Leak Sandwich 250 Review: Vintage Audio Royalty Reborn

The days when high-quality sound enthusiasts could be truly surprised by retro acoustics are long gone. Today, nearly every brand with a legacy dating back to the last century is reviving classic models with varying degrees of authenticity and, it must be said, that they are doing an impressive job.

As a result, many brands now offer entire series dedicated exclusively to retro-inspired models. However, the situation with Leak is quite different. While brands like Wharfedale and other Hi-Fi manufacturers remained in the spotlight, continuously refining their product lines and updating their design language, Leak disappeared for several decades!

In this case, we’re not just looking at a retro-inspired design but rather a direct continuation of where Leak’s production once left off. At the same time, the internal components, technical execution, and overall sound quality are modern something Leak has already proven convincingly with its amplifiers. I had a similar impression when listening to their speakers at various exhibitions.

Check Out: Leak Stereo 230 Integrated Amplifier Review

Why the name Sandwich?

Let’s start our deep dive into the Leak Sandwich 250 with the obvious question: why the name “Sandwich”? The name itself refers to a unique diaphragm technology used in the mid-bass driver’s construction.

Back in 1961, when this innovation was introduced, it was truly groundbreaking. Today, nearly every high-end speaker manufacturer experiments with multilayer diaphragms and many of the finest speakers are built using this very concept of layered materials that enhance rigidity, control resonances, and optimize transient response.

Harold Joseph Leak, the brand’s founder and the inventor of the sandwich diaphragm, pioneered the use of two layers of aluminum with a polystyrene core in between. The result was an incredibly strong and rigid structure so much so that Leak himself famously stood on one of these diaphragms to demonstrate its resistance to deformation.

At the same time, the use of virtually weightless polystyrene significantly reduced the mass of the moving system while effectively damping internal resonances within the diaphragm. Most importantly, this design achieved piston-like motion, a goal that many speaker manufacturers are still striving to perfect today.

In its modern iteration, Leak’s speaker diaphragms retain the fundamental principles of the original design but now incorporate advanced materials and manufacturing techniques. Instead of polystyrene, the core is now made from structured polymethacrylamide foam, while the outer layers remain aluminum. Rigidly bonded to the voice coil, this deformation-resistant diaphragm ensures an exceptionally precise and instantaneous response.

In the Leak Sandwich 250, these signature sandwich diaphragms are used for both the low and mid frequencies, differing in size by 280 mm for the bass driver and 108 mm for the midrange. For high frequencies, the speaker features a 30 mm fabric dome tweeter, with a voice coil wound on an ultra-light fiberglass frame, ensuring a delicate and highly detailed treble response.

To ensure the same low distortion, the tweeter is equipped with a closed rear chamber filled with two layers of sound-absorbing material of different densities. When creating the frequency crossover, the developers used modern computer modeling technologies but also spent thousands of hours fine-tuning it by ear.

It is clear that the placement of the speakers on the front panel is not accidental: the distance between their radiation axes is selected in such a way as to ensure the best phase coordination. Probably for the same reason, the phase inverter ports, which are additional low-frequency emitters, were brought out to the rear panel.

Sandwich again?

The cases, made in a classic form factor, are richly decorated with aluminum overlays, framing each speaker separately and the entire acoustics facade as a whole. In combination with the branded stand, which has aluminum supports, it turns out quite harmonious.

The veneer pattern used to finish the cabinets is carefully hand-selected, ensuring each speaker has a refined and natural aesthetic. While the visual appeal of the Leak Sandwich 250 is beyond question, the cabinet design itself is a crucial technical consideration. Given their large size and the presence of an 11-inch woofer, it’s only logical to expect that the cabinet walls might be prone to vibrations.

Leak engineers tackled this issue decades ago, and today’s version continues to employ the same central brace that connects the front and rear panels just as it did in the original design. However, modern advancements have allowed for additional braces, precisely positioned using state-of-the-art measurement tools to further reinforce the structure.

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Another significant innovation lies in the cabinet walls, which now feature a sandwich-style construction just like the speaker diaphragms. Each wall consists of a layer of MDF combined with a composite material, with viscous adhesive in between to effectively dampen vibrations. As a result, despite its large dimensions, the cabinet remains exceptionally rigid and acoustically inert, ensuring minimal resonance and coloration.

Sound Quality

When encountering speakers with a vintage design, there’s a subconscious expectation of a warm, laid-back sound somewhat dark, with moderate bass, a rich midrange, and soft, distant highs. Essentially, if they look like classic models, shouldn’t they sound like classic models too?

This is the preconceived notion that lingers in your mind but from the very first notes, the Leak Sandwich 250 completely shatters it. These speakers deliver an exceptionally precise, dense, and open presentation of music, breaking away from any expectations of a traditional vintage sound.

The bass is tight, articulate, and unexpectedly deep. The midrange is bold and expressive, while the highs are airy, delicate, and impeccably clean, filling the soundstage with a remarkable sense of space. There is nothing nostalgic about this sound it is modern, refined, and highly revealing.

In my view, the Leak Sandwich 250 has a sound signature more reminiscent of high-end studio monitors the kind that offers an accurate, balanced, and highly detailed soundstage, without exaggerated coloration or artificial warmth.

The resolution is so high that even the subtlest nuances in a recording become audible. Yet, despite this analytical capability, the speakers maintain a sense of cohesion and musicality, ensuring that the music remains immersive and engaging rather than being dissected into mere technical details.

