Sabrina V is more than just an update of the original version. The new model replaces the Sabrina X and integrates technology from high-end models, including the Chronosonic XVX, Alexx V, and Sasha V, to produce a more unified, natural, and, most importantly, musical sound.
The original Sabrina speakers impressed me with their performance at Audioshow 2016, and I mentioned this in the report I published at the time: 'In relative terms (of size and price), I consider princess Sabrina to be the best speaker ever created by Wilson Audio. The sound has the right tonal balance, and the bass has the ideal weight for its size.’
Sabrina at Audioshow 2016
Wilson Audio Sabrina at the Audioshow 2016 - Lisbon
Sabrina X at Imacustica-Lisbon (2020)
In 2020, I secretly attended a listening session with Sabrina X at Imacustica-Lisboa, a world's first. I had to wait for the embargo to be lifted before publishing the event report.
Sabrina V at Imacustica-Lisbon (2025)
Five years later, here I am again in the presence of ‘Princess Sabrina’, now with a ‘V,’ a noble title usually associated with ‘Victory’, but which very prosaically relates to one of the materials the Sabrina is made from: the V-Material, according to the Wilsonian nomenclature.
The front panel is made from H-Material—a high-density composite, the same as X-Material, equally rigid but softer, making it somewhat more ‘musical’ in the midrange—combined with X-/V-Material panels and V-MCD decoupling integrated into the base, which now allows Acoustic Diodes to be connected directly, removing resonance and mechanical vibrations.
A Royal Princess's Dowry
According to Daryl Wilson, XVX stands for X = past, V = present, and X = future. Does only the present matter for Sabrina V? No, because Sabrina is Wilson Audio's cherished princess, and she has inherited all the technology from the past and present to secure her future.
1-inch Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC) tweeter, soft treated fabric dome, developed for the Alexx V;
7-inch QuadraMag midrange with AlNiCo (Aluminium, Nickel, and Cobalt) magnet, a gem inherited from the Chronosonic XVX, the mother of all Wilson speakers, and also used in the Alexx V/Alexia V/Sasha V and the WATT·Puppy dynasty — for linearity and tonal richness in the band to which the ear is most sensitive.
8" woofer — the same as the Sasha V and WATT·Puppy — chosen for its authority and quick response, with articulate and solid bass.
Musical Education
Along with her technological endowment, the princess received a thorough musical education:
- The bass port has been recalibrated to allow the bass to reach deeper.
- The crossover filter now boasts only AudioCapX-WA capacitors, manufactured in-house with copper terminals, to ensure a smoother transition between bass and midrange frequencies.
- The crossover filter resistor panel is now mounted in an aluminium frame, which has been moved from the bottom to the back, making tuning easier by securing the resistors with hand-tightened screws.
You can have Sabrinas painted any colour you fancy. Here I used Photoshop to paint them with our national colours, just for fun.
Royal Wardrobe
The princess's elegant silhouette (slightly taller and thinner, albeit heavier than the Sabrina X) calls for a matching wardrobe. Sabrina is dressed in neutral WilsonGloss colours such as Galaxy Grey, Quartz, Carbon, and Medio Grigio, but you can customise it in hundreds of colours with matching grille fabric.
Like the metaphorical woman in 'She's a Rainbow' by the Rolling Stones, Sabrina ‘comes in colours everywhere’, bringing life, light, and joy to the world:
Have you seen her all in gold?
Like a queen in days of old
She shoots colours all around
Like a sunset going down
Have you seen a lady fairer?
Sabrina V in Concert at Imacustica—Lisbon
Sabrina V performed just for me at Imacustica-Lisbon. Hearing it sing in one of the auditoriums, instead of bringing a pair of Sabrinas to my listening room, had all the advantages—and I'm not just talking about the space and acoustic conditions. I didn't have to worry about logistics, transport, placement, and tuning. Neither will you.
dCS LINA X
When I arrived at Imacustica, everything was already set up: Manuel, Paulo, and Miguel had already carried out a preliminary listening session and concluded Sabrina sounded best with valves.
They opted for the excellent Audio Research Reference 6SE/160S, complemented by Transparent Audio cabling and a dCS LINA X source. I simply set up the sound and image recording equipment and chose the music on the iPad.
