Wilson Audio Introduces its Most Affordable Center Channel Speaker

Wilson Audio has gone through a rather interesting transition since the passing of its founder, David Wilson. The Utah-based loudspeaker maker has always been a family business and it seemed almost impossible to fill the the void after his passing; Wilson was one of the most successful brands in the entire industry for almost 3 decades and its charismatic owner was a huge part of that success. To their credit, the family has carried on his legacy with a new generation of products that offer superior engineering and build quality. The new Wilson WASAE Center Channel Loudspeaker adds a new “affordable” option to their home theater lineup.

The WASAE Center Channel

The latest entry into the Wilson lineup is the Wilson Audio Special Applications Engineering (WASAE) Center Channel Speaker.

The WASAE cabinet incorporates advanced X-Material (used for cabinet bracing) and S-Material (a blend of materials that form a stable and low-resonance coupling surface for the midrange driver) for precise vibration control. 

Featuring the same Convergent Synergy MK5 tweeter found in the WAMM Master Chronosonic, the WASAE Center is designed to deliver linear high-frequency extension and harmonic nuance found in its larger siblings. The mid-woofer utilized is the same as in the Alexx V, SabrinaX, and the wall-mounted Alida.

WASAE Center’s crossover components, include Wilson’s new AudioCapX-WA capacitors. The capacitors are wound at Wilson Audio to extremely tight tolerances specifically for this product, thus increasing low-level resolution.

To support a cleaner signal path, the WASAE Center is equipped with Wilson Audio spade + banana plug binding posts. 

Specifications

• Enclosure Type: X-Material / S-Material / Rear Vented (Bass Reflex)
• Mid-Woofers: 2 x 5.75 inches (14.61 cm)
• Tweeter: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
• Sensitivity: 88 dB @ 1 Watt @ 1 meter @ 1 kHz
• Impedance: 4 ohms/minimum 3.9 ohms @ 198 Hz
• Minimum Amplifier Power: 20 Watts
• Frequency Response: 65 Hz – 31 kHz (+/- 3 dB)
• Height: 7 3/4 inches (19.62 cm) w/o spikes
• Width: 26 3/4 inches (67.95 cm)
• Depth: 13 3/16 inches (33.46 cm)
• Weight: 57 lbs (25.85 kg)
• Total System Shipping Weight (approx.): 100 lbs (45.36 kg)

In the Box

• WASAE Center Manual
• Warranty Registration Form
• (1x) Polishing Cloth
• (2x) 3/8-inch 16 Stainless Adjustable Spike with Nut
• (2x) “AA” Stainless Spike
• (4x) Small Aluminum Spike Pad
• (1) 1/2-inch Nut Driver (binding posts)
• (1) 7/16-inch Combo Wrench (“AA” spike)
• (1) 9/16-inch Wrench (adjustable spike nut)
• (1) 1/4-inch Flat Wrench for Adjustable Spike tip (spike install/removal)
• (1) 3/16-inch Allen Wrench (spike set screws)
• Universal Allen Driver
• (1) 1/8-inch Allen Bit (resistor panel screw)
• (1) 5/32-inch Allen Bit (driver screws)
• Full-Line Brochure
• Wilson Audiophile Recordings leaflet 

Finish Options

The WASAE Center Channel Speaker is being offered with an abundance of cabinet and grill colors in standard (5 colors), upgrade (14 colors), and premium (10 colors) options (upgrade and premium color options require an extra fee). A custom finish option is also available. 

Tip: The standard color offerings are Galaxy Gray, GT Silver, Quartz, Carbon, and Medio Grigio

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for the Wilson Audio WASAE is based on the finish option chosen:

• Standard Finish: $9,500
• Upgrade Finish: $10,000
• Custom Finish: $11,000
• Premium Finish: $11,500

The Wilson Audio WASAE is available through Authorized Dealers and Distributors

BONUS: If you want a more substantial higher-end center channel speaker to complement a Wilson Audio setup, you might consider the Wilson Audio MEZZO CS (Convergent Synergy) price from $17,600 to $20,600 depending on the finish.

Comparison

Here is a basic specifications comparison of WASAE and MEZZO CS.

Related Reading

Here are other Wilson Audio Loudspeakers in their current lineup that we have covered: