Wilson to reveal new Sasha V on June 23rd.

[Joe Appierto]

AJ, came across this on the PS Audio forum and thought it might be if interest to you.

https://forum.psaudio.com/t/heard-the-n ... -wow/34114


"I went to a demo here in nyc this weekend of the new Sasha V speakers, driven by d’agastino electronics and the dealer described as a full DCS stack with master clock.

While it’s not easy to discern exactly what aspect of sound the Dac/streamer was contributing, i have to say it pulled out details I hadn’t heard before.

On Patricia Barber’s If this isn’t jazz (companion album) there is a glass being knocked over by one of the audience during a quiet section (2:20). It’s a simple sound and an easy cue to memorize.

Even though the Wilson system wasn’t being played that loud, I could hear so much more of the glass hitting the table that I ever could.

Less than an hour later I was back at my place playing the same cut (and another I heard demo’d,) and while I thought in general I prefer my system’s sense of life, (my Tad has vapor deposited beryllium concentric drivers and a ‘stat supertweeter) I still couldn’t reproduce the glass falling with the sense hearing the glass full front and center rather than a more of a distant tinkle in my system.

The Wilson’s were set up almost right against the front wall, in an effort to show that speakers don’t have to be out into the room to sound good (space being a premium here in NYC) so I’m not sure how much that might have added/detracted, I’m still left feeling that DCS stack is really something special."

[AnotherJohnson]

Thanks for sharing. I’d have to agree with the PS Audio poster on all points.

My dCS gear is really good at presenting detail, and my dCS is not at that level, being a model and a generation behind the demo stack.

And the Wilson speakers are really hanging on the hooks of dynamic contrast, harmonic expression, and micro-detail. It sounds like advertising gibberish, as Audiophile Bill complained the other day. I would have agreed in early 2022. But at this point I’m hooked and been reeled in.

Tonight by chance I happen to be streaming some Bach choral music. The performance and clarity are better than I ever dared to dream about … serendipity led to realizing that words sung in your second or third language are better tests of distortion than words sung in your first language.

In any event, between the dCS DAC, reference level High Definition electronics, the impossible to explain interconnects, and the Wilson speakers … well, there’s just no words to express it. You have to hear it.

Regarding the speaker placement, that’s another Wilson forte’ (if you have a good dealer). The WASP will find a spot that will work, and they can end up surprisingly close to walls or corners.

If details and realism from the music performance are among the goals, it’s hard to argue against dCS or Wilson.

[AnotherJohnson]

The thread shifted gears in the direction of streaming differences rather than speaker differences. The new thread is here.
https://www.conradjohnsonowners.com/vie ... php?t=2717

[AnotherJohnson]

I’ve just spent an hour in a Sasha V demo.

They are very nice.

The rest of the gear does not match my own. But I was impressed overall, and will spend some more time tomorrow deciding how to move forward.

[admin]

and will spend some more time tomorrow deciding how to move forward.

What does this mean?

[AnotherJohnson]

and will spend some more time tomorrow deciding how to move forward.

What does this mean?

It may mean a trade of the Ref 250 SE for a Burmester SS amp.

It will also mean an OTD quote on a Sasha DAW trade for an Alexx V.

Or it could mean nothing at all.

I am back at the demo now. This system is clearly better than my own.

It’s based on Sasha Vs, all Burmester electronics, Rossini Apex, all Transparent wires.

I’ve heard great demos here in the past, but have gone home happy with my own system. I have a bad feeling about this demo. If I don’t do some trading, I may have come to a point where the demo is hard to let go.

[AnotherJohnson]

I went back to the store after checking into my hotel. I listened to the Sasha Vs some more, and then the Sasha DAWs, but with the $3200 acoustic diode feet, were substituted in. No other changes. The acoustic diode feet come standard on the Sasha V.

It was obvious immediately, and continued to be obvious over many cuts, that the Sasha V is an upgrade over the Sasha DAW. As good as the DAW is, the V brings an even smoother and more natural midrange.

Well, I’m pretty much here to audition amps … but I suspect the speaker difference might be even more important. They’ve got a preowned pair of the Alexx Vs (which uses the V midrange and tweeter out of the XVX). They’re orange, and it’s July, so those factors will help my side of the trade. I am at least going to get the quote, which would include their custom delivery and set up at my house.

It may not make any sense. It depends on how sharp their pencil is.

[AnotherJohnson]

I think this is my “dog with the bone” moment.

I’ve got something perfectly good. But I’ve now heard something better and am wondering about trading.

The Alexx V msrp is $145k. If I get it used for half price, with trade of my DAWs and possibly the REF250SEs, I’ll still be writing a check for more than $30k. Seems like folly.

Meanwhile I’m on to the second set of the piano and double bass duo here at dinner. I’m at the table right in front of the piano, about 12’ away. Sounds grand!

The Lobster and Pinot Grigio were only surpassed by the coconut snowball.

[admin]

Living the "hard life" I see.

