In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Leak Sandwich 250 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Model Five is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 250 and KLH Model Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Leak Sandwich 250 | KLH Model Five |
|---|
| Brand | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.2" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4.25" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 11" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone | 10" Pulp-Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42Hz-26kHz | 42-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-250 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.30kg / 60.1lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25.8" x 14.6" x 11.8"
655 x 370 x 300 mm | 34-1/4" x 13-3/4" x 13"
870.0 x 350.0 x 330.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 250 and KLH Model Five 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 |
KLH Model Five |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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 Model Five are 3-way speakers.
Leak Sandwich 250KLH Model Five
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 |
KLH Model Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.25-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 11-inch
|
1 x 10-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 Model Five features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 10" Pulp-Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz and 2850Hz.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 250 has a frequency range of 42Hz-26kHz whereas Model Five has a frequency range of 42-20k Hz.
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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Model Five 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 250 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sandwich 250 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the Model Five's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the KLH Model Five a more sensitive speaker compared to Leak Sandwich 250, 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 250 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Model Five 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 Binding post type posts and Model Five has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 250's Binding post terminals
KLH Model Five'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 250's and KLH Model Five'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 KLH Model Five has external dimensions of 870.0 x 350.0 x 330.0mm (34-1/4 x 13-3/4 x 13inch).
Leak Sandwich 250 is 215mm shorter and 30mm less deeper than KLH Model Five but it is also 20mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leak Sandwich 250 and KLH Model Five in scale.
Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 250 and KLH Model Five 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 KLH Model Five is approximately 1155.0cm2 / 179.0inch2. The Sandwich 250 requires 4% less surface area than the Model Five which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of KLH Model Five?
Here are the items that come with the Model Five:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Riser base
- Grille
- Owners Manual