Wilson Audio Sabrina Owners Club

[Deckard]

Originally Posted by kingofstoneage

Now i am thinking of an upgrade to a pair of Yvettes.
What do you think? My listening–room has 25m2 and i use a Mcintosh MC312 amp. My listeningroom also is L–shaped. So the right speaker is only about 1m from the side wall apart.

I was in your situation a couple years ago, having a pair of Sabrinas right when the Yvette came out. As I could trade in the Sabrinas for the Yvettes at my dealer, I spent a couple of hours auditioning them on a system with the same source and cabling I had at home. There's no denying that hearing the Sabrina side by side with the Yvette, the Yvette is a significant step up.

However ... after the comparison I drove home (about a 30 minute drive) and listened to my Sabrinas. Audio memory being what it is, I didn't feel that I was missing the Yvettes in my system. I remembered that the Yvettes sounded better, but with the time lapse the Sabrinas still had the same impact on me.

What I did instead was to get a used pair of Sasha 2's from my dealer for about the same price as the Sabrinas new (they also had a demo pair that was still under $20,000, but I liked the color of the used pair more than the demo pair). I done the same thing, hearing them at my dealer and then driving home to listen to my Sabrinas again. But this time I had no doubt that the Sasha's had been a huge step up from the Sabrinas. I purchased them, sold my Sabrinas, and haven't regretted it at all.

[kingofstoneage]

Originally Posted by Deckard

I was in your situation a couple years ago, having a pair of Sabrinas right when the Yvette came out. As I could trade in the Sabrinas for the Yvettes at my dealer, I spent a couple of hours auditioning them on a system with the same source and cabling I had at home. There's no denying that hearing the Sabrina side by side with the Yvette, the Yvette is a significant step up.

However ... after the comparison I drove home (about a 30 minute drive) and listened to my Sabrinas. Audio memory being what it is, I didn't feel that I was missing the Yvettes in my system. I remembered that the Yvettes sounded better, but with the time lapse the Sabrinas still had the same impact on me.

What I did instead was to get a used pair of Sasha 2's from my dealer for about the same price as the Sabrinas new (they also had a demo pair that was still under $20,000, but I liked the color of the used pair more than the demo pair). I done the same thing, hearing them at my dealer and then driving home to listen to my Sabrinas again. But this time I had no doubt that the Sasha's had been a huge step up from the Sabrinas. I purchased them, sold my Sabrinas, and haven't regretted it at all.

Thanks for your story! I have no chance to audition the Yvette before the purchase.....so it is still a very hard decision for me, but i think your decision to choose the Sashas instead the Yvettes was totally right!

[kingofstoneage]

Originally Posted by Deckard

I was in your situation a couple years ago, having a pair of Sabrinas right when the Yvette came out. As I could trade in the Sabrinas for the Yvettes at my dealer, I spent a couple of hours auditioning them on a system with the same source and cabling I had at home. There's no denying that hearing the Sabrina side by side with the Yvette, the Yvette is a significant step up.

However ... after the comparison I drove home (about a 30 minute drive) and listened to my Sabrinas. Audio memory being what it is, I didn't feel that I was missing the Yvettes in my system. I remembered that the Yvettes sounded better, but with the time lapse the Sabrinas still had the same impact on me.

What I did instead was to get a used pair of Sasha 2's from my dealer for about the same price as the Sabrinas new (they also had a demo pair that was still under $20,000, but I liked the color of the used pair more than the demo pair). I done the same thing, hearing them at my dealer and then driving home to listen to my Sabrinas again. But this time I had no doubt that the Sasha's had been a huge step up from the Sabrinas. I purchased them, sold my Sabrinas, and haven't regretted it at all.

Thanks for your story! I have no chance to audition the Yvette before the future purchase.....so it is still a very hard decision for me, but i think your decision to choose the Sashas instead the Yvettes was totally right!

[Deckard]

Originally Posted by kingofstoneage

Thanks for your story! I have no chance to audition the Yvette before the future purchase.....so it is still a very hard decision for me, but i think your decision to choose the Sashas instead the Yvettes was totally right!