These are good problems to have. Can't say which is the best way to go but I have to admit the Alexx V's are up in the stratosphere in terms of quality (and price). I'm sure it would bring a copious amount of acoustic joy.

[AnotherJohnson]

I think they’d be an Albatross… very difficult to get out of. Especially with the custom color.

They do sound great. But …

[AnotherJohnson]

This trip is further evidence of my theory that there is no ceiling. No matter how good you think it is, it will be possible to make it even more real. Listening to the live jazz duo in the evening helps. Tonight is Friday night, and there will be a full quintet.

I was not expecting yesterday’s audition result.
Today we’re going to stick with the DAWs so that I will be evaluating with my own long term reference. But the Rossini Apex and high level Transparent loom, will add uncertainty.

[AnotherJohnson]

Just finished listening to the D’Agostino Progression integrated amp. On the DAWs, Qobuz via Mosaic.

Seemed grainy, and etched. I can’t envision listening long term. The demonstrator is supposedly broken in.

The Progression series is D’Agostino’s entry level. He announced a Momentum series integrated yesterday.

I am going back after a just out of the box Burmester 032 warms up. Its newness may be against a proper evaluation.

Yesterday’s electronics were Burmester 088 preamp and 218 amp.

[AnotherJohnson]

The speaker cables in the D’Agostino demo were Transparent Ultras. I’ve already learned that Transparent Ultra cable technology is below the AQ Thunderbird Zeros that I routinely use. They’re switching to Reference Series for he 032 demo. I am going to ask them to run the D’Agostino again with the Reference series. It may be the difference that I heard in the midrange.

The difference between the AQ Rocket 88s and the Thunderbird Zeros was similar in my system.

[admin]

I have to admit, I'm envious of not being there and having the opportunity to listen to such ultra-hign end gear. Whatever you decide, this is fun stuff.

[AnotherJohnson]

Just finished with 088 and 911 Burmester, and then REF6SE and 911. Both great.

Going to talk numbers. I dunno. This is all really nice gear … and you can hear differences with every level change.

[AnotherJohnson]

And the winner is ….


Burmester 911 amp is going to be paired with the Ref 6SE that I already own.

What happens next?

I’ll be comparing my Ref 75SE to the Burmester 911 at home. If the 911 wins, then the Ref 75 SE and 20 new KT150s will be next to go.

Interestingly, the Burmester balanced pins are wired reverse of the ARC. The solution is to use the Invert button on the ARC remote.

The 911 has the 20 amp style socket, so any of my C19 power cords will fit. I’ve got an extra 2M Transparent MM2 Powerlink that is recommend.

Burmester recommends spades on the speaker cables, but bananas work too. So I don’t have to replace cables.

The 032 integrated amp sounded really good … much better to my ears than the D’Agostino which is similarly priced. But it was easy to hear the improvements when we moved to the 911. I would like to have bought an integrated to facilitate downsizing, but I think I would have regretted it. The separates definitely deliver more, and my REF 6SE is a killer match for the 911.

Meanwhile, back at the McIntosh demo room, there’s just wonderful cocktail party background music. Very pretty meters. Very clear sound. But not for me.

[AnotherJohnson]

You don’t hear much about Burmester, but several customers at my dealer are using the REF6SE with a Burmester SS amp.

Different guys with good systems have been raving about this pairing since my first visit to he dealer.

To my ears the 911 Mk3 has a real smooth, tubelike presentation. I am looking forward to setting it up in my system … probably tomorrow.

The final demo was with the Ref 6SE preamp and the Sasha DAWs. The Rossini Apex and Transparent loom are wild cards. If I don’t like it, the dealer is willing to work with me.

A good dealer is better than a good exhibition. Much more personal, less hurried, and better attention to details. I would not have done this based on a show audition. I was in and out of demos from 2 pm to 6 pm yesterday, and from 11 am to 5 pm today. They swapped stuff in and out at least five times.

Sharp pencil too. The 911 Mk3 is just now being discontinued. So that helped.

https://www.paragonsns.com/products/bur ... s=e&_v=1.0

The Alexx V deal was too rich for my blood at this time. I just couldn’t justify it. Maybe I’ll be ready for a speaker change down the road.

[admin]

Burmester is top of the line. That really should complement your setup. Again, top of the line system in all respects and components. Only thing to worry about is getting a hernia while lifting that beast!

[AnotherJohnson]

I’ve got a helper …

The amp weighs 70 pounds and has handles on the rear.

The net weight change to my system after trading the pair of Ref 250SEs was about -80 pounds.

Regarding the orange Alexx Vs, it turned out that the orange was a pearlescent color… $14000 upgrade. So $161k if new. Plus $3k freight. The pricing and trade value was quite generous. But the OTD cash was still out of my comfort zone. Maybe if they weren’t orange …

The Sasha DAWs look more like they were a real deal every day.

[admin]

It would be interesting to see how many of each color they sold. You must admit that orange speakers are going to appeal to a very small sub section of people, especially considering the even smaller number of people that would buy a speaker in the 6 figure range.