Interesting claim by Mission...

Arye

For that matter the NAC12 (1974-80) and NAC22 (1976-79) also appear to have no AC inputs IIRC, so they may also qualify.

What do Mission think they're on about, eh? Good grief, etc., etc.

Best;

Mark

(an imperfect
forum environment is
better than none)

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... that to claim that "In 1981 came the Mission 776, the world's first DC-powered pre-amplifier" is a bit off, considering that the NAC32 (introduced 1977) was, as far as I know, entirely DC-powered.

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The Mission pre was battery powered, you turned it off to listen to it, and back on again afterwards to charge it up again. It, and its matching "fastest" MOSFET power amp were shaped like a big 3d Mission logo. Very odd styling to say the least. I heard them at one point, but can't remember if they were any good (which probably means they weren't!).

I remember the 774 arm pretty well (it was a thin black thing with next to no headshell), but can't remember any "DC coupled" claim.

Tony.

- GregB

Insert Witty Signature Line Here

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Originally posted by Tony Lonorgan:
The Mission pre was battery powered, you turned it off to listen to it, and back on again afterwards to charge it up again. It, and its matching "fastest" MOSFET power amp were shaped like a big 3d Mission logo. Very odd styling to say the least. I heard them at one point, but can't remember if they were any good (which probably means they weren't!).

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Of course, that makes sense. Now that you mention it, it rings a vague bell. This was before the original Mission Cyrus electronics, wasn't it. It seems the battery thing comes around every 15 years or so...

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I remember the 774 arm pretty well (it was a thin black thing with next to no headshell), but can't remember any "DC coupled" claim.

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Definitely remember that one -- very distinctive. Was it any good, Tony? My (very patchy) memory is that the 774 was "not as good as" the Mekanik (sp?), which I seem to remember being in Ittok/Zeta territory, depending on one's orientation. I was recently offered an LP12/Lingo/Mission Mechanik (sp?) with Sumiko BPS cart. for 1150 quid, which I thought was probably rather high, but was rummaging around the Mission site for more info. Don't suppose anyone here runs/has run a Mekanik?

Best;

Mark

(an imperfect
forum environment is
better than none)

All of Mission's CD players, up to and including the PCM II, were 'tweaked' Philips models (as were the first two Meridian players). As chance would have it, your old PCM 7000 used the same Philips CDM4 mechanism as Naim later used in the CDS and CDI.

I have a PCM II in my spare room system, and am holding on to it as it contains a CDM4 with perfect Nextel ring. It is actually a very 'nice' sounding player. It doesn't get the blood racing in the way that Naim's players can, and do, but the old Mission is enjoyable all the same (especially at bed time ).

If I happen to come across a CDS or CDI that needs a new mech, I won't hesitate to butcher the Mission. In the mean time it gets little use, not because it sounds bad, but to protect it as a host, and occasional exercise machine, for the valuable little mech inside.

BTW, Mission can no longer support any of their products that were produced prior to their factory fire in the early '90s. I suppose that one could consider that an acceptable excuse, but I personally don't believe that they ever deserved top marks in the service sector (I sold them in retail post uni BTW).

Sproggle,

The 700 was a great little box for the money. Generously sized, real walnut wood veneer, Seas tweeter, Vifa(?) bass/mid driver and a quality simple crossover. It wasn't the last word in neutrality, by any means, but having heard a pair on Sara stands with 42/110 up front, I wouldn't dare knock them as crap. They were ported though, so some wouldn't likely consider them suitable as house plant stands (no holes in our arse...right Tony?).

The main problem with Mission's speakers, at the time, was that Farad Azima, and his brother Henry, were both considered to be compulsive tweakers. There was a running joke in the business at the time, that the loudspeaker pair that one bought wouldn't sound anything like the pair that one heard at the dealers. We used to insist that customers actually buy the demo pair if they liked them. I remember the distributor demoing two pairs of 770, and recall wondering to myself if they were actually the same model. Officially there were two versions of the 770, but un-officially, no one, not even the Azima's themselves, really knew how many different sounding versions there actually were.

BTW, Mission produced four tonearms...

774 - the original Mission arm, designed by American ex-race car driver, John Bicht, who went on to design the Versa Dynamics turntables. Highly novel approach for its day...superb quality bearings; brazed on, solid threaded block in place of the usual removable headshell; infinitely adjustable; and oh so nice sounding. I have had two of these arms over the years and every time I sold one off I ended up regretting it soon afterward. It was later re-badged as 774S to distinguish it from those that followed...

774LC - budget arm, OEM Japanese (Jelco) job. Often appeared pre-fitted to a number of UK budget decks as a cheaper alternative to Linn's Basik LV-X. Came with Missions budget turntable, the 775LC. Available separately, but who would bother?

774SM - Missions first 'super' arm. Built by GB Engineering (Zeta). Didn't appear to sell well as the Ittok was firmly entrenched, and there were many more established competitors.

Mechanic - Serious 'super' arm for serious money. IIRC, also a GB Engineering product. Headshell, arm tube and bearing block machined from a solid alloy billet. Bearings said to be to a high ABEC level, and presumably suitably adjusted. I once saw one sitting on top of a filing cabinet at Mission's Canadian distributorship. They had never actually heard it, nor did they seem to care much, as Mission's analog products were on their way out by then (deservedly so in the case of their turntables).

Mission have made some excellent products over the decades. For me, they, as a company, seem to lack the focus that others, who shall remain naimless, have in spades. Mission always seemed to be changing their minds about what constituted their 'sound'. Their original line up of loudspeakers, for example, mostly all had a sort of BBC monitor approach ie. lightweight box with somewhat warm, coloured bottom married to good to excellent mid to top (hmmm). Their second generation line up was a mixed bag of models that would cut yer ears off with their brash forward presentation, on the one hand, and bore you to death on the other. I recall thinking that their designers must have stopped bothering to listen to them at some point (or they all sadly went deaf from auditioning so very many models).

[This message was edited by Craig on WEDNESDAY 03 October 2001 at 01:50.]

Tony.

I spoke to them recently and they seemed willing and able to service and repair my 1989 Mission Cyrus I. Haven't actually done it yet but in theory at least it is actually possible.

Matthew

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I spoke to them recently and they seemed willing and able to service and repair my 1989 Mission Cyrus I.

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Well that is good news. I stand corrected. I also have a late model Cyrus One, and occasionally use it in my spare room system. It is comforting to know that Mission are able to service it, should the need arise.

ISTR, that Mission had two buildings in Huntington, one dedicated to electronics production, and one devoted to loudspeakers, Isoplats, turntable plinths etc. I believe that it was the 'wood' plant that was destroyed by fire.

I guess that when I made that sweeping statement, I was thinking of my frustration when trying to locate parts for their top of the line 775SM/774 turntable/tonearm combination that I used to own. Mission couldn't muster up an arm wrench for their own custom arm mounting collar for me, an example of which was originally provided with each table. I figured that at least one of their many distributors/dealers worldwide would have had one sitting in a toolbox somewhere. Mission (Canada & UK) gave me the fire story with polite apologies, but offered no alternative solution.

I don't mean to knock them (much), especially considering their bad luck. They have shown that they are sometimes capable of producing well engineered products.

I believe that dealing with a company, such as Naim, that majors on customer service and satisfaction, spoils us somewhat, and raises our expectations of others.

[This message was edited by Craig on THURSDAY 04 October 2001 at 01:20.]