Well-bred Sandwiches
A 63-year-old sandwich might not sound that appetising, but these new loudspeakers by Leak are anything but stale. The Sandwich 150 and 250 draw on the British company's classic speaker design which debuted in 1961, but have been injected with modern engineering to make for what looks like a very tasty treat.
The Cambridge, UK-based company made a comeback in 2020 with its first new products since the 1970s and is now looking to cement its place in the modern hi-fi landscape.
Because you will have undoubtedly been wondering, the original Sandwich took its name from the unique construction of its mid/bass drive unit. It was the first to be made from a ‘sandwich’ of dierent materials, namely expanded polystyrene foam between two sheets of aluminium foil. Its light yet rigid makeup aimed to reduce distortion and consequently improve accuracy.
The new Sandwich 150 and 250 bring that same — now familiar — concept into a 21st-century Leak design. The outer surfaces use a sti aluminium skin bonded to a core of aircraft-grade polymethacrylimide (PMI) structural foam for, the company claims, “immense rigidity”.
The Sandwich 250 is the larger of the two standmounts, a three-way model that stands 65.5cm tall compared to the two-way Sandwich 150 with a height of 41.5cm. Both have a 3cm textile-dome tweeter — the 250 combines it with 28cm bass and 11cm midrange drivers, while the 150 settles for a 17cm mid/bass driver. All these drive units feature Leak’s trademark Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone.
Rather fittingly, the speaker cabinets are also built like a sandwich. A special glue filling is sandwiched between an outer layer of MDF and an inner layer of high-density particle board to scatter and dampen resonances. There’s also spot-bracing and a front-rear brace that echoes the original design.
At the rear, the cabinets are dual ported, with the ensuing increased airflow aiding bass response. They look like a modern take on the classic Sandwich, too, with a walnut veneer applied by hand, complemented by aluminium driver trims and an aluminium insert around the bae's edge.
Want to join the, er, club Sandwich? The 250 costs $4,799 per pair (or $5,699 with dedicated floor stands) while the 150 is $2,399 per pair.