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Leak Sandwich 250 vs Wharfedale Dovedale Comparison

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Leak Sandwich 250

Passive Bookshelf | 42Hz-26kHz

Leak Sandwich 250
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Wharfedale Dovedale

Passive Bookshelf | 36-20K HZ

Wharfedale Dovedale
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Leak Sandwich 250 Leak Sandwich 250
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Wharfedale Dovedale Wharfedale Dovedale
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Leak Sandwich 250
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Wharfedale Dovedale
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Leak Sandwich 250 vs Wharfedale Dovedale Speaker Comparison

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.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


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

Sandwich 250
Dovedale
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Leak Sandwich 250
Wharfedale Dovedale
Min
Average
Max

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

Sandwich 250
Dovedale
Min
Average
Max

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 Terminals
Leak Sandwich 250's Binding post terminals

Wharfedale DovedalePost 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.

Leak Sandwich 250 vs Wharfedale Dovedale Size Comparison - Front View
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
Leak Sandwich 250
Wharfedale Dovedale
Min
Average
Max

Reasons to choose Leak Sandwich 250 over Wharfedale Dovedale
Woofer Size 11 inches vs 10 inches Larger woofer
High Frequency Response 26k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
Height 655mm vs 660mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 1110cm2 vs 1542cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 2399USD vs 5000USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Wharfedale Dovedale over Leak Sandwich 250

Nominal Impedance 6.5 ohms vs 4 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
Low Frequency Response 36 Hz vs 42 Hz Generates deeper bass
Leak Sandwich 250 vs Wharfedale Dovedale Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Leak Sandwich 250 Wharfedale Dovedale
Brand Leak Wharfedale
Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
Power Range 25-250 watts 25-250 watts
Sensitivity 88.5 dB 89 DB
Impedance 4 ohms 6.5 ohms
Impedance n/a 3.6 ohms
Frequency Response 42Hz-26kHz 36-20K HZ
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 1 1
Woofer Size 11" 10"
Woofer Composition Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone black woven Kevlar cone
Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
Tweeter Size 1.2" 1"
Tweeter Type Dome soft dome
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver 4.25" 5"
Crossover Frequency 470Hz and 3100Hz 560Hz and 2900Hz
Firing Direction rear rear
Physical Specs
Height 655.0mm (25.8") 660.0mm (26")
Width 370.0mm (14.6") 370.0mm (14.6")
Depth 300.0mm (11.8") 417.0mm (16.4")
Weight 27.30kg (60.1lbs) 26.20kg (57.6lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
Finish real-wood veneer MDF/Wood Veneer
Available Colors walnut Walnut
Mounting Bracket No No
Grille Yes Yes
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Biamp Inputs No No
Other
Parts Warranty 5 Years
Labor Warranty 5 Years

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