It occurred to me after posting that, that I should have said that if I were deciding on an initial purchase between the Sabrina and the Yvette I would have gone for the Yvette. It was just that I didn't feel the price difference between what I'd get for the Sabrinas on trade in and the Yvette's cost was justified. My dealer offers full retail price on trade-ins towards speakers that cost twice the amount within a year. But the Yvette's aren't that much more and it had been over a year, so the trade in price was generous, but not full retail. The step up would have cost me something like $13,000.

[mitarbeiter1]

Hello, as I have the same step in mind (Sabrina changing to Sasha 2) I would be interested in the tonal voicing differences. Everytime I made the comparison the Sabrina sounded to me with a warmer and fuller voice presentation, especially more forgiving in the mids and hights concerning lower quality streaming. I appreciate this warm sounding very much on the Sabrinas. The Sashas seemed more clear, crisp and revealing to me. So in very low listening levels I am permanent afraid of getting a "too thin" sound ? That's why I didn't change since. What's your impression of this ?

[Deckard]

Originally Posted by mitarbeiter1

Hello, as I have the same step in mind (Sabrina changing to Sasha 2) I would be interested in the tonal voicing differences. Everytime I made the comparison the Sabrina sounded to me with a warmer and fuller voice presentation, especially more forgiving in the mids and hights concerning lower quality streaming. I appreciate this warm sounding very much on the Sabrinas. The Sashas seemed more clear, crisp and revealing to me. So in very low listening levels I am permanent afraid of getting a "too thin" sound ? That's why I didn't change since. What's your impression of this ?

I don't notice that myself. However, when I got the Sasha 2 speakers I changed my amplification to the Cary CAD300SEI Single Ended Triode integrated amp. In my setup, the 92 db sensitive Sasha's work well with the 15 watt SET amp. If anything I feel the Sasha's are more fulll bodied than the Sabrinas. What are you using to power the Sabrinas?

[mitarbeiter1]

Actually a Prima Luna Integrated, which sounds wonderful. First I thought that i would need tons of heavy weight SS amplification, but no way. Yes, bass presentation is not as controlled as with SS pre/end amplification- but you can't have both...

[Coppy]

Your choice will depend on what you want to hear when you listen to music. If you want the thrill of realistic sound, the Sasha is a clear choice. It's not only more detailed and accurate but sounds much bigger. If you've experienced Wilson's bigger speakers, you know that magnificent almost larger than life, totally enveloping sound of the big boys. Rather like walking into a live music venue. Thrilling.
Maybe that's not what you want. When I listen to my beloved Motown music on the six figure system below it sounds just awful. I loved it in on my 60's car radio. It was originally recorded so poorly my Yvettes sound like a cheap table radio. I need to stream this music to a much smaller, less revealing system for any enjoyment.
Last point, if you listen mostly at low volumes, your speaker choices and the differences are significantly reduced. I listen for hours at a level that requires me to turn it down when someone enters the room. Playback is not loud but dominates the environment and my attention.
Another last point, the Sasha's (I owned Sasha 1s) are physically much bigger and can dominate in the room. They will require to be further into the room for best sound. Make sure you are willing to give them the space required for proper imaging.
So, if you want a big totally involving, realistic music experience, and have the room, get Sasha. For background music and occasional high quality listening, your Sabrinas, perhaps with the addition of a small, good quality subwoofer may be right for you. Enjoy the music.

[mitarbeiter1]

Thanks for your answers. Volumes on the one hand and yes, room limitations , were the second reason - can't give them wall spaces from 1 meter. So, the bigger the better isn't for sure. So actually I am enjoying the Sabrinas.

[kingofstoneage]

Originally Posted by mitarbeiter1

Thanks for your answers. Volumes on the one hand and yes, room limitations , were the second reason - can't give them wall spaces from 1 meter. So, the bigger the better isn't for sure. So actually I am enjoying the Sabrinas.

I also stayed with my Sabrinas and i am absolutley satisfied so far..........