In this review, we will be comparing Super Denton and Sandwich 150, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Leak.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Super Denton and Leak Sandwich 150 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Super Denton | Leak Sandwich 150 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Leak
United Kingdom · founded 1934 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1.2" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-20k Hz | 44Hz-26kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.20kg / 20.2lbs | 12.30kg / 27.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-1/8" x 9-11/16" x 11-5/8"
360 x 246 x 295mm | 16.3" x 9.9" x 11.4"
415 x 250 x 290 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Super Denton and Leak Sandwich 150 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* |
Wharfedale Super Denton |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Super Denton is a 3-way design whereas the Sandwich 150 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Wharfedale Super DentonLeak Sandwich 150
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Super Denton |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.2-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Super Denton features a 1" woven textile Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 940Hz and 4.6kHz. On the other hand, the Sandwich 150 features a 1.2" Coated Textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
Super Denton has a frequency range of 52-20k Hz whereas Sandwich 150 has a frequency range of 44Hz-26kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Sandwich 150 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Super Denton's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
Super Denton is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Sandwich 150 which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 150 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Super Denton sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Sandwich 150's is rated at 86.5 dB.
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 150 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Super Denton has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Sandwich 150.
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
Super Denton features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Sandwich 150 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Super Denton's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Leak Sandwich 150's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Super Denton and Sandwich 150 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
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 Wharfedale Super Denton's and Leak Sandwich 150's external dimensions. Wharfedale Super Denton has external dimensions of 360 x 246 x 295mm (14-1/8inch x 9-11/16inch x 11-5/8inch) whereas Leak Sandwich 150 has external dimensions of 415 x 250 x 290 mm (16.3 x 9.9 x 11.4 inch).
Wharfedale Super Denton is 4mm narrower and 55mm shorter than Leak Sandwich 150 but it is also 5mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Super Denton and Leak Sandwich 150 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Super Denton and Leak Sandwich 150 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 Wharfedale Super Denton is approximately 725.7cm2 / 112.5inch2 and base area of the Leak Sandwich 150 is approximately 725.0cm2 / 112.4inch2. The Super Denton requires 0% more surface area than the Sandwich 150 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Wharfedale Super Denton weighs 9.20kg / 20.2lbs and the Leak Sandwich 150 weighs 12.30kg / 27.1lbs. This makes the Sandwich 150 34% heavier than the Super Denton.
Here is a comparison of how Super Denton and Sandwich 150's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Super Denton?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Super Denton:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
360mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
725cm2
vs
725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Super Denton |
Leak Sandwich 150 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Leak |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
86.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
52-20k Hz |
44Hz-26kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.2" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
940Hz and 4.6kHz |
2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
360.0mm (14.2") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
246.0mm (9.7") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
295.0mm (11.6") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Weight |
9.20kg (20.2lbs) |
12.30kg (27.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
real-wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Red Mahogany, Black Oak, Walnut |
walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
|
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
|
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Leak Sandwich 150 digs deeper - 44Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Super Denton is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Leak Sandwich 150 takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Super Denton: bi-amping. Wharfedale Super Denton sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Leak Sandwich 150 is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,399, about 14% less. |
A Wharfedale Super Denton B Leak Sandwich 150
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale Super Denton is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.