Wind-swept fields and towering arches served as points of inspiration for the more svelte lines and thoughtfully distilled design of Alexia V.
Wilson Audio is well known for its persistent R&D advancements and continuous pursuit of “Excellence in All Things™.” As development finished on Alexx V® and as Alexia® Series 2 reached its five-year anniversary, Wilson Audio’s Engineers were put to the test to see how far they could push Alexia’s performance envelope. What unfolded is nothing short of remarkable. More than thirty areas of improvement were identified and refined. Benefiting from the enormous evolutions found in Chronosonic XVX® and Alexx V, the Wilson Audio Alexia V truly sits upon the shoulders of giants.
Wilson Audio Alexia V – Sculpted From Cutting-Edge Materials
Alexia V’s enclosures are crafted from many exotic and proprietary materials. Included in these handcrafted enclosures are the latest versions of X-Material & S-Material, V-Material strategically nested throughout its form, carbon fiber, aerospace grade aluminum, austenitic stainless steel, and gold connections throughout the entire signal path. Each element has been carefully chosen and optimized for its distinctive role in extraordinary sound reproduction.
First introduced in the Alexx V, Wilson’s Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC) Tweeter now finds a place in the Alexia V. This unique and complex carbon fiber rear-wave chamber is constructed entirely in-house on one of our many dedicated 3D printers. Listening to the results of this special tweeter, one can’t help but get lost in its ability to present an unprecedented level of ambient retrieval and exceptional harmonic expression.
The integration of the tweeter and midrange is an absolutely critical element to accurate sound reproduction. The Alexia Series 2 utilized the same cellulose fiber/carbon composite midrange unit as the WAMM Master Chronosonic®. This midrange has served Alexia well over the years. After extensive experimentation and system refinements, the Alnico (Aluminum-Nickel-Cobalt) QuadraMag™ has been successfully incorporated into the design and selected as the main midrange for the Alexia V. First developed for the Chronosonic XVX®, the QuadraMag midrange provides a tonally rich and life-like sound.
Wilson Audio’s bespoke binding posts create a cleaner signal path at its point of contact. Both banana plug and traditional spade connections can be used with this binding post. Additionally, the new spades, previously only found on the Chronosonic XVX and Alexx V, are optimized to couple precisely with the binding posts. New custom-built cables connecting everything inside Alexia V provide a balanced and beautiful sounding signal path.
Bespoke In-House built Capacitors
Each custom capacitor used in both Alexia V’s crossovers has been wound and finished at Wilson Audio’s in-house capacitor manufacturing department (Reliable Capacitors®). These unique capacitors are made to industry-leading tight tolerances. The AudioCapX-WA™ capacitors, along with fine-tuning in the crossover topology, have contributed to a new standard in low-level loudspeaker resolution.
Modifications made in the crossover slightly improved the impedance measurement of 2.59 ohms at 84 Hz from 2.54 ohms. Alexia V’s sensitivity measurement has also improved by +1dB over that found in Alexia Series 2.
V-Material is nested in the top of the woofer and midrange enclosures for increased vibration mitigation and control. By using X-Material throughout all three modules and methodically refining the internal bracing and panel thicknesses, Wilson Audio’s Engineers have enhanced enclosure damping to a new standard for this product category. Wilson’s research has found S-Material to be a superior material option for midrange driver coupling. It provides an open and accurate sonic presentation.
A Delicate Balance
Sculpted to blend with the new form and increase structural integrity, the midrange enclosure alignment bridge better reinforces the module’s external frame and is a more massive construction using a combination of X-Material and aluminum. A delicate balance is formed within the lines of Alexia V.
In some areas, mass was increased, while in others, material was removed. The cutout that reduces unwanted pressure between the midrange and woofer enclosures found on the top of the Sasha DAW® woofer blades is now a part of Alexia V. The more aerodynamic-looking tweeter module has been reshaped to comfortably house the larger Convergent Synergy Carbon™ tweeter.
Wilson Audio’s engineering team keeps evaluating and refining major hardware components in the search for breakthroughs that serve the music.
Included with Alexia V is a complete set of Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode™. This all-new spike system launched with Alexx V has been completely upgraded from our standard spike system. It features a novel combination of austenitic stainless steel and V-Material. This coupling system was created by Wilson Audio’s Special Applications Engineering® (WASAE) division and has superlative vibration management that reveals far greater dynamic nuances across the entire frequency spectrum. These Acoustic Diodes come in two finish options – Natural Stainless Steel and Carbon Black.
A few more of the upgrades found in Alexia V
- Resistor mounting hardware is now attached to carbon fiber and angled in such a way for a more beautiful presentation and ease to work with.
- The improved and aesthetically appealing external cable dressing solution.
- A new stylized alignment “staircase” block has been developed for ease of visibility during installation.
- The woofer port has been improved to increase laminar flow.
- Mid enclosure internal volume was increased 6.4% to allow a more open-sounding midrange. The woofer enclosure internal volume is now 8.9% larger compared with Alexia Series 2, creating deeper low-frequency reproduction and faster transient settling.
- Refined internal midrange wave diffusers allow faster midrange settling.
- There is now an integrated Bubble level on the top of the woofer cabinet which makes leveling the loudspeaker much easier and more convenient.
Availability and Price
Wilson Audio will be officially launching the Alexia V on September 23rd. The recommended retail prices will be as follows:
- Standard Finishes: $67,500
- Upgrade Finishes: $69,500
- Custom Finishes: $71,500
- Premium Finishes: $79,500