LOUDSPEAKER
Wilson Audio’s new Sasha V loudspeaker (that’s “V” as in victory, not “five”) extends the line that began in 2009 with the debut of the Sasha 1 model. The installation manual includes a page titled “Sasha Evolution,” with elegant line drawings of the various versions of the Sasha loudspeaker—now four—which were preceded by the two-box WATT/Puppy combo, which dates from 1989. The Wilson Audio Specialties Sasha V ($48,900/pair) replaces the prior Sasha model, the Sasha DAW, in the Wilson lineup.
The hefty, floorstanding Sasha V maintains a close family resemblance. The new Sasha’s width and height are almost identical, logging 141/2" and 451/16 ", respectively. The cabinets gain an inch in depth and now measure 2315/16 ". The cabinets’ subtle beveling is slightly different; probably only recent Sasha owners would notice. Extra thickness in the cabinets adds 9lb for a total of 245lb per speaker. The cabinet’s sculptural elements are enhanced by a range of available automotive-grade paint finishes; the review pair is handsomely kitted out in Satin Oak Green with Slate Gray grilles.
The changes made by Wilson designer/CEO Daryl Wilson and his team are mainly on the inside. New to the Sasha line is a 7" rear-vented paper-pulp composite midrange driver that Wilson designates with the term QuadraMag, first deployed in the costlier Chronosonic XVX model and used in several models since. Also used in other V-series speakers but new to Sasha is the 1" dopedsilk Convergent Synergy Carbon tweeter, which employs a printed carbon rear-wave chamber. Twin, 8" paper-pulp–composite woofers, the same as those utilized in the Sasha DAW, complete the driver complement.
The V in “Sasha V” and in the other Wilson “V” speakers—the XVX,1 Alexx V,2 and Alexia V3 —indicates Wilson’s proprietary V-material, which is employed alongside older proprietary cabinet materials designated X and S. Other upgrades include the Acoustic Diode footers (previously offered as an option), and new AudioCapX-WA copper capacitors in the crossovers; Wilson now manufacturers capacitors in-house, so they can make exactly the capacitor needed in each speaker, including the Sasha V’s.
In a Facetime conversation, I asked Daryl Wilson if the Sasha V contained “trickle-down” technology. He responded, “I’ve heard that
