a pint has taught me quite a few tricks! One of these is your brush....

Previously I've mentioned that I mainly use Winsor newton brushes for my painting, now I've tried various makes and types over the years and for quite a number of years I was using the GW brushes and was happy with them to be honest, only when Stef told me about Winsor newton and swore blind that they are the dog bollocks for splashing paint onto your plastic crack, I figured I'd order a couple of brushes and give them a crack. 

that was 3ish years ago and since then I've tried army painter and even picked up the odd GW one but I'm always picking up the black handled beauty that are series 7,

Example is in the picture below, the bottom arrived today, box fresh! Middle I picked up 2 years ago at Salute, the top one was one of the "founding chapter" brushes, ok so the top one has seen better days and the middle one is starting to die, but between those two brushes they have contributed towards about 1300 models since the beginning of 2010 and that doesn't even include the huge death guard army that I painted back in 09 with the help of the founding brush!

Size 0

When I'm asked what brushes do I use by the locals, a sharp intake of breath normally follows.. at around 9 quid a brush its to be expected! But a great man once told me you get what you pay for... ok I could spend £3 on a army painter or GW brush but would it last?? I doubt it personally, I could be wrong but I'm not one of these people who use brush soap and clean my brushes in distilled water, that's for people with OCD and anal habits! 

Size 00

 this lot below would cost you the best part of a ton! that alot of lap dances!!

The usual suspects...

As they then to be a bit of a mission to find I get mine from the following suppliers..

antenocitis workshop
artifolk.co.uk

So back to the title question...

Worth the dough??

Hell yea, don't be a tight ass put your hand in your pocket and pick up a couple of brushes you wont be disappointed!

But the real question is...

Is there something better than the Winsor Newton???