Wilson Audio has introduced the new Sasha V loudspeakers and whilst they tip the scale at almost $50,000 USD, there is a lot going on from an engineering perspective that requires a more in-depth breakdown of what makes them unique.
David A. Wilson passed away in 2018 after a rather courageous battle with cancer, and the audio industry legend never settled for anything that was second best. Wilson Audio was his life, a company that he co-founded in 1974 with his wife, Sheryl Lee Wilson. Wilson Audio moved from California to Utah where it has been manufacturing some of the world’s best and most expensive loudspeakers for decades.
Wilson is a family affair run by the children in 2023 and creating some of its best products ever. The attention to detail and acoustic engineering has never wavered in defiance of naysayers who have longed considered the products to be over-hyped by the media.
The Sasha V builds on Wilson’s key speaker offerings, with much of the same technologies, but at a more “affordable” price range. Let’s find out if they might be right for you.
Overall Design
The Sasha V speakers stand about 47 inches tall and weigh about 245 lbs each. The speakers feature a two-section modular design with the woofers in the bottom module and the midrange and tweeter in the top module.
The Sasha V is handcrafted with proprietary materials referred to by Wilson Audio as X-Material, S-Material, and V-Material. Other, more familiar, materials used in Sasha V speaker construction include carbon fiber, aerospace-grade aluminum, austenitic stainless steel, and gold connections throughout the entire signal path.
X-Material
The organic flow of lines of the Sasha V creates a harmonious integration between the lower and upper speaker enclosures. The structural integrity of both the upper and lower modules has been reinforced by the use of milled X-Material internal bracing.
The woofer enclosure side walls are made from solid X-Material. The latest version of X-material is 25% thicker compared to that that used in the Sasha DAW. The increase in dimension of the X-Material fortifies the enclosure, raises density, and is less prone to resonances that can compromise sonic nuances. Even with these enclosure changes, the Sasha V retains its sleek proportions.
V-Material
For the Sasha V, Wilson has incorporated its V-Material between the upper module and the top of the woofer cabinet. V-m material provides precise vibration control and upper module isolation, similar to the design philosophy found in the previously released Alexx V and Alexia V.
V-Material is also incorporated into Wilson Audio Acoustic Diodes. These spikes employ vibration management which expresses the system’s dynamics and micro-detail.
Convergent Synergy Carbon
The Sasha V incorporates a Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC) Tweeter, first introduced in Wilson’s Alexx V speakers. CSC provides extended high-frequency range, smooth linearity, and precise high-frequency harmonic expression. Combining the CSC tweeter with the midrange and woofers improves Sasha V’s overall sound quality.
Alnico QuadraMag
The driver complement also includes Wilson’s 7-inch 7-inch AlNiCo (Aluminum – Nickel – Cobalt) QuadraMag midrange.
This driver is designed to provide greater soundstage dimensionality in the midrange frequencies that the human ear is most sensitive to. Previously available in Wilson’s Chronosonic XVX, Alexx V, and Alexia V speakers, the QuadraMag is also an integral part of the Sasha V.
S-Material Baffle
The upper array baffle that contains the tweeter and midrange incorporates Wilson Audio’s proprietary S-Material. This baffle is a blend of materials that form a highly stable and low-resonance coupling surface for the midrange driver. This provides additional support for the QuadraMag midrange.
Additional Hardware
The Sasha V also features several hardware upgrades, including bespoke Wilson Audio multi-connector binding posts with modified knurling for a cleaner signal path. Users have a choice of spade or banana plug speaker cables.
Binding Posts: Wilson Audio multi-connector binding posts ensure better connection stability than plastic binding posts commonly found on many loudspeakers.
Resistor Mounting: The Sasha V resistor mounting hardware has been improved. This carbon fiber back plate and aluminum framed glass cover, similar to Alexia V, has tool-free, quick-release knurled thumbscrews for the tweeter and midrange resistors. This facilitates easier servicing if needed.
Bubble Level: The back of the woofer top plate has a flush-mounted bubble level which gives a quick and reliable leveling system for better installation.
Crossovers: Sasha V’s crossovers use components (including the capacitors) and are hand selected and/or hand-made by Wilson Audio. In many cases, printed circuit boards used in many other speaker brands compress the sound. Wilson Audio avoids this by taking the time to handcraft and join each component with point-to-point connections.
Sasha V Specifications
- Enclosure Type:
- Woofer: (Rear ported) Material: X-Material
- Midrange/Tweeter: (Rear vented) Material: X-Material/Mid-Range baffle “S-Material”
- Damping Inserts: V-Material
- Woofer Top / Acoustic Diodes: Proprietary “V-Material” & Austenitic Stainless Steel
- Woofer: (2) 8 inches (20.32 cm) Paper Pulp Cone
- Midrange: (1) 7 inches (17.78 cm), Paper Pulp Composite
- Tweeter: (1) 1 inch, Dome (2.54 cm), Doped Silk Fabric
- Nominal Impedance: 4 ohms / minimum 2.36 ohms @ 82 Hz
- Sensitivity: 88 dB @ 1W @ 1m @ 1k
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 32 kHz +/- 3 dB (in-room)
- Minimum Amplification Power Recommended: 20 watts/channel
Dimensions & Weight
- Height (with spikes): 47 9/32 inches (120.07 cm)
- Height (without spikes): 45 1/16 inches (114.48 cm)
- Width: 14 1/2 inches (36.83 cm)
- Depth: 23 15/16 inches (60.78 cm)
- Weight Per Speaker Uncrated: 245 lbs (111.13 kg)
- Approximate Shipping Weight: 760 lbs (344.73 kg)
Price and Availability
Wilson Audio’s Sasha V Loudspeakers start at $48,900 USD (pr) and are available through authorized Wilson Audio Dealers.
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ORT
June 23, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Oh lawdy! Stick a coupla “leg stands” on these and you’ve got your self a Star Wars “GNK Power Droid”. I bet it has a bad motivator.
The FARCE is with these.
ORTbi-Wan – “Now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a loooooooooooong time. A long time”.
James Caldwell
June 27, 2023 at 12:16 pm
Truly enough jargon in those descriptions of each and every component to baffle even the most serious audiophile.
Krdjz
June 27, 2023 at 10:27 pm
I could really use one of those lift jacks…where can I get one? Someone post a link!
joe
November 4, 2023 at 12:30 pm
call Wilson Audio