In this review, we will be comparing Sandwich 150 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Leak and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 150 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Leak Sandwich 150 | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Brand | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.2" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44Hz-26kHz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.30kg / 27.1lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16.3" x 9.9" x 11.4"
415 x 250 x 290 mm | 13.6" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 150 and B&W 606 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* |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
B&W 606 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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
Both Sandwich 150 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
Leak Sandwich 150B&W 606
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Sandwich 150 features a 1.2" Coated Textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 150 has a frequency range of 44Hz-26kHz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Sandwich 150 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Sandwich 150 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BW 606 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Sandwich 150 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sandwich 150 sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the BW 606's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to Leak Sandwich 150, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Sandwich 150 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Sandwich 150.
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
BW 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Sandwich 150 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 150's Binding post terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Sandwich 150 and BW 606 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Leak Sandwich 150's and B&W 606's external dimensions. Leak Sandwich 150 has external dimensions of 415 x 250 x 290 mm (16.3 x 9.9 x 11.4 inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch).
B&W 606 is 60mm narrower and 70mm shorter than Leak Sandwich 150 but it is also 34mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leak Sandwich 150 and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 150 and B&W 606 Size and External Dimensions
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 Leak Sandwich 150 is approximately 725.0cm2 / 112.4inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Sandwich 150 requires 18% more surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 150 and B&W 606 on a Media Console
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 Leak Sandwich 150 weighs 12.30kg / 27.1lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the Sandwich 150 78% heavier than the BW 606.
Here is a comparison of how Sandwich 150 and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 606?
Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
345mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
615cm2
vs
725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
Leak |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44Hz-26kHz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.2" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics. |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
12.30kg (27.1lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real-wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
walnut |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Leak Sandwich 150 is the newer design, against a 2019 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Leak Sandwich 150 digs deeper - 44Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 606 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Leak Sandwich 150 takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 606 is easier to place; Leak Sandwich 150 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 606: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | B&W 606 is cheaper - $899 against $1,199, about 25% less. |
A Leak Sandwich 150 B B&W 606
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W 606 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Leak Sandwich 150 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W 606 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.