I would be lying if I said I have always loved Wilson loudspeakers. I think they are too intrusive, with lots of dynamics but also with too penetrating high notes and low frequencies out of contest, hence not very homogeneous with the other frequency ranges. Maybe this is the reason why I have never reviewed them in twenty years of journalism.
Scarcely ever, you may have second thoughts, but it happens. I mean, sometimes the things you have not ever liked, that have not fired you, turn to be something surprising for their incredible and unexpected outcome. This is the case of the Wilson Sasha and a sheer coincidence too. If my friend had asked me for my personal opinion, I would have been emphatic: do not buy Wilson loudspeakers! But providentially he didn’t ask me anything and, what's more, one of my collaborators brought to my attention how great was the sound of these speakers.
Hey, what are they talking about? What’s up? All right, I will go and see why there’s such a buzz. I can hardly hear… "Wilson Sasha… they perform good… depth… tone… detail… great!".
On a Sunday afternoon, I paid a visit to the happy and lucky owner of the Wilson Sasha: “come in Roberto, I’d like a piece of advice about the digital source. Here, I have a choice of three”.
No question on the front end: Nagra PL-P preamplifier, Nagra VPA monoblocks with the new 845 Shuguang valves and a multiple choice for the cd player: Nagra CDC, DCS Puccini or Audio Research CD8. And… the Wilson Sasha.
Let’s start with the DCS Puccini. It is immediately clear that the role of prima donna is played by the Wilson Sasha and is just love at first sight! Amazing! So dynamic to reach the stars, so elegant and natural, great tone, no roughness or sharpness at all. Are they really Wilson? They are, indeed. A label on the back says Wilson audio! The design is unique. A sort of pyramid hosts the transducers dedicated to the mid and high frequencies that are given back through a cone made of paper and wood and a metal tweeter with reversed membrane. Inside a big separate cabinet, placed at the bottom of the speaker, are a couple of woofers for the low frequencies assured by two big bass reflex - loaded ports, one for each channel. I have never heard before so few hertz providing so much control.
I look at the happy owner, who becomes even happier when I tell him that he has made a real deal, lucky him! I cannot afford these speakers though… but if I could…
Ok then, let’s think about the digital source and which hint I have to give. The DCS was acting very well with the Sonus Faber Amati Homage speaker system that was plugged previously. Also now, there is a lot of detail, lucid image and a large soundstage. The DCS has been instantly replaced by the Audio Research CD8. We can just notice a more slight amber tonality whilst detail and soundstage are more or less the same. Another change and the Nagra CDC makes the scene. Contrary to what happened with the Sonus Faber, it comes out with a very balanced tone and a very deep soundstage even if smaller than the previous. Detail and dynamics are conveyed with a naturalness that makes the listening session very exciting.
Briefly the Nagra deserves full marks and everybody agrees with me.
What comes out at the end is that the stars are, without any doubt, the Wilson Sasha. Actually, I could have spoken of the fine setting system of the cabinet dedicated to the mid high frequencies, or of the important suspensions of the woofer, which let guess great dynamic excursions, or of the beautiful glossy black finish. I could have… if only I had a pair of Wilson Audio Sasha in my listening room…
Unfortunately, I am at a friend’s home and I can just say that Dave Wilson won over me.
Associated equipment: to Roberto “The Rock” Rocchi's system
