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.
| Key Specs | Leak Sandwich 250 | JBL L100 Classic |
|---|
| Brand | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.2" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.25" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 11" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone | 12" Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42Hz-26kHz | 40-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-250 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.30kg / 60.1lbs | 26.70kg / 58.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25.8" x 14.6" x 11.8"
655 x 370 x 300 mm | 25.0" 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Sandwich 250 and L100 Classic are 3-way speakers.
Leak Sandwich 250JBL L100 Classic
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 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.
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 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Sandwich 250 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas L100 Classic has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Sandwich 250.
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 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
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 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
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
1110cm2
vs
1447cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2399USD
vs
4400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
11 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
636mm
vs
655mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Leak Sandwich 250 |
JBL L100 Classic |
| Brand |
Leak |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-250 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88.5 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42Hz-26kHz |
40-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
11" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.2" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.25" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
470Hz and 3100Hz |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
655.0mm (25.8") |
636.5mm (25.1") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
389.6mm (15.3") |
| Depth |
300.0mm (11.8") |
371.5mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
27.30kg (60.1lbs) |
26.70kg (58.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real-wood veneer |
Genuine walnut veneer |
| Available Colors |
walnut |
Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18" |
| 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 - JBL L100 Classic costs roughly 1.8x what Leak Sandwich 250 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 (42Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Leak Sandwich 250 takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Leak Sandwich 250 is easier to place; JBL L100 Classic is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. JBL L100 Classic sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Leak Sandwich 250 is cheaper - $2,399 against $4,400, about 45% less; arguably a different class. |
A Leak Sandwich 250 B JBL L100 Classic
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?
Leak Sandwich 250 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Leak Sandwich 250 the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and JBL L100 Classic for a small room. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,001 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.