In this review, we will be comparing F1-12S and Sasha V, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Wilson Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F1-12S and Wilson Audio Sasha V first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F1-12S | Wilson Audio Sasha V |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Wilson Audio
United States · founded 1974 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 7" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" | 2 x 8" Paper pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 24-26k Hz | 20-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20 - 350 W watts | from 25 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 71.99kg / 158.4lbs | 111.13kg / 244.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 53.2" x 17.7" x 28.6"
1351.3 x 449.6 x 726.4mm | 45-1/16" x 14-1/2" x 23-15/16"
1145.0 x 368.0 x 608.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F1-12S and Wilson Audio Sasha V speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Fyne Audio F1-12S |
Wilson Audio Sasha V |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that F1-12S is a 2-way design whereas the Sasha V is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Fyne Audio F1-12SWilson Audio Sasha V
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F1-12S |
Wilson Audio Sasha V |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 7-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 12-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
F1-12S features a " Tweeter and x 12" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 750 Hz. On the other hand, the Sasha V features a 1" Doped silk fabric Dome Tweeter, a 7" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
F1-12S has a frequency range of 24-26k Hz whereas Sasha V has a frequency range of 20-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Sasha V can go slightly deeper then the F1-12S's min frequency of 24Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
F1-12S is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Sasha V which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sasha V can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F1-12S sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Sasha V's is rated at 88 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F1-12S a more sensitive speaker compared to Wilson Audio Sasha V, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
F1-12S can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Sasha V has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 350 watts less than the F1-12S.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
F1-12S features Binding post type posts and Sasha V has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Fyne Audio F1-12S's and Wilson Audio Sasha V's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F1-12S has external dimensions of 1351.3 x 449.6 x 726.4mm (53.2 x 17.7 x 28.6inch) whereas Wilson Audio Sasha V has external dimensions of 1145.0 x 368.0 x 608.0mm (45-1/16 x 14-1/2 x 23-15/16inch).
Fyne Audio F1-12S is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 81.6mm wider, 206.3mm taller and 118.4mm deeper than Wilson Audio Sasha V.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Fyne Audio F1-12S needs about 46% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F1-12S is 118mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F1-12S is 206mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Fyne Audio F1-12S is approximately 3265.9cm2 / 506.2inch2 and base area of the Wilson Audio Sasha V is approximately 2237.4cm2 / 346.8inch2. The F1-12S requires 46% more surface area than the Sasha V which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Fyne Audio F1-12S weighs 71.99kg / 158.4lbs and the Wilson Audio Sasha V weighs 111.13kg / 244.5lbs. This makes the Sasha V 54% heavier than the F1-12S.
Here is a comparison of how F1-12S and Sasha V's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
52499USD
vs
54600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1145mm
vs
1351mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2237cm2
vs
3265cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fyne Audio F1-12S |
Wilson Audio Sasha V |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Wilson Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20 - 350 W watts |
from 25 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
2.36 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
24-26k Hz |
20-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
7" |
| Crossover Frequency |
750 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1351.3mm (53.2") |
1145.0mm (45.1") |
| Width |
449.6mm (17.7") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Depth |
726.4mm (28.6") |
608.0mm (23.9") |
| Weight |
71.99kg (158.4lbs) |
111.13kg (244.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wilson Audio Sasha V digs deeper - 20Hz against 24Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fyne Audio F1-12S is more sensitive (96dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F1-12S is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Wilson Audio Sasha V is easier to place; Fyne Audio F1-12S is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($52,499 vs $54,600 a pair). |
A Fyne Audio F1-12S B Wilson Audio Sasha V
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Fyne Audio F1-12S has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Wilson Audio Sasha V the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, Fyne Audio F1-12S has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wilson Audio Sasha V is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.