If you are interested in ultra-high-end hi-fi, then a loudspeaker unveiling by Wilson Audio is big news. The latest model to arrive on the scene is the floorstanding Alexia V, a heavily revised version of the Alexia Series 2 which launched back in 2017.
Five years is a long time between models; it has given the brand plenty of time to pass on benefits from new models in its line-up such as the £340,000 Chronosonic XVX. To that end there have been no fewer than 30 different design elements introduced to put the Alexia V at the top of its audio game.
Within the hand-crafted enclosures of the speakers, you will find the latest versions of Wilson Audio's X-Material, S-Material and V-Material all used in strategic positions.
V-Material sits at the top of the woofer and midrange enclosures to reduce and control vibrations, while S-Material is used for midrange driver coupling to help promote a more open and accurate sound. X-Material is used throughout the speaker to aid damping and supplement the effects of the speaker's revamped internal bracing, and revised panel thicknesses.
The speakers use an Alnico (Aluminium-Nickel-Cobalt) QuadraMag midrange driver, originally developed for the Chronosonic XVX, while the midrange enclosure for Alexia V has had its internal volume increased by 6.4 per cent for more open mids.
The internal volume of the speaker's woofer enclosure has also increased by 8.9 per cent compared with Alexia Series 2 for deeper, more agile bass; and the woofer port has also been improved to increase the flow of air out of the speaker.
Higher up the frequency range, the speakers now feature a more aerodynamic tweeter module which has been reshaped to fit the large Convergent Synergy Carbon tweeter used in the design.
For optimum performance, Wilson Audio has paid particular attention to the time alignment of all drivers, tweaking it so they are aligned with each other better and are more on-axis with the listener.
Carbon fiber, aerospace grade aluminium, austenitic stainless steel, and gold connections can be found throughout the speaker's signal path with the capacitors used in the crossovers wound and finished in-house in Wilson Audio’s dedicated capacitor manufacturing department.
Even the spikes are special, with each pair partnered with a set of Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode. This new spike system launched with the company's Alexx V speakers and combines austenitic stainless steel and V-Material to create a coupling system that handles unwanted vibrations.
The Wilson Audio Alexia V are available to order from 23rd September. Pricing starts at £79,888 per pair (between $67,500 and $79,500 plus tax / around AU$136,160) in the company’s standard range of colours, while bespoke colours are also available.
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