Audio Research Reference 6SE preamplifier
Audio Research Reference 160S, valve stereo amplifier
Now, these are the same conditions any Hificlube reader can enjoy at Imacustica-Lisbon, removing from the equation the variables of my room and my associated equipment, which you have no access to and can never compare.
So, the sound you hear in the video is the same as what you will listen to at Imacustica-Lisboa, with the caveat that the sound and image via YouTube are only illustrative—and not representative—of what you hear/see ‘live.’ Having the feeling of being there and actually being there are two different things.
The Audition
Here are 3 tracks I have selected for you from the many I heard:
‘Bird on a Wire’—Jennifer Warnes
Sabrina V is particularly happy with female voices. Warnes appears luminous, introduced by the solid impact of the percussion, but with substance in the mid-low register, with none of that artificial sweetness that broadens the image but robs the sound of inner structure. The strings and light percussion sit on a broad and deep stage, maintaining a stable focus, even as the orchestration gains density. The AudioCapX-WA on the crossover allows the delicate texture of the acoustic fabric to pass through, as well as the air between the threads. It is an elegant and cohesive presentation, befitting a princess.
‘Smoke on the Water’—Deep Purple
One of the criticisms from our YouTube followers is that we only select audiophile music that is easy to reproduce. Well, here it is—heavy rock to test muscle, attack, and control at full PA volume. The famous riff comes in angular yet heavy, with the snare drum seeming to crack with each impact, while the hi-hat and cymbals hang in the air, showing audible decay.
Sabrina V doesn't hold back; it keeps the bass in check, without excessive kick, so the bass line doesn't become too fat when the volume is increased. The stage is layered, and the Hammond never infringes on the vocal and guitar territory. Dynamic speed and rhythm are typical of the Wilson Audio school; it makes you nudge the volume up another notch—and it holds its poise, stage locked and tone intact. On Smoke on the Water it flat-out smokes!
‘The Sound of Silence’—The Ghost of Johnny Cash
Sabrina V corporises the 'Ghost' of Johnny Cash in the room, standing before us with a solidly focused voice and that deep, grave baritone timbre, performing a sombre rendition of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, enveloped in the studio air, in a way which only the QuadraMag knows how to reveal without hardening the consonants.
The 'Ghost' sings almost a cappella, and the breathing, the pauses, and the weight of the words cut out against a black background, with a splash of synthesised guitar decay that helps to suspend time—a merit of the CSC, which extends the ethereal highs without harming the ears. At the low end, the 8" woofer reproduces the weight of the air in the studio but without affecting the intimate contact, as if we were two metres away from the performer.
Note: The images and sound in the video were not captured simultaneously. I first recorded the video, which I edited to illustrate the sound of the excerpts from the tracks described above, captured by a Nagra DS digital recorder at 96/24 (courtesy of Ajasom), placed statically in the “sweet spot”. Everything you hear was recorded in the Imacustica-Lisboa auditorium directly from Sabrina, without processing or equalisation.
Conclusion
Sabrina V upholds the plug-and-play philosophy, foregoing the modular time-alignment that distinguishes Wilson Audio’s top-tiers. But it does not compromise scale, dynamics, or tonal accuracy. Give it enough power and take care with placement and floor coupling, and it repays you with a deep three-dimensional stage, propulsive timing, and a musicality that pins you to the chair—and steals the hours. It’s the kind of ‘V’ that sends a shiVer down your spine.
Technical specifications
- Configuration—3-way: 1‘ CSC tweeter, 7’ QuadraMag AlNiCo midrange (paper pulp composite cone), 8" woofer (paper pulp).
- Enclosure type: sealed tweeter; rear-vented midrange; rear bass reflex.
- Frequency response: 27 Hz – 24 kHz (±3 dB).
- Sensitivity: 87 dB; nominal impedance: 4 Ω (minimum 2.23 Ω).
- Minimum recommended power: 50 W per channel.
- Size/weight: approx. 99 x 30.5 x 39.1 cm; weight approx. 56 kg per speaker (slightly thinner, taller and heavier than the Sabrina X).
- Finishes and upgrades: WilsonGloss; threads for Acoustic Diode; rear access to resistors; V-MCD base.
- Price: € 39, 990
- Distributor: IMACUSTICA