Wilson Audio Unveils Revolutionary New Flagship Speaker Autobiography

Experience the groundbreaking innovation and pristine sound of Wilson Audio's Autobiography, a flagship speaker redefining audio excellence.

A New Chapter in Wilson Audio's Story

When Wilson Audio introduces a new flagship speaker, the audiophile world listens. I had the privilege of attending the unveiling of their latest marvel, the Autobiography, at the company’s factory in Provo, Utah. This isn’t just a new speaker—it’s a bold reimagining of what’s possible in sound reproduction, craftsmanship, and design.

The Autobiography isn’t simply a collection of past successes. It’s a sonic autobiography of Wilson Audio’s 52-year journey, embodying decades of expertise and fearless innovation. As the company puts it, “Autobiography is not a compilation of prior solutions. It is the result of understanding why those solutions succeeded, and how they could be refined, reimagined, and elevated.”

Precision Engineering Meets Sonic Mastery

At the heart of the Autobiography is an eight-driver, five-way design that pushes driver time alignment to unprecedented heights. Unlike previous Wilson models, this speaker boasts an entirely fresh system engineered from scratch, achieving an astonishing one microsecond precision in wavefront arrival at the listener’s ears. Imagine every note and nuance arriving perfectly timed, whether you're sitting close or farther back—that’s the kind of exactitude Wilson Audio has realized here.

The speaker’s architecture echoes the legacy of Wilson’s WAMM and Chronosonic XVX loudspeaker models, featuring a lower bass section with dual woofers. But these aren’t just any woofers—they’re larger than ever, with 15” and 12” drivers that promise earth-shaking bass. Above them, an open-air gantry supports midrange and tweeter modules, but here’s where the design truly diverges. Every element from enclosure to drivers has been rethought and refined.

Unmatched Build Quality and Materials

Wilson Audio’s commitment to precision extends to the enclosure itself, the most advanced the company has ever crafted. Special “V Material,” designed to absorb vibrations, is meticulously placed wherever driver modules meet the cabinet or structural supports. The woofer baffle is reinforced with thick damping layers, adding not only to the sonic purity but also to the speaker’s striking aesthetics.

Custom Drivers Designed For Excellence

Every driver in the Autobiography is brand new and purpose-built. The dual 7” lower-midrange drivers are an evolution of Wilson’s famed QuadraMag design, now enhanced with an extra magnet—earning the name PentaMag—and other advancements that elevate resolution and dynamic expression.

These PentaMag drivers hand off to a pair of 2” silk fabric dome upper-midrange drivers, nestled within shallow aluminum waveguides. This design minimizes diffraction, ensuring a seamless sonic blend. At the center, the new Convergent Synergy Tweeter takes its place within the gantry, flanked symmetrically by the upper-midrange domes and PentaMag drivers. Each is housed in its own enclosure to maintain sonic integrity.

Adding a clever twist, an upward/rear-firing tweeter can be adjusted via a knob on the speaker’s top module. This feature breathes an airy openness into the soundstage, making the listening experience even more engaging.

High Sensitivity Meets Stunning Scale

With a sensitivity rating of 89dB, the Autobiography is easier to drive than Wilson’s WAMM or XVX, despite its monumental size—standing at an impressive 83.5 inches tall. Its US retail price is set at $788,000 per pair, reflecting the extraordinary craftsmanship and technology packed into each speaker. Shipping has already begun, and anticipation among audiophiles is sky-high.

Wilson Audio’s CEO Darryl Wilson led this innovative project. He’ll be touring extensively, starting in early May at JS Audio in Bethesda, Maryland, to demonstrate the Autobiography’s revolutionary sound. Be sure to check the Wilson Audio website for upcoming dealer events and demonstrations.

Bass That Shakes the Ground and Moves the Soul

One of the most jaw-dropping aspects of the Autobiography is its bass performance. With larger bass cabinets and woofers, the speaker extends deep down to an astonishing 16Hz. During a listening session, I experienced an organ recording rich in 16Hz and 32Hz pedal points—notes that truly test a speaker’s low-frequency mettle.

What blew me away was the fact that the Autobiography, without any subwoofers, outperformed my own system, which uses the Chronosonic XVX loudspeaker paired with massive powered SubSonic subwoofers. That level of bass extension and clarity, especially in the room I was in, is nothing short of remarkable.

Clarity, Precision, and Emotional Impact

Listening to the Autobiography was a revelation. It delivered extraordinary clarity and pinpoint precision in pitch, timbre, and spatial imaging. The sound had a palpable physicality, a “you-are-there” presence that was both powerful and intimate.

The soundstage was vast, with instruments placed so precisely that I could almost reach out and touch them. Yet, the speaker’s dynamic range allowed it to scale down beautifully for smaller, more personal moments, like Ella Fitzgerald’s tender “Good Morning Heartache” from her 1962 album Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie.

More To Come

There’s so much more to explore with the Autobiography, and a full review is coming soon. For now, it’s clear that Wilson Audio has engineered a loudspeaker like no other. It’s a serious contender for the pinnacle of loudspeaker design, showcasing groundbreaking innovation, impeccable build quality, and breathtaking sound.

Stay tuned for more detailed impressions!

FAQ

• What is the driver configuration of the Autobiography speaker?
  It’s an eight-driver, five-way system featuring dual woofers, lower and upper midrange drivers, and tweeters, all engineered for ultimate precision.
• How precise is the driver time alignment?
  The Autobiography achieves an unprecedented time alignment accuracy of one microsecond, ensuring perfect wavefront arrival at the listener’s ears.
• What is unique about the woofers in the Autobiography?
  The woofers are larger than previous models, measuring 15” and 12”, allowing it to reach deep bass frequencies down to 16Hz without subwoofers.
• Can the soundstage be adjusted for different preferences?
  Yes, there is an adjustable upward/rear-firing tweeter that enhances openness and airiness, customizable via a knob on the speaker’s top module.
• What is the retail price and size of the Autobiography?
  The speaker stands 83.5 inches tall and is priced at $788,000 per pair.

Elevate your love for music and design by shopping your favorite album cover poster at our store here. Perfect for complementing your elite audio setup!