These are both very nice products. The one difference that comes to mind is the spring construction. Sherril has what is called a real or true 8 way hand tied spring system which is built into the frame and can take hours to build. You can research this online. In as much as it is built into the frame, the spring system adds quite a bit of strength to the frame. Smith Brothers uses what is called a drop in unit and in this case it is not tied. This is a spring system made outside the furniture in a factory and then attached and screwed to the frame. There drop in unit is recessed from the front of the frame a bit and attached with a series of small coil springs. In my opinion the former is preferable but on the other hand if Smith brothers has a better price point you might want to consider this as well. In either case you won't go wrong.

After spending over 30 years in the furniture industry working with high, medium and low priced furniture, my view of the 8 way hand-tied vs.other spring constructions is somewhat different from the opinions most frequently expressed in home furnishings forums.

There is no doubt that genuine 8 way hand-tied coils are considerably more expensive than other alternatives.

From a durability standpoint, however, I have never seen any evidence that the expensive 8 way hand-tied will outlast a cheap sinuous wire (no-sag) foundation or a moderately priced drop-in coil unit.

The other argument is that 8 way hand-tied coils provide a more comfortable seat.

My experience is that if you have an excellent quality cushion with a proper seat depth and back pitch, the type of foundation used is imperceptible, even to the experts.

Although I have never sat on a Smith Brothers sofa, the general tone of the comments I have read over several years seems to indicate that it is an excellent product even without an 8 way hand-tied foundation.

There are many examples of 8 way hand tied units that have last 50 years or more and are still in perfect condition. Personally I see no reason to believe that a well built 8 way tied unit couldn't last 100 years or more. In my opinion the independant action of the springs are easy on the cushion cores as well which I think is a very positive benefit. By saying this I am not discounting the merits of a no sag system.