I've used dried cherries a couple of times, but I prefer flash-frozen fresh cherries. I get these from a local fruit stand by special order only, in season. They come in 5 pound tubs, and I have always used 10 pounds for 5 gallons. Maybe it's the liquid that is present, but the cherry flavor has a different character than from the dried fruit. Not exactly more intense, but richer, fuller.
I have done a couple beers with pan-fried dried cherries deglazed with wort that I really like. I did one at a club group brew a few years ago. The cherry aroma while they were in the pan was so rich and intense that several women present were ready to fall in love with me (my wife was present, as were their husbands, so it was all good).