In this review, we will be comparing Sandwich 150 and 700, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Leak and Mission.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 150 and Mission 700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Leak Sandwich 150 | Mission 700 |
|---|
| Brand | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.2" Dome | 1.25" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone | 6.5" mineral loaded polypropylene cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44Hz-26kHz | 45-20,000 Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.30kg / 27.1lbs | 12.80kg / 28.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16.3" x 9.9" x 11.4"
415 x 250 x 290 mm | 20" x 10.2" x 10.6"
510.0 x 260.0 x 270.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 150 and Mission 700 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 |
Mission 700 |
| 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 700 are 2-way speakers.
Leak Sandwich 150Mission 700
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 |
Mission 700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1.25-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 700 features a 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" mineral loaded polypropylene cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 150 has a frequency range of 44Hz-26kHz whereas 700 has a frequency range of 45-20,000 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Sandwich 150 can go slightly deeper then the 700's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 700 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 700's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Leak Sandwich 150 a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission 700, 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 and 700 have the same power range of 25-150 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 Post type posts and 700 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 150's Binding post terminals
Mission 700's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sandwich 150 has a rear firing port whereas 700 has a Front firing ports.
Mission 700 Front Port
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 Mission 700'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 Mission 700 has external dimensions of 510.0 x 260.0 x 270.0mm (20 x 10.2 x 10.6 inch).
Leak Sandwich 150 is 10mm narrower and 95mm shorter than Mission 700 but it is also 20mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leak Sandwich 150 and Mission 700 in scale.
Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 150 and Mission 700 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 Mission 700 is approximately 702.0cm2 / 108.8inch2. The Sandwich 150 requires 3% more surface area than the 700 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 Leak Sandwich 150 weighs 12.30kg / 27.1lbs and the Mission 700 weighs 12.80kg / 28.2lbs. This makes the 700 4% heavier than the Sandwich 150.
Here is a comparison of how Sandwich 150 and 700's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Mission 700?
Here are the items that come with the 700:
- Mission M700 Speaker:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- User Manual
- Mission M700 Stand:
- 2 Top-plates
- 2 Bases
- 8 Upright posts
- 8 Spike feet
- Hardware
- Instructions
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
415mm
vs
510mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Base Surface Area |
702cm2
vs
725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
Mission 700 |
| Brand |
Leak |
Mission |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
5.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44Hz-26kHz |
45-20,000 Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
mineral loaded polypropylene cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
low-density nitrile |
| Tweeter Size |
1.2" |
1.25" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
3000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
Front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
510.0mm (20.1") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
270.0mm (10.6") |
| Weight |
12.30kg (27.1lbs) |
12.80kg (28.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real-wood veneer |
MDF, particle board, wood |
| Available Colors |
walnut |
Walnut Pearl, Black Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (44Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Mission 700 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Leak Sandwich 150 is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,500, about 20% less. |
A Leak Sandwich 150 B Mission 700
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?
The usual trade-off: Mission 700 measures better, Leak Sandwich 150 costs about about 25% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Mission 700 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.