Amp to suit Mission 770 speakers

[hey_homes]

I have recently purchase some Mission 770 speakers (I believe they are the mark 2 model) and intend to buy a used integrated amp to compliment them.

These are the speakers:

Mission 770 Series domestic hi-fi loudspeaker. Free data sheet by GB Audio

I'm not sure exactly how powerful an amp I should be looking for. I would like to get something of around 100w per channel but these seem hard to find on our local auction site. Amps of 30 - 40 watts are far more common and reasonably priced. I suppose my question is, is it wise to be looking for an amp at the lower end of the power spectrum or would I be better served holding out for something with a bit more power to throw around?

Another thing, there is a small bit of damage to the mdf on a part of one of the enclosures. The veneer has been chipped off and the mdf is getting scuffed and coming apart. Is there a way to fix this or at least prevent further damage?

[AUDIOHISTORY]

I have a pair of the same speakers, and I love them. Much more open sounding than a lot of the more respected BBC type monitors of the day.
They are relatively unfussy about partnering equipment, but I use a JVC AX-A662 amp with mine. It was made between 1993 - 1996 and is a full feature intergrated design giving 90 watts RMS per channel.
The Missions love this amp.It has a neutral but very powerful sound. Bass is deep and image scale is wide and deep.
Hi-Fi choice tested it in 1996, (just as JVC were about to discontinue it!); it was pitted against 12 other amplifiers ranging from 270 - 700 pounds and including some heavy competition from Naim, Audiolab and Orelle. At the time the JVC was priced at 350 pounds, and guess what, it beat the lot sonically,
coming out top of the test.
I've seen these amps go for as little as 40 pounds on Ebay; compare this amount to the typical price of an Audiolab or Naim, and there's really no augument against it.

[Inductor]

Originally Posted by AUDIOHISTORY

(just as JVC were about to discontinue it!); it was pitted against 12 other amplifiers ranging from 270 - 700 pounds and including some heavy competition from Naim, Audiolab and Orelle. At the time the JVC was priced at 350 pounds, and guess what, it beat the lot sonically,
coming out top of the test.
I've seen these amps go for as little as 40 pounds on Ebay; compare this amount to the typical price of an Audiolab or Naim, and there's really no augument against it.

No kidding...
There amps that you never regret. I use a Denon PMA-735R for home use. I like the small ones from Nad, they are very straight forward. I personally like to have the variable loudness for better integration, and that's what is in the Yamaha AX-497 I last bought. Arcam's are more on the expensive side but are very good, they say. This is for home use on the not very expensive market. On the power amp side(pro market/no preamp) look at the ones from Vestax, Yamaha, QSC, Crest, Peavey, the last one from Electro-Voice/Q66 has very good reviews.

Originally Posted by hey_homes

Another thing, there is a small bit of damage to the mdf on a part of one of the enclosures. The veneer has been chipped off and the mdf is getting scuffed and coming apart. Is there a way to fix this or at least prevent further damage?

Repair the MDF with some wood glue, and the same material, or small pieces of wood, you can make a compound of material (paste/glue) that will have the same consistency of the suport and same color when it dries. If there is a special finish like veneer apply a piece of same material.

[Inductor]

Hi-fi amplifier reviews and Hi-fi amplifier Best Buys - from the experts at whathifi.com

Read for reviews and the old magazines are not bad also with this. If you go for the used market the old version of the Arcam, new, was about half the price of the new version for this year.

[widman]

Originally Posted by hey_homes

I have recently purchase some Mission 770 speakers (I believe they are the mark 2 model) and intend to buy a used integrated amp to compliment them.

These are the speakers:

Mission 770 Series domestic hi-fi loudspeaker. Free data sheet by GB Audio

I'm not sure exactly how powerful an amp I should be looking for. I would like to get something of around 100w per channel but these seem hard to find on our local auction site. Amps of 30 - 40 watts are far more common and reasonably priced. I suppose my question is, is it wise to be looking for an amp at the lower end of the power spectrum or would I be better served holding out for something with a bit more power to throw around?

Another thing, there is a small bit of damage to the mdf on a part of one of the enclosures. The veneer has been chipped off and the mdf is getting scuffed and coming apart. Is there a way to fix this or at least prevent further damage?

I bought a set of 770s last year and have been running them with a Denon DRA-35V (40 WPC). This setup gets plenty loud in 15' x 20' room. I don't know if it is the speakers or the amp, but the sound is a little bright for my taste and can be fatiguing in a dedicated listening session.

Pete

[chris661]

To be honest, in a home situation, you'd be surprised at exactly how little power you use.

I built a 15w/channel class T amp, which drives my speakers to house-party levels.
(I assume you have an amp here....) Put some music on, then use your multimeter to find the voltage applied to the speakers. Use (V^2)/R and see how much power you use.

Chris
PS, would it be fun to rebuild the cabinets completely - you can use the same XO and drivers as before, but build the box to be much stronger (bracing etc), to give a purer sound.

[AUDIOHISTORY]

I have tried numerous other decent amplifiers with these speakers, including: Nad 304; Nad 306; Rogers A75mk2; Musical Fidelity E101, and a Denon PMA500. None of the afforementioned sounded as good as the JVC.
Neutrality is the key word here, and the JVC AX-A662 is simply more neutral and refined than any of the above.
If you use an amp that is overly bright or overly warm, these speakers will emphasise this.
I rarely have the volume control much past a quarter way round, but the sound is always clean and clear, but also warm and smooth and powerful.
I do not use special cables, just Gale copper ones, which are cheap and cheerful. The source components I use include a Roksan Xerxes turntable, Musical Fidelity A2 CD player, and a Teac X-1000M reel to reel tape deck.
I find some components that are remarkably good tend to fall off the radar, you have to look hard to find them; the JVC is a perfect example.
Hope this helps.

[henk lp]

Hi,
Three month's ago I purchased a NAD 2100 power envelope to fit my DJM 300 mixer. I hit the jackpot on a Dutch used-stuff-site and found me a pair mission 770 speakers (1980 first edition) including standards for only 75 euro's!!!! A great combination to use in my living-room. No extra needed. Playing Funk,World, Rai,R&B, Latin or Zappa, my neighbours can't stand still on it. (if they can I advise a doctor). Deep and clear bass that stands any volume, mid and high need a bit of adjustment on the mixer depending what volume is on.

[henk lp]

I got me a pair of mission 770 (first edition 1980) to suit my Pioneer CDJ 800 MII together with DJM 300 and NAD 2100 power envelope. GREAT SOUND!!! The lower section is deep and clear on all volumes, the mid and high need a bit adjustment on the mixer depending the volume that is on. Playing records and CD's. Funk, R&B, World, Rai, Latin, Jazz scratching, whatever. All time music on all time gear!

[pauljustin]

I'm a newcomer to DIY Audio, and it's great to see some buzz about the Mission 770's. I bought my pair (new) way back in 1981 (the second iteration, I believe, of the original design). In the last 29 years they have seen duty as the L and R mains in several stereo systems, and are currently being used as surrounds in a 5 channel system.

I could never bear to part with them because I consider them one of the most user-friendly, music-friendly speakers of all time. Their designer Farad Azima was one of the great audio design talents.

Though the OP is looking for an integrated amp, FWIW during their heyday I drove them with a Bryston BP-25 preamp and a McCormack DNA 0.5 Deluxe Edition amp (100 wpc into 8 ohms). The sound was beautiful! Never got tired of listening to them. Hope maybe someday to extract them from their current servitude and restore them as the L and R's in a two-channel system.

Congratulation on getting an great speaker. Good luck in finding something suitable to drive them.