Sounds like if you were able to demo the Sasha DAW and really liked them, then that should be conclusive.. I’m sure you understand they do prefer/require nice upstream components and cabling.
But if you liked the strengths and presentation, you should look for pairs within your budget. You can get W/Ps in the $5-7K range, Sophias in the $7-9K range, and Sashas 1-2 in the $10-12K range. Only Wilsons I would stay away from are the much older Witt and the Cub. And some folks seem to think the Alexia 1 had some coherence issues.
I have a pair of W/Ps, and the small form factor (as long as there are dynamite dynamics), while not totally determinative, IS important. Big horns, or Maggies, or other obscure shaped speakers - while they may sound more immediate, or live, or ’real’ - are more visually problematic over the long term. Wilsons can get you pretty close sonically, in a much more real-world package that’s a lot easier to live with.
But if you liked the strengths and presentation, you should look for pairs within your budget. You can get W/Ps in the $5-7K range, Sophias in the $7-9K range, and Sashas 1-2 in the $10-12K range. Only Wilsons I would stay away from are the much older Witt and the Cub. And some folks seem to think the Alexia 1 had some coherence issues.
I have a pair of W/Ps, and the small form factor (as long as there are dynamite dynamics), while not totally determinative, IS important. Big horns, or Maggies, or other obscure shaped speakers - while they may sound more immediate, or live, or ’real’ - are more visually problematic over the long term. Wilsons can get you pretty close sonically, in a much more real-world package that’s a lot easier to live with.