In this review, we will be comparing Sandwich 250 and Dovedale, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Leak and Wharfedale. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Leak Sandwich 250 and Wharfedale Dovedale 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 )
Wharfedale Dovedale Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" soft dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 36-20K HZ Frequency Response
- 89 DB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6.5ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:26.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 660.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"( 660 x 370 x 417mm )
What size room are the Leak Sandwich 250 and Wharfedale Dovedale 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 |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 Wharfedale Dovedale 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 Dovedale are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Leak Sandwich 250 |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.2-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.25-inch |
1 x 5-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 Dovedale features a 1" soft dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Sandwich 250 has a frequency range of 42Hz-26kHz whereas Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20K HZ. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Dovedale which has a nominal impedance of 6.5 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 Dovedale's is rated at 89 DB.
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 and Dovedale has the same power range of 25-250 watts.
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 Post type posts and Dovedale has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Leak Sandwich 250's Binding post terminals
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Sandwich 250 and Dovedale 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.
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 Wharfedale Dovedale'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 Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm ( 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) .
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Leak Sandwich 250 and Wharfedale Dovedale in scale.
Comparison image of Leak Sandwich 250 and Wharfedale Dovedale 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 Wharfedale Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2. The Sandwich 250 requires 28% less surface area than the Dovedale 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 Wharfedale Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs. This makes the Sandwich 250 4% heavier than the Dovedale.
Here is a comparison of how Sandwich 250 and Dovedale's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers