In this review, we will be comparing Sandwich 150 and Model Three, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Leak and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 150 and KLH Model Three first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Leak Sandwich 150 | KLH Model Three |
|---|
| Brand | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.2" Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone | 8" Pulp-Paper Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44Hz-26kHz | 46-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.30kg / 27.1lbs | 13.20kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16.3" x 9.9" x 11.4"
415 x 250 x 290 mm | 19.0" x 12.25" x 10.5"
482.0 x 311.0 x 267.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 150 and KLH Model Three 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 |
KLH Model Three |
| 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 Model Three are 2-way speakers.
Leak Sandwich 150KLH Model Three
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 |
KLH Model Three |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-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 Model Three features a 1" Aluminum Tweeter and 1 x 8" Pulp-Paper Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1600Hz.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 150 has a frequency range of 44Hz-26kHz whereas Model Three has a frequency range of 46-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Sandwich 150 can go slightly deeper then the Model Three's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 Model Three which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 Model Three's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the KLH Model Three 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Sandwich 150 is rated 25-150 watts and Model Three 30-150 watts.
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
Sandwich 150 features Binding post type posts and Model Three has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 150's Binding post terminals
KLH Model Three's Binding post terminals
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 KLH Model Three'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 KLH Model Three has external dimensions of 482.0 x 311.0 x 267.0mm (19.0 x 12.25 x 10.5inch).
Leak Sandwich 150 is 61mm narrower and 67mm shorter than KLH Model Three but it is also 23mm deeper.
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 KLH Model Three is approximately 830.4cm2 / 128.7inch2. The Sandwich 150 requires 13% less surface area than the Model Three which gives it a small advantage 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 Leak Sandwich 150 weighs 12.30kg / 27.1lbs and the KLH Model Three weighs 13.20kg / 29lbs. This makes the Model Three 7% heavier than the Sandwich 150.
Here is a comparison of how Sandwich 150 and Model Three's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Model Three?
Here are the items that come with the Model Three:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Riser base
- Grille
- Owners Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
415mm
vs
482mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
725cm2
vs
830cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
2000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
KLH Model Three |
| Brand |
Leak |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44Hz-26kHz |
46-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
Pulp-Paper Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.2" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
1600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
311.0mm (12.2") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Weight |
12.30kg (27.1lbs) |
13.20kg (29lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
real-wood veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
walnut |
English Walnut, West African Mahogany |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - KLH Model Three costs roughly 1.7x what Leak Sandwich 150 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (44Hz vs 46Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Model Three is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Leak Sandwich 150 is easier to place; KLH Model Three is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | A | Leak Sandwich 150 is cheaper - $1,199 against $2,000, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Leak Sandwich 150 B KLH Model Three
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?
KLH Model Three is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 67% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Leak Sandwich 150 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the KLH Model Three appeals to you. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Model Three is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $801 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.