Strengths: Great smooth accurate sound.
Great build quality.
Weaknesses: Current hungry, must have a beast amp.
Must be bi-wired.
Bottom Line:
Bought them after careful listening for lotsa main's. it was a hard decision, i had to decide between the 775 missions & the great sounding b&w 603's.. eventually i picked the missions & i can't be happier with my decision. great sound, lots of BASS regardless what i've read here before, the bass is so sufficient i don't use a sub.
You NEED to have a great amp for this speakers & must be bi-wired, i foolishly bought with them the YAMAHA RX-V800 which is a good receiver - but far from being enough to drive the missions.
Now i'm using the new YAMAHA RX-V2400 (great sound processor) as a PRE-AMP & to drive my rears & center.
as a stereo amp i've bought the great BELLES 150A HOT-ROD, unbelievable !
GREAT SPEAKERS - MOST ACCURATE SOUND WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT.
Submitted by
Allen
a Audio Enthusiast
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2001
Strengths: Great smooth sound.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
I bought these speakers and was not too impressed with their sound initially, but I liked the way they looked. Over time, after the speakers got a chance to break-in, they sound absolutely great!
Submitted by
John
a Audio Enthusiast
from University City, MO
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2001
Strengths: Clarity, transparent sound
Weaknesses: Directional
Bottom Line:
The main point I would like to make is: these speakers must be broken in. After about 80 hours they sound much better than they do new. Also, while they are relatively efficient speakers, they like power and the use of high quality cables and bi-wiring really helps the sound quality. Use of sub-par cables (and subpar amp) will lead to reduced bass quality. If you use a quality amp and cable, these speakers produce more than enough bass. Also, placement of the speakers makes a great deal of difference (as pointed out in the owner's manual). Experiment with how far away from the walls you place them. Positioning the speakers so they slightly point inward sounds best in my listening room.
I love these speakers. They sound great whether I am playing classical or rap.
The strongest endorsement I can give these speakers is this -- I am listening to my system twice as much as I was before I purchased them.
But I had to work to get to this point. First, the 775's didn't open up until after 50 hours of break-in. Second, they are current hungry. After experimenting with several moderately priced amps, I'm getting excellent sound for the dollar from a Parasound 1500a (205Wpc @ 8?, 45amps peak current). Third, if you want them to sing, biwiring, with good cabling, is a must. I started with Monster Z1, which was good, and moved on to Kimber 8TC, which is wonderful. Fourth, care must be taken in placement. I've found that an equalateral triangle, 11' per side, with a slight toe-in works well for my ears.
I have had only one negative experience (and it was more of a nuisance than a problem) At the time I purchased the 775's, I acquired the matching surrounds, 77ds', and the center, 77c2, by auction, at uBid. Out of the box, all of the speakers had some, small quality-control issue. The 775's were missing the manual and the spikes; one of the 77ds' had a slab of sound absorbing material loose inside the cabint; and the 77c2's binding posts were loose. Audio Advisor, with their usual swift professionalism, provided the missing 775 accessories, and a screwdriver and a little time was all that was needed to repair the others. But QA director must have been on vacation at Mission's factory. If I ever purchase another Mission speaker, I'm going to insist in inspecting it before accepting delivery.
All that aside, listening to the 775's a genuine pleasure. If you can find them at a closeout price, they are worth a listen.
The strongest endorsement I can give these speakers is this -- I am listening to my system twice as much as I was before I purchased them.
But I had to work to get to this point. First, the 775's didn't open up until after 50 hours of break-in. Second, they are current hungry. After experimenting with several moderately priced amps, I'm getting excellent sound for the dollar from a Parasound 1500a (205Wpc @ 8?, 45amps peak current). Third, if you want them to sing, biwiring, with good cabling, is a must. I started with Monster Z1, which was good, and moved on to Kimber 8TC, which is wonderful. Fourth, care must be taken in placement. I've found that an equalateral triangle, 11' per side, with a slight toe-in works well for my ears.
I have had only one negative experience (and it was more of a nuisance than a problem) At the time I purchased the 775's, I acquired the matching surrounds, 77ds', and the center, 77c2, by auction, at uBid. Out of the box, all of the speakers had some, small quality-control issue. The 775's were missing the manual and the spikes; one of the 77ds' had a slab of sound absorbing material loose inside the cabint; and the 77c2's binding posts were loose. Audio Advisor, with their usual swift professionalism, provided the missing 775 accessories, and a screwdriver and a little time was all that was needed to repair the others. But QA director must have been on vacation at Mission's factory. If I ever purchase another Mission speaker, I'm going to insist in inspecting it before accepting delivery.
All that aside, listening to the 775's a genuine pleasure. If you can find them at a closeout price, they are worth a listen.
