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Reviewer: Edgar Kramer
Financial Interests: Click here
Source: Metronome T-1i CD player with DAISy HE Remote Control
Preamplifier: Supratek Sauvignon with NOS RCA and Bendix tubes; NuForce P9; Wyetech Labs Jade
Amplifier: NuForce Reference 9 V3 Special Edition monoblocks; Ancient Audio Single Six, Cymer Audio SE-35
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties Sasha W/P
Cables: Digital - Cerious Technologies; Harmonic Technology Magic; NuForce digital cables; Interconnect - PSC AG Monolith, Bocchino Audio Morning Glory; Cable Research Laboratory (CRL) Gold with Bocchino XLR and RCA; Cerious Technologies; DanA Digital Reference Silver; Eichmann eXpress 6 Series 2; Harmonic Technology Magic and Truthlink Silver; MIT Giant Killer MPC; PSC Audio Pristine R30 Ribbon; NuForce IC-700; Speaker -  Cerious Technologies; MIT Giant Killer GK-1 loudspeaker cables; NuForce SC-700; Power - Cerious Technologies AC; Eichmann eXpress AC power cables; Harmonic Technology Fantasy; PSC Gold Power MKII; Shunyata Research Diamondback
Stands: Finite Elemente Pagode Signature equipment racks
Powerline conditioning: PS Audio P-300 Power Plant (digital equipment only)
Acoustic treatment: Fonic Designer panels and StudioCel bass traps
Sundry accessories: NuForce Magic Cube, Burson Audio Buffer, Bright Star Audio IsoRock Reference 3, Bright Star Audio IsoRock 4 isolation platforms and BSA IsoNode feet; Bocchino Audio Mecado isolation diodes; Black Diamond Racing cones; Stillpoints ERS paper in strategic positions, Shakti On Lines; Densen CD demagnetizer; Auric Illuminator CD Treatment; ASC Tube Traps
Room size: 17' x 35' x 12' WxHxD in short wall setup, opens to adjoining kitchen
Review component retail: AUD$44.950/pr

Few high-end speakers if any come loaded with such exalted and even influential baggage as do the various WATT/Puppy iterations. Love them or hate them—and the ranks are bloated with fanatical opinions of either persuasion—the WATT/Puppy has had a profound influence on the modern high-end speaker landscape. Take any one of its generations and you’ll find a speaker at the leading edge of the technology of its day, with every aspect of its design and construction thoroughly engineered and executed. Sonically and in certain key areas each generation had an indisputable capacity for reference performance.


Having said that, each version also had its own peculiarity in terms of interaction with the amplification charged with driving it. Some had brutal impedance minima in the high frequencies, some in the lows, some had less than ideal impedance phase angles and so forth. As a result the common belief has been that the WATT/Puppy requires either a high current/high power transistor amplifier—common suggestions are Krell and Mark Levinson—or high-power push-pull valve designs (stereotypically Audio Research).


The Sasha W/P as the current version of this classic presents one of the cruellest of speaker loads at least on paper. This (aside from the disparity between Nick's system and mine) was squarely at the heart of this writeup. The Sasha dips down to 1.8Ω at approximately 90Hz and the speaker’s impedance stays well below 4Ω throughout the 55Hz to 400Hz range and goes not much beyond 4Ω above that.


Sounds like an almost insurmountable obstacle for anything other than an arc-welder amp, doesn't it? Or does it really?

With power bigger than a flea: That's an amplifier design cliché. Flea power is a term used with amplifiers of predominantly the SET type with anywhere between 2 watts and 10 watts of output power. I mean, really - what could such flea-powered amplifiers drive? There’s a growing and very vocal niche faction that mates these amps with ultra-efficient speakers (generally horn designs) of 98dB and up to get damn fine results. But never should the binding posts of evil low-Z dynamic designs be the receptacles which are (dis)graced by the piddling current fed from such wimpish amps. 1.8Ω you say? Can’t be done. You’d be foolish to even try. Good thing I didn't listen to such common sense!

My reference system comprises a couple of valve preamplifiers (the Supratek Sauvignon and Wyetech Labs Jade both using the 'tone king' 6SN7) and aside from my long-term NuForce reference amps more recently superb SET amplifiers. Those are the Ancient Audio Single Six monos (reviewed here) and prototype Cymer Audio 45/13E1 monoblocks soon to be in full production. Respectively we’re talking 18 watts and 35 watts. Such power outputs are somewhat more robust than your average flea power design but still very lightweight when compared to Nick’s spectacular Kismet monos. My source continues to be the Metronome T1i as I have yet to explore computer audio.


The above components provide a polar opposite view of the world compared to Nick’ system. His is minimalist based on up-to-the-minute computer sources directly mated to transistor amplification. The juxtaposition between these two very different systems is the context and crux of our self-imposed pincer-attack assignment.

Sashay to my ears
 Bass: Let’s talk about what can potentially be the most difficult task for a low-powered amplifier driving a speaker such as the Sasha - bass performance. The Sasha builds on the already superb capabilities of its mighty System 8 predecessor. It’s a low end of the thump-the-gut and Bruce-Lee-one-inch-punch type. The bass registers from top to bottom are far tighter, deeper, more nuanced and rhythmical than the predecessors'. But primarily it’s the way the Ancient Audio Single Six and Cymer Audio SE-35 amplifiers handle this that struck me as surprising. Their quality output transformers—in particular the way over-engineered Cymers'—allow for superb and spec-defying bass transients, depth, detail and yes, extraordinary control. What’s more, the Cymer SE-35's variable feedback control and its effect on damping allows even further bass tuning. However, control is so absolute with the Cymer SE-35 in particular that bass is only profoundly there when needed. At other times the low end can seem almost lean.

 
Dynamics: Large orchestral crescendos are a devastating force of nature that can almost pin you to the chair. Here the Cymer shot ahead of the Ancient Audios in dynamic range. The SE-35 sounds effortless and bears no recognizable limitations on signal delivery to demonstrate the Sasha’s devastating dynamic prowess. The Ancients although very good start to falter a tad. There’s a constriction in ultimate dynamic contrast that holds a tight rein on the Sasha’s willingness to jump along. The tympani strikes in the Lawrence of Arabia "Overture" soundtrack are scarily real sounding. The Sasha’s extraordinary transient attack immaculately recreates the initial strike and follows by faithfully presenting the drum’s body and preserving its decay. Similar attack faithfulness and harmonic richness are reproduced with electric and standup acoustic bass, kick drum, organ and more.  


The midrange: Let’s just say that the new midrange unit is one helluva driver. It’s resolute, dynamic and extremely faithful of timbre – and yes, very musical. Here is a case where Wilson’s promotional spiel of declaring "midrange beauty" actually lives up to reality.

There really is a timbral and harmonic beauty, a drive and verve to the new midrange that draws the listener into the music and takes the mind from hardware trivialities. Micro detail is effortlessly reproduced and all the minutiae that make up the musical whole—the nail on string and breath expelled—are conveyed intact should your electronics deliver them.


Give Sasha a good recording and… I’ll refer to my listening notes ...“chills up my spine for the first time in a long while…” Midrange presence can be startling and the facsimile of reality quite unique. Another element that aids in creating this uncanny presence is the Sasha’s tone color palette. Where the System 8’s was made up of dazzling primary colors leading to vivid secondary mixes, the Sasha introduces a further range with more subtle shades and hues. To this writer who fanatically values tonal color, detail and dynamic range above all, this new speaker is a blissfully ecstatic listen.
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