I've had (and have) some pretty spendy sopranos. For instance, I bought a new silver-plated Selmer Serie III a few years ago but sold it when I bought a new Yanagisawa S992 and played them side-by-side. Sorry, Selmer fans - the S992 was superior in every measure.
I still have the S992, and if I didn't have my 1928 TrueTone, I'd probably be playing the S992 regularly for serious work (well, just HOW serious can early jazz be?).
I also bought a new gold-plated Rampone tipped-bell, Yanagisawa S902 and S901, and before those, a new Yanagisawa "Elimona" which I recall was probably an 880 model (or close to it). I'm sure I've left some out.
But my one '28 Buescher straight TT ([HASHTAG]#237XXX[/HASHTAG], I have another one from 1928 that is just slightly less resonant - it is [HASHTAG]#233XXX[/HASHTAG] and has snap-ins) is the best I've ever owned. It isn't the intonation, although it is good enough (it makes me work a bit at it), it is the tone and the touch, plus its authentic look for the kind of music I play.
I've had sopranos with poor intonation (SO poor that I couldn't overcome it . . . Conns and a King Saxello, plus a MKVI come to mind). Both Buescher are much superior to those.
I've played vintage curvies that weren't so hot, too. All around, I'd vote for Yanagisawa in the curved soprano department - excellent scales, great voices, and responsive top to bottom. DAVE