Floorstanding loudspeakers — Mission Mission 700

The Mission 700 is a large stand-mount loudspeaker that brings back a historic Mission design from the 1980s. The original 700 was a direct precursor of Inverted Driver Geometry, the principle that has since become the brand's signature, and the current model closely resembles it while using a vented enclosure. It is made in China and sits below the 770, which is built in the UK at parent company IAG's Huntingdon facilities.

Key specs that matter

Rated response is 45Hz to 20kHz at -3dB, and a profiled reflex port takes the in-room response below 38Hz. Sensitivity is 86dB, the same as the original 700, and nominal impedance is an amplifier-friendly 8 ohms. The cabinet measures 510 x 260 x 270mm, weighs 12.8kg and has an internal volume of 24.8 litres. It is finished in real wood veneer with the classic painted white front baffle that Mission has used on its designs old and new.

Engineering and use context

As for the 770, Mission developed a new polypropylene bass/midrange driver with a motor system specific to this model. The aim was more power handling and dynamic capability while keeping the extended response and low colouring of the original driver. The rigid cast chassis and the low-density surround were also revised for greater precision. Inverted Driver Geometry places the treble unit below the bass/midrange driver, so the path lengths of the sound waves equalise at the listener's head height and time alignment improves. Every later Mission model has carried this principle forward.

Pairing

Mission offers dedicated stands for the 700, designed to optimise its performance in the time domain and to raise the drivers to the intended height. The 8 ohm nominal load poses no difficulty for the average integrated amplifier.

Alternatives

Mission's 770 revives another classic design as a bigger, UK-built stand-mount and costs more than the 700.