I agree with the intent of the OP's post. I disagree that it is always the Stihl guys. The 441 bashing is no more offending than the constant bashing of any Stihl by our resident paper expert, take the 261 for example, the repeated bashing of this saw because one is a cheerleader for the 346 is ridiculous, especially when the guy has never run one. It's pathetic imho. Both the 346 and 261 are great saws. I continue to congratulate people who buy the 346 on buying a great saw, because it is. I just happen to own both the 261 and 346 and for my particular use I like the 261 better. Just because I do is no reason to bash the 346, there is no reason to when it to is a great saw. It's just like the speculative post on the performance of the 560 by people who just read the paper specs, I take Spikes comments as being solid, because he has run one and actually know how the saw performs. Even though he is a Husky dealer, I take his word as being solid, he doesn't bash other saws based on paper specs, his post are always objective.
There are more good saws on the market than bad saws. If the truth were known there are many on this site that could get by with no more than a 290/1 Stihl or 455-460 Husky for cutting all their wood needs.
For years I got by with a old hand me down XL-925 and Super EZ, when we got our first new 028 and 032 I thought I was in heaven. For a 16-17 year old cutting firewood for college money it was all I needed and then some. To be honest I imagine my old 028 has cut more wood than all my other saws combined, after 30+ years of being used hard it just shows a "farm/home owner" saw can hold up to cutting hundreds of cords.
I honestly think that is why the 346xp has so many cheerleaders, for most on this site, it is all the saw they need. I think a lot of the guys on here run the 70cc + saws because they are enthusiast, they like to run saws, big saws, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I'm an old fart, I can say with all honesty I don't enjoy running the big saws all day anymore. When we are firing up for wood season here in a couple of months, running saws for 6-8 hours a day it gets old fast. I think it is different when you are just doing it for yourself, and when you have to do it because you have customers wanting the wood and knowing they will be calling non-stop from Oct 1, to late Feb. I honestly try to get by with the smallest size saw possible anymore for the task at hand.
Having an expert opinion is no different than telling a noob they need a 70cc saw to cut firewood or the guy who repeatedly tells others they need 32-36" bars regardless of where they live. Hell, I wouldn't know what to do with a 36" bar 99% of the time in my area.
I think every one, myself included could stop and think a little harder about what advice they give others. I for one wish I had more expierence with the newer Dolmar's like the 7900/6410's etc, there just isn't any of them around.
I appreciate the OP bringing the topic up. I'll try to be more objective.
As far as the 441, I've had the pleasure of using one for a couple of days, loaned to me by a friend when I was trying to make my mind up between a 460 and 441. There is nothing wrong with the way the 441 performed imho, it performed great. I just didn't care for the over all feel of the saw. At the time I didn't realize you could get stiffer springs for the suspension. For me it didn't seem like it balanced as well as my old 044. I'm not vibration sensitive, if I was the 441 might have been the ticket.
But I like it anyway.
