In this review, we will be comparing Sandwich 250 and L100 Classic, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Leak and JBL. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 250 and JBL L100 Classic first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Leak Sandwich 250 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.2" Dome Tweeter
- 4.25" Midrange
- 11" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone Woofer
- 42Hz-26kHz Frequency Response
- 88.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:27.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 655.0" x 14.6" x 11.8"( 655 x 370 x 300 mm )
JBL L100 Classic Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Pulp Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 40-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:26.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 636.5" x 15.3" x 14.6"( 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm )
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 250 and JBL L100 Classic 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 250 |
JBL L100 Classic |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Leak Sandwich 250 and JBL L100 Classic compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Sandwich 250 and L100 Classic are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Leak Sandwich 250 |
JBL L100 Classic |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.25-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 11-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
Sandwich 250 features a 1.2" Coated Textile Dome Tweeter , a 4.25" Midrange and 1 x 11" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 470Hz and 3100Hz. On the other hand, the L100 Classic features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 250 has a frequency range of 42Hz-26kHz whereas L100 Classic has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the L100 Classic can go slightly deeper then the Sandwich 250's min frequency of 42Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Sandwich 250 and L100 Classic have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sandwich 250 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the L100 Classic's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL L100 Classic a more sensitive speaker compared to Leak Sandwich 250, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sandwich 250 and the Sandwich 250 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Sandwich 250 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas L100 Classic has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Sandwich 250.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Sandwich 250 features Five-way gold-plated binding posts type posts and L100 Classic has a Five-way gold-plated binding posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 250's Binding post terminals
JBL L100 Classic's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sandwich 250 has a rear firing port whereas L100 Classic has a front firing ports. JBL L100 Classic's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Leak Sandwich 250 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 250's and JBL L100 Classic's external dimensions. Leak Sandwich 250 has external dimensions of 655 x 370 x 300 mm ( 25.8 x 14.6 x 11.8 inch) whereas JBL L100 Classic has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm ( 25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) .
Leak Sandwich 250 is 19.6mm narrower and 71.5mm less deeper than JBL L100 Classic but it is also 18.5mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leak Sandwich 250 and JBL L100 Classic in scale.
Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 250 and JBL L100 Classic 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 250 is approximately 1110.0cm2 / 172.1inch2 and base area of the JBL L100 Classic is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2. The Sandwich 250 requires 23% less surface area than the L100 Classic 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 250 weighs 27.30kg / 60.1lbs and the JBL L100 Classic weighs 26.70kg / 58.7lbs. This makes the Sandwich 250 2% heavier than the L100 Classic.
Here is a comparison of how Sandwich 250 and L100 Classic's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic?
Here are the items that come with the L100 Classic:
Bookshelf loudspeaker
Grille
Owner's Manual