CD/SACD-проигрыватели и транспорты — Mission 778CDT

The 778CDT is a CD transport from Mission, the British loudspeaker and electronics brand, designed as the disc source for the 778X integrated amplifier in the 778 Series. It contains no DAC and has only digital outputs, leaving conversion to the amplifier or an external converter. Like the other 778 Series components, including the 778S streamer, it has a half-width case designed for stacking.

Key specs that matter

Mission fits a custom CD mechanism with a precision servo control system. A dual-core control system combines a 32-bit RISC processor with a dedicated microcontroller for servo and error correction. The master clock is a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator, or TCXO. The drive plays CD, CD-R, CD-RW and data CDs, and a USB-A port plays WAV, MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC and APE files from FAT16, FAT32 and exFAT storage. Digital audio leaves through a coaxial and an optical S/PDIF socket, with an output amplitude of 500 mVpp ±50 mV, an output impedance of 75 ohm and a sample rate of 44.1 kHz. Frequency response deviates by 0.01 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, referenced to 1 kHz. Standby power is below 0.5 W. The transport measures 236 x 98 x 357 mm and weighs 5.04 kg, and it is available in silver or black.

Engineering and use context

Because the 778CDT sends data rather than an analogue signal, its design concentrates on reading the disc reliably and timing the output accurately. Splitting control this way means that servo and error correction, which govern how the disc is read, run on a chip that does nothing else. A TCXO compensates for the effect of temperature on the crystal's frequency, so the output clock stays stable as the unit warms up, which reduces jitter in the S/PDIF stream. The USB-A input extends the unit beyond discs, letting it play music files from a memory stick through the same digital outputs. An OLED display shows CD-Text information, and a remote control is supplied. The front panel is laid out symmetrically to match the other 778 Series units when stacked, and versions for 220 to 240 V and 100 to 120 V mains are made. The half-width format suits desks and shelves where full-size components do not fit.

Pairing

The 778X integrated amplifier is the intended partner. It includes an ES9018K2M DAC, 45 W into 8 ohm, a JFET moving-magnet phono stage and Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX. The coaxial or optical output connects to its digital inputs, and any other DAC or amplifier with S/PDIF inputs can be used in the same way.

Alternatives

Mission currently offers no other CD player or CD transport besides the 778CDT.