Wilson Audio Sasha W/P Speaker

By Scott Wilkinson • Posted: Jul 27, 2010

Few speakers are more highly regarded than the venerable WATT/Puppy from Wilson Audio. After eight model revisions, Wilson decided to implement some upgrades that warranted a new name—and the Sasha W/P was born.

The 3-way Sasha W/P includes a 1-inch titanium inverted-dome tweeter and 7-inch pulp-composite cone midrange, both the same as found in the MAXX 3 and housed in a module with a baffle made of Wilson's latest cabinet material. Two 8-inch polymer-cone woofers are mounted in a separate, rear-ported cabinet. Both enclosures have more internal volume than the WATT/Puppy 8, resulting in a room-average frequency response from 20Hz to 22kHz (±3dB).

Unlike the WATT/Puppy, which allowed the main WATT module to be removed from the Puppy subwoofer and used on its own, the Sasha is an integrated speaker, much like the MAXX and Alexandria. It's crossover has been moved from the tweeter/midrange module into the bass cabinet, which is said to improve clarity and transparency. Custom wiring is hand-built by Wilson to connect the drivers.

At $26,900/pair, this is far from Wilson's most expensive speaker. But as Art Dudley concluded in his review for Stereophile, "By the end of February, the Wilson Sashas were no longer a luxury: I was taking them for granted, and had surrendered to them in full ignorance of the consequences of the discomfort of sending them back.

Now that's my idea of a great speaker."

Comments

Submitted by b00le on July 27, 2010 - 4:15pm.

I've never heard these, and have to take it on trust that the reviewers who pretty unanimously rave about them are not just reviewing the price tag (and that happens a lot, we all know it does....) But the Wilson speakers are just so UGLY! Not just 'we don't care: we're all about the sound' ugly but 'we dare you to keep something that looks like a prop from a very low budget 1960's SF TV show' ugly - albeit beautifully finished and sounding wonderful.This thing looks like a Dalek as described by a 2nd grader, over the phone; it looks like the box a Darth Vader costume came in. At $26,900/pair buyers (never mind their wives) deserve better. I refuse to believe it can't be done.

Submitted by chipperman on July 27, 2010 - 10:21pm.

'Tis true, they aren't eye candy, but I heard a pair properly set up and they leave nothing aurally on the table. Forgetting the price, I was really mesmerized by them, especially the effortless midrange, and the way they projected even at low volume. Symphonic pieces had that "weight" that you hear and feel live, but never quite seems to be there in most speakers. The ease with which they can pressurize a large room is very impressive.Every time I look at the drivers, I can't figure out that the cost is in them or the crossover, and I bet the cabinet is by far the most expensive thing, but the synergy is right on with these. I don't know how they did it, and it can't be easy or others would have done it,but it is really astonishing. And they are sooo close in sound to the Maxx 3. For once, I agree with the reviewers.

Submitted by Jerry on August 1, 2010 - 1:58pm.

I have to disagree with the others on here....they look great to me. It all depends on what color you choose to paint them. I think black is really nice...but because they'll paint them any color, it makes them SO cool.

Submitted by Thomas on August 6, 2010 - 1:42am.

Its funny , i wanted to love these speakers ( i love the way they look ) but they always sound so harsh and zingy up top. I have listened to them at 3 wilson dealerships with intent to purchase but couldnt get over how bad the upper midrange to high frequencies were. I hope wilson can one day address his boost in the high freq domain that all his speakers measure and stop voicing them to his taste.