The clarity is so profound that even the most complex noise-rock and shoegaze compositions gain new depth, making their artistic intent more tangible. This is because the Leak Sandwich 250 reproduces only the inherent character and imperfections of the recording, without introducing unwanted distortion or artificial enhancements.

The soundstage is incredibly well-defined, delivering a convincing sense of space, depth, and precise localization of instruments and vocals. If the sound engineer has carefully crafted a mix with dimensionality, the Leak Sandwich 250 will faithfully reproduce it, ensuring a fully immersive listening experience.

These speakers also prove to be highly responsive to amplifier pairing. With the Leak Stereo 230 integrated amplifier, the sound becomes energetic, rhythmic, and engaging. When Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” plays, it’s nearly impossible to sit still these speakers excel at funk, disco, and modern electronic dance music, bringing infectious energy to every beat.

But the Leak Sandwich 250 isn’t just about rhythm it handles fast metal, intricate free jazz, and multi-layered progressive rock with effortless precision. What’s remarkable is how these speakers only emphasize rhythm and speed when the music calls for it. If you switch to slow, melancholic, or introspective tracks, the mood is conveyed with equal authenticity, without any artificial sense of urgency or forced dynamics.

The presentation character can be changed by changing the source or amplifier. I listened to several amplifiers with the LEAC Sandwich 250, including those that were a class higher than the native LEAK Stereo 230. Such an upgrade makes sense: the potential of three-band “sandwiches” is significant, and the more noble, warm, and rich the character of the amplifier is, the more fully the acoustics will open up.

And they also respond favorably to a good power reserve. A sensitivity of 88.5 dB is not the highest, and if the amplifier is overloaded, then due to the high transparency of the speakers, all the harmonics that arise will be heard. So there is no point in saving on power. Of course, you can simply not turn the volume knob, but you still want to.

Of all the things I listened to, the most memorable connections were with the Quad monoblocks, which were able to bring vintage notes into the sound of the system, and with the Junior Moon integrated amplifier, which simply raised the quality class of the entire system a notch higher.

This level of performance truly showcased not just the capabilities of the Leak Sandwich 250, but also the depth and realism of DSD recordings. The sound was so astonishingly vivid and lifelike that, at times, it felt as if Jimmy Rogers himself had stepped into the room, singing a few verses about the hardships of African-American life rather than just playing from a recording.

Price for leak sandwich 250 stand mount-loudspeakers

The Leak Sandwich 250 loudspeakers are officially priced at $2,995.00 as listed on the LEAK Audio website.

Conclusion:

Leak’s return to the Hi-Fi market has been nothing short of extraordinary. Their amplifiers are some of the most compelling choices in their price range, and the Leak Sandwich 250 speakers are bound to leave a lasting impression on any listener.

These speakers’ impeccable control across the frequency spectrum, sheer transparency, and expansive soundstage far exceed expectations for vintage-inspired designs. Even with modern high-end speakers, such precision and refinement are not always guaranteed.

From the very first listen, your expectations are completely overturned. Even more impressive is the versatility of these speakers not only do they pair beautifully with similarly priced equipment, but they also hold their own when matched with premium systems, such as those from Moon.

There’s a familiar expectation that vintage-style speakers will impose a distinct sound character, shaping the overall tone of the system. However, with the Leak Sandwich 250, the amplifier and source play a much greater role in defining the final sonic signature.

The designers of these speakers have delivered a surprise. But perhaps, defying expectations was exactly what they set out to achieve from the very beginning.

Best For:

Audiophiles who appreciate a blend of vintage aesthetics and modern high-fidelity sound
Music lovers who want flexibility in shaping their system’s sonic signature
Listeners with spacious setups that can accommodate the speaker’s size
Fans of various genres, from funk and jazz to electronic and progressive rock, thanks to its neutral and highly detailed sound reproduction.

Pros & Cons of the Leak Sandwich 250

Pros:

• Unique retro design with a vintage aesthetic
• Clear, detailed, and dynamic sound that surpasses expectations
• Highly responsive to amplifier and source changes, allowing for customization
• Exceptional build quality with premium materials and craftsmanship
• Option to build a cohesive system with Leak’s amplifiers for a unified look and performance

Cons:

• Sound character differs from the vintage appearance, which may surprise some listeners
• Large cabinet size, which may require careful placement in smaller rooms.

Leak Sandwich 250 Specifications:

Speaker Design:	3-way vented-box, Bass reflex
Bass Driver:	11″(280mm) Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone
Midrange Driver:	4.25″(108mm) Aluminium-Foamcore Sandwich cone
Treble Driver:	1.2″(30mm) Coated Textile Dome
AV Shield:	No
Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1m):	88.5dB
Recommended Amplifier Power:	25-250W
Peak SPL:	112dB
Nominal Impedance:	6Ω (8Ω Compatible)
Minimum Impedance:	4 Ω
Frequency Response (+/-3dB):	42Hz – 26kHz
Bass Extension (-6dB):	32Hz
Crossover Frequency:	470Hz & 3.1kHz
Cabinet Volume:	2.7L, 45.5L
Speaker Dimensions (HxWxD):	25.8″ x 14.5″ x 13″
Stand Dimensions (HxWxD):	14.7″ x 16.9″ x 14.25″
Finish:	Real Wood Veneer – Walnut