redrubin: Yes, I think you are wrong to assume that Asian sopranos are on the sweeter side. I'll bet that anyone who makes such a claim hasn't tested enough sopranos with enough variables (like mouthpieces and reeds, room-acoustics, and all the other factors) to objectively reach such a conclusion. Each soprano stands on its own, I believe.
Two of the best sopranos I've ever played are ones that I now own, thanks to a gift from a known jazzer's estate - a 1959 MKVI and a '27 Conn NWII. Side-by-side, the MKVI is a bit darker than the Conn, but that probably wouldn't be the case with another duo of the same models. And one reed change, could affect the results.
I urge you NOT to buy into the brands/regions myths that abound. Much of a horn's playing characteristics come from the way the pads seal. After all, they all just conical tubes influenced by extraneous factors.
As far as an S981 goes, I think the one you are asking about is over-priced, although I have no real idea about prices in Switzerland. I sure wouldnt pay that much for an older-model Yanagisawa, even though I like Yanagisawas (and own two). Good luck. DAVE