Wilson Audio Specialties Sasha V

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.

- SASHA MATSON

LOUDSPEAKER

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 45/16", respectively. The cabinets gain an inch in depth and now measure 23 ¹5/16". The cabinets' subtle beveling is slightly different; probably only recent Sasha owners would notice.

Extra thickness in the cabinets adds 91b 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.