Great thread! Here is my take:
Atomic: light, lively, pretty stiff, very laterally stiff. They feel almost like floating over the snow, with a muscular feel, not really a ton of snow feel. I haven't liked too many, as most seem to be pretty aggressive for my weight. On-piste skis work better for me than their wider stuff.
Blizzard: only skied a few, but seem like a bit softer, more energetic Austrian power ski (when compared to some of the beefy stuff, like Nordica). Similiar in feel to Volkl and Elan. I tend to like them.
Dynastar: Definitely "French" in feel. Damp and smooth, but with a bit of pop and quite a bit of stability for their given "ease of use". Tend to work well in all types of skis. Great example of an "everymans" ski that has more energy than K2 or Rossi.
Elan: until recently, was very close in feel to Volkl: muscular, but not as stiff, great snow feel, and lighter/more nimble compared to some of the Austrian skis, with more energy. The new Mag 12 and 14 feel very close to a Nordica Jet Fuel, which is no surprise, considering that Elan makes those Nordicas at their factory. They are definitely stiffer and very muscular. I nearly always like their skis, and the race stuff works well for me, too.
Fischer: not a uniform feel. Some, like the Progressor and Cold Heat, feel powerful, stiff and are direct descendants of their race skis. Others, like the RX8 Fire and Watea series, are much lighter in feel, a bit more playful, and very forgiving. I have had good luck with them in general.
Head: a bit more damp, very stable and powerful, but not as much energy (excluding the new Xenon). Most of their skis feel more GS than SL in terms of energy, even the slalom-oriented models like the Supershape. This gives them great predictability and stability, but they aren't always the most exciting ski. Very "Austrian". I tend to like them, although I would prefer that their frontside models had a bit more energy.
K2: smooth, damp, forgiving, lack of energy. Some would call them "old-man's skis" and although I wouldn't go that far, I would say they are most similair to a big Cadillac boat than anything else out there. Perfect for the cruiser. I am talking mostly about the Apache line, not the twin-tip stuff. Not my cup of tea, but they have plenty of fans. A real "everymans" ski.
Nordica: very powerful skis, fairly stiff. I don't always have luck with their top-end stuff, and much of their race product is too stiff for me. Great skis though. Feel alot like the Elan Mag 12 and 14; as they share a similair wood core. I love several of their models, just not the stuff with alot of metal. Really, really "solid" feel, with lots of snow feedback.
Rossi: similair to K2: not much going on there in terms of energy, but smooth and typically high performance. Their off-piste stuff rates better (which is okay if it is smooth and stable) but their carving skis have no life to them. I have never skied a Rossi that really thrilled me.
Stockli: powerful skis, not too dissimilar to the Austrian brands. I haven't skied enough of them to make an accurate judgement.
Salomon: until recently, in that smooth, damp, nearly lifeless category. Now, a bit more aggressive and performance-oriented (with the X-wing series) but still forgiving for a wide range of skiers. Maybe more toward the Fischer Watea and Dynastar feel. I haven't tried many of the X-wing models yet.
Volkl: similar in feel to Elan; muscular, powerful, fairly aggressive, but can be handled by a lighter skier as well. Nice energy, good snow feel. I have liked most Volkl's I have tried.
Note: this is a huge generalization! Specific skis may differ from these opinions. Don't be offended if I have insulted your chosen ski! There is nothing wrong with brands that go after a more recreational, cruising-oriented skier; there is, in fact, many more of those skiers around than they are ex-racers or people who ski 50 days a year.
