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My first badger - recommendations? (I know, I know, difficult topic...)

All,
I've been wet shaving all my life, and moved to DE razors about 10 years ago.
I started out with a boar my sister gifted me, and after that was not presentable anymore moved to Muhle synthetic brushes.
Brushes plural, since the first one got really stiff after a few years, and the one I'm using now is starting to do the same, after a few years now. So I'm not exactly thrilled with that.

I don't think badger brushes do that (get stiff and coarse), do they? At least I haven't heard about it.
So I'm looking for my first badger brush. The recommendations I've read (and it's a lot) are a bit indecisive, and I'm totally aware that giving a good recommendation on this is hard as a lot is personal preference. So here's the data:
- My Muhle's are medium sized (and I like that size), so I suppose I'm looking for something with a ring size of 20-25mm.
- Loft doesn't seem to vary all that much, around 50mm, my Muhle is 48, so that's fine, too.
- Soft. I lather using what you might call a painter's stroke, if that matters.
- My favorite soap is Haslinger, mostly because it's affordable and works with my sensitive skin.
- My Muhle has a classic resin base, that's fine, I don't need anything fancy.
- Price is really not that much of an issue. Of couse, nobody likes to overpay, but for a good brush that lasts I'd easily go $100+, maybe even $150.

So which quality should I aim for? Probably a Silvertip? I've also found Manchurian, but I'm not entirely sure if that's really a quality measure or just marketing.

Any best-bang-for-the-buck brushes that fit this description? Zenith? Is the Simpson name worth it?
Any good store to get them in the US?

Thanks!
 

A US store. He also sells some of his brushes on eBay. I purchased two boar brushes from Michael and I would recommend the store and delivery. I found my Zenith boars to be what I would consider above average quality. Cruise through his selection of brushes you should be able to find something appropriate to your needs.
 
Zenith Badger brushes are fantastic.

Not cheap but generally 1/2 the price of equivalent Simpsons. For $100-150, you can’t do better than a Zenith IMO.

Check out the Zenith 505AK Manchurian. Approx $80USD. I own one and it is in the same league as my Simpson Manchurian and Silvertips, Thaters, Shavemacs, Elites, etc.
 
Consider the SV badger. Superb in every way, a dream to use . Worth the bit more if you can stretch your budget.
 
Reading your experiences with synthetics, I wonder which ones you have tried? I have 3, and both remain very soft. Of those 3, the Mühle with silver tip fibre synthetic knot in size M would be my recommendation if you are willing to explore synthetics further.

Cannot help you in the badger department. Only had an EJ best badger ones, but wouldn’t recommend that one.
 
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