It’s been a long time since we saw anything from the people over at Mission. Going back a few years when it was considered more of a household name, it had some absolute showstoppers. The British manufacturer, now owned by IAG (short for International Audio Group) seemed to have slowed down pace after the highly successful MX3 and SX2 speakers. Until now, that is…
This year the company released its latest addition, the LX2. Having only been around for a few months, it has already picked up a What HiFi? Award for “Best standmount speaker under £200”, a fantastic achievement in itself. We recently got a pair in, so decided we’d better give them a good listening to!
After the initial un-boxing I was a little underwhelmed with the overall exterior of them compared to similarly-priced alternatives; they appeared slightly dated and bland. The combination of a wooden finish with a garish faux-chrome ring around each driver just wasn’t doing it for me. Taking into consideration Mission’s previous speaker designs, it seems it’s just my own personal taste getting in the way however. Maybe it’s a nod to Mission’s heritage, but each to their own. I won’t be one to judge a book by its cover.
Instead I opted for a relatively modest set-up when I tested these. I chose the Onkyo A9010 amplifier (another multiple What Hi-Fi? winner), with the matching C7030 CD player. I was a little sceptical about what to expect; I’ve never been a huge fan of Mission speakers, but I was very surprised. The LX2’s 25mm soft-dome tweeter offers fantastic vocal clarity and the 130mm mid/bass driver packs more than enough punch to really give a low-end belly rumble. Overall the LX2’s had a well-rounded sound, with a very impressive sound stage.
Taking all these key points into consideration, they are fantastic value for money. If your taste in speaker aesthetics are similar to mine, then why not consider the Wharfedale Diamond 220s, or if you can increase your budget, give the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 some consideration. Both are award-winning speakers too. But… The Mission LX2’s can certainly be mentioned in the same context as both of those amazing speakers. So in conclusion, these really are a marmite pair of speakers (looks-wise). If you’re on the fence however, pop in-store and have a listen. I’m almost certain they’ll win you over!
Click here to find out more about the Mission LX2 speakers.
Author: Garrett, Plymouth store
