Mission 700 Review
Mission has reintroduced two models from its once groundbreaking 700 series, with a handful of improvements that still aim to preserve the speakers’ original DNA. We examined this in the compact Mission 700 speaker. Tested at €1,499 per pair.
by Artur Evers
While there are some manufacturers whose range we know almost inside out at 7Review, others have rarely appeared on our editorial plan. Mission Audio, for instance, belongs to the latter group. In the past 15 years, we have recorded just five tests in our archives. Besides a surround set and a compact speaker, the three tested floor-standing speaker models achieved an excellent test result, each with a 93% final rating.
Admittedly, we have only really had the British manufacturer on our radar for about two years. However, it’s not as if Mission isn’t a highly traditional company. That’s why we felt obliged to put one of this company’s speakers on the test bench. But before we delve into the detailed review of the test subject, we would like to precede it with a few words about Mission Audio’s history, in line with the spirit of 7Review.
Mission
Year of foundation: 1977
Headquarters: Huntingdon, Great Britain
Legendary products: Mission 770 and Mission 767
Mission Electronics was founded by Farad Azima in 1977. Just a year later, the company introduced its 700 series, featuring the Mission 770. In 1983, the electronics division, Cyrus, was founded. The 1989 release of the Mission 767 floor-standing speaker with an integrated subwoofer, which is partially active, caused a sensation. In 2004, the company became part of the International Audio Group (IAG).
Inventive Spirit
This traces back to the British inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist of Iranian descent, Farad Azima. After studying at Leeds University, he soon entered the Hi-Fi industry, which was still buzzing with excitement at the time. In Cambridge, a city synonymous with English academic and innovation culture, he founded Mission Electronics, along with NXT and Cyrus. Incidentally, Farad Azima also named his firstborn son Cyrus – that’s how deep his passion ran.
While Cyrus became known for uncompromising production of source and amplifier electronics, Mission has always focused on manufacturing speakers of various kinds. A look at the British patent register further demonstrates Azima’s broad technical expertise, with 14 entries in his name. In addition to several items directly related to Hi-Fi electronics, the patents include designs for portable computers, medical equipment, and even a sailboat.
Mission Audio quickly achieved success with its versatile tinkerer. The 700 series, created in collaboration with future Audiolab founders Philip Swift and Derek Scotland, rapidly established itself as a true bestseller and today holds a cult status not only in the UK.
The unmistakable and then very bold design of the old Mission 700, with its inverted arrangement of bass and tweeter drivers, initially won over skeptics with its excellent musicality. Therefore, it seemed only logical to pay tribute to this milestone of British Hi-Fi culture in this review.
What is Mission 700?
Building on the foundation of its own success, Mission has brought back two models from the iconic 700 series: the flagship 770, which we tested [8, excellent], and the more compact Mission 700 speaker. We have taken a closer look at the latter for this issue and are eager to see how Mission blends innovation with tried-and-true elements. While the manufacturer maintains the design of the original 1978 model, a few technical updates are noteworthy.
Build and Design
At first glance, the new 700 still looks like a product from the late 1970s. The sharp-edged cabinet with coarse-grained veneer and the distinctive white front panel remain real eye-catchers. However, when comparing the reissue with the original, a few small but significant differences become apparent. The new 700 still features a prominent Mission-700 logo, but today the manufacturer forgoes a symmetrical driver arrangement.
The now larger bass reflex port and tweeter are positioned below and slightly offset to the left and right under the mid-woofer. For this, Mission developed a completely new polypropylene diaphragm structure. Other, initially less noticeable optimizations were also made to the 165 mm driver, such as the rigid cast chassis and the lighter surround. The tweeter now works with a coated microfiber dome measuring 28 mm in diameter. A dedicated damped chamber for this driver protects the tweeter from interference by lower frequencies.
Additionally, the manufacturer promises significantly smoother performance than 45 years ago, thanks to the resonance control achieved in this way. The drive system was also specifically redesigned for the newly released Mission 700 and its larger sibling, the 770. Even the software-based crossover design and simulation during the construction process of the Mission 700 and 770 demonstrate that modern technology is being used under the old exterior. Nevertheless, the overall presentation of the speaker confidently conveys: “Not everything was bad!”
Sound Quality
The Mission 700 can, of course, be placed on any available surface. However, for the complete retro-Hi-Fi package, we definitely recommend considering the perfectly matching aluminum stands. These also allow for much more flexible positioning of the stereo pair, which we are happy to take advantage of in this test. For the playback, we once again rely on the refurbished B795 turntable from Revox, whose output we pass to the Mission 700 pair via the Naim Nait 50.
When Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” was released, the original Mission 700 was just one year old. Therefore, we would like to start our listening session with this iconic album. The hymn-like opening “In The Flesh?” offers the new 700 an excellent opportunity to showcase its strengths. It’s an opportunity that the Mission Retro speaker gratefully seizes. It plays powerfully and boldly, without any hesitation, diving into the tightly orchestrated fortissimi of this epic introduction with full force. The compact speaker delivers impressive pressure in the low end while maintaining precision and clarity.
When the choral and solo vocals begin, our pair opens up a wonderfully wide soundstage where delays and reverb tails can unfold freely. This impression, characterized by power, precision, and an overall high-resolution sound, only intensifies as the monolithic rock opera progresses. In the first part of the hit “Another Brick in the Wall,” the Mission 700 skillfully conveys the suspense inherent in the music in a truly captivating way. The richly filtered sawtooth synths wrap around the reverberating, velvety-dull guitar riff like jelly, repeatedly soaring into finely sparkling highs.
The Mission 700 manages to play with a gripping energy that immediately captivates, demanding an emotional, uncompromising listening experience. Peter Comeau, who is now at the helm of the company, has phenomenally managed to refine the pure, atmospheric sound of the golden years of Hi-Fi with innovative ideas. And all this for an unbeatable pair price of less than 1,500 euros, which should earn the respect of many competitors.
Special Features
- Genuine retro chic
- Stylish stand (optional)
Specifications
General Information
- Device Class: Compact Speaker
- Price Category: Mid-range
- Manufacturer: Mission
- Model: 700
- Price (MSRP): €1,499 (per pair)
- Dimensions (W/H/D): 26 x 51 x 29.2 cm
- Weight: 12.8 kg
Technical Specifications (According to Manufacturer)
- Design: 2-Way Bass Reflex
- Frequency Response: 45Hz-20kHz
- Power Handling: 25-150W
- Recommended Room Size: 15m² to 35m²
- Individual Sound Adjustment: None
- Inputs: Single-Wiring
Verdict
We can conclude that the “Mission: Comeback” has succeeded. The reissued 700 not only visually recalls the original from the late seventies but also captures the sound of that era, albeit with noticeably more precision than its predecessor. The balance between power and accuracy is very well achieved here.
- Bass Response: 9.5/10
- Midrange Response: 9.0/10
- Treble Response: 9.0/10
- Spatial Imaging: 8.0/10
- Sound Quality: 9.0/10
- Features/Build Quality: 9.0/10
- User-Friendliness: 9.0/10
- Price/Performance: 10.0/10
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