Leak Hi-Fi Speakers - Could You Afford Them in 1969?

▶️ Watch the restoration of these speakers:
Part 1:    • Leak Mini Sandwich Speakers: Is 1960s Hi-F...  
Part 2:    • Leak Mini Sandwich Speakers: Is 1960s Hi-F...  

In 1969, the Leak Mini Sandwich loudspeaker cost £29 15s ($135 in the US) — which doesn’t sound outrageous… until you compare it to what people actually earned.

In this video I dig into the brochures, adverts, installation instructions, and the patent behind Leak’s famous “sandwich” cone technology — and why Leak claimed performance thousands of times better than conventional paper cones.

If you enjoy mid-century hi-fi, British audio history, and clever engineering that still holds up today, you’re in the right place.

Chapters:
00:00 The 1969 price (and the affordability challenge)
00:34 The question: could the average person afford them?
01:16 What we’ll look at (UK vs US + brochures + patent)
01:36 Old money explained: pounds, shillings & pence
02:12 Inflation comparison (then vs now)
02:41 UK wages vs speaker price (the “weeks of pay” test)
03:34 US price + inflation + wages comparison
05:13 Leak adverts & the famous “standing on the cone” photo
06:52 Mini Sandwich positioning: bookshelf hi-fi (with compromises)
08:43 Brochures, reviews, and the “premium” details
11:53 Comet mail-order pricing (discount vs RRP)
13:09 Unboxing & installation instructions (and the quirky tips!)
16:39 The patent: what the “sandwich” cone really is
19:45 So why were they so expensive? (the real conclusion)
20:39 What to watch next + subscribe