In this review, we will be comparing Sandwich 150 and R100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Leak and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 150 and Polk R100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Leak Sandwich 150 | Polk R100 |
|---|
| Brand | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.2" Dome | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone | 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44Hz-26kHz | 58-39k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.30kg / 27.1lbs | 5.55kg / 12.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16.3" x 9.9" x 11.4"
415 x 250 x 290 mm | 12-13/16" x 6-9/16" x 10-3/16"
326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 150 and Polk R100 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 |
Polk R100 |
| 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 R100 are 2-way speakers.
Leak Sandwich 150Polk R100
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 |
Polk R100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-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 R100 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 150 has a frequency range of 44Hz-26kHz whereas R100 has a frequency range of 58-39k 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 R100's min frequency of 58Hz.
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 R100 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 R100's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Leak Sandwich 150 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R100, 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 R100 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 R100 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 150's Binding post terminals
Polk R100's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Sandwich 150 and R100 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.
Polk R100 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 Polk R100'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 Polk R100 has external dimensions of 326.0 x 167.0 x 259.0mm (12-13/16 x 6-9/16 x 10-3/16inch).
Leak Sandwich 150 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 83mm wider, 89mm taller and 31mm deeper than Polk R100.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leak Sandwich 150 and Polk R100 in scale.
Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 150 and Polk R100 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 Polk R100 is approximately 432.5cm2 / 67.0inch2. The Sandwich 150 requires 68% more surface area than the R100 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 Polk R100 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 Polk R100 weighs 5.55kg / 12.2lbs. This makes the Sandwich 150 122% heavier than the R100.
Here is a comparison of how Sandwich 150 and R100's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R100?
Here are the items that come with the R100:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
39k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
326mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
432cm2
vs
725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
Polk Audio Reserve R100 |
| Brand |
Leak |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44Hz-26kHz |
58-39k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.2" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
326.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
167.0mm (6.6") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
259.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
12.30kg (27.1lbs) |
5.55kg (12.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real-wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
walnut |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Leak Sandwich 150 costs roughly 1.8x what Polk R100 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 | A | Leak Sandwich 150 digs deeper - 44Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R100 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 | Polk R100 is easier to place; Leak Sandwich 150 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk R100 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk R100 is cheaper - $649 against $1,199, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A Leak Sandwich 150 B Polk R100
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 58Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk R100 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, Polk R100 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.