CS top handle arborists saw. I did have to swap out the muffler and loose the cat converter. Runs fine and like I said before, the key to a good cutting saw (any make) is a properly sharpened and sharp chain. The new Stihl's are really choked up. You have to mod the mufflers right off and retune them plus their prices went through the roof. The old ones run good, I have one as well, it's 45 years old.
My old cutting partner had an ancient Echo top-handle that was an excellent little saw. Lacked all modern safety (no chain brake, no vibe mounts), but it was as reliable as a brick wall. I went with the Husq.435T for my top handle, because it was the highest-HP top handle on the market at the time, and it's... okay. I don't like the flimsy chain brake (takes two hands to reset), probably should've gone with the 020T (now 201T) that all tree pros carry, you don't need a ton of HP in a top handle.
I'll admit I haven't owned any of the latest-gen Stihl's, but a buddy of mine was over with his new MS-661 Magnum two weeks ago, and it was a screamer. No complaints from him, on that one. He gets a new saw every year, rotating a few thru his stable at any time, as he's a pro cutter that uses them all day everyday.
I'm not sure that Stihl's pricing is any higher today than in the past, though. In fact, it might have come down over the years. when scaled against inflation. They've always been expensive, but it appears they still manage outsell all other brands.
Asking the few tree pros I've known over the years, most are between Husqvarna and Stihl, with the primary complaint against Husqvarna being fragility/repair frequency, and the primary complaint against Stihl being only price. When a broken saw causes lost work hours, I guess the price of the saw becomes less important than it's durability or reliability. Not as much an issue for those of us using them at home for processing firewood, etc., unless it translates to wasted precious mid-winter Saturday daylight hours.
