Mission LX-3 MKII Speaker Review

[Corvuscorone]

I bought these a year and a half ago for 190 euros (+ shipping costs). I have compared these to my Elac 2.0 b5.2 and DBR62 speakers and I think they do well. They have an unstressed and fairly balanced sound with reasonable resolution. The bass reproduction goes quite deep and is better than the 2.0 b5.2 bass. It does not emphasize the upper bass, like the DBR62. The mids are reproduced well and the treble is clear and unstressed. A good speaker for a pair price of around 200 euros.

 

[uwotm8]

While maybe "okayish" (not great, not terrible), it's just unexciting. The look, the inside/parts, and no features at all - what will make someone get these instead of, say, Adam T5V or KEF Q150?

 

[AdamG]

If you are new to speaker measurements, please see my video on understanding speaker measurements.

Adding this to your reviews is sold gold for our new and some current readers/members. Thanks for the constant flow of tested content. Perpetual Review Machine.

 

[TonyJZX]

the flip side is that these cant be 'as good as it gets for $250'

i think conventional box 6" bookshelves is pretty well trodden territory

thing is the vaunted DBR62 is twice the price? the old R162s were pretty decent

 

[D!sco]

The under $400 category is so hard because absolute garbage is on the table, but so is some really acceptable gear that gets overlooked by the aforementioned sea of garbage. This is fine but how do you know which garbage is right for you?

 

[fineMen]

the flip side is that these cant be 'as good as it gets for $250'

i think conventional box 6" bookshelves is pretty well trodden territory

thing is the vaunted DBR62 is twice the price? the old R162s were pretty decent

The visual design somehow reminds me of KEF's LS50 with these radial ribs. Anyhow, a bread without butter offer. The notorious JBL 305 isn't beaten.

It appears to me as a stopgap with decidedly nothing at it to write home about. I personally expect a bit of some real innovation, some clue for every product that comes out. How would it otherwise justify its existence? Not terrible, but far from 'right'.

 

[TheBatsEar]

The DBR62 can be had for 360€, LX-3 MKII for 340€ a pair in Germany.

I had the DBR62 and they didn't agree with me for some reason. I enjoy the LX-3 MKII a lot more.

 

[Spkrdctr]

The under $400 category is so hard because absolute garbage is on the table, but so is some really acceptable gear that gets overlooked by the aforementioned sea of garbage. This is fine but how do you know which garbage is right for you?

Go dumpster diving! Buy and try a bunch of cheap speakers but don't forget to send them to Amir......

 

[ocinn]

Outside of people with AVRs that have no FR FL pre-outs, I have no idea why you would buy these over JBL LSR30x. I mean LSR305 is the same price now, LSR306mkii is $80 more. Oh and if that's not enough, they include amps.

 

[TimW]

I got my JBL Studio 530 on sale for the same price as these. There is also the Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ for slightly more. Those have better directivity matching but with this having a 6 1/2" woofer, it does have better extension. The JBL 306P or Kali LP-6 would be good active alternatives for a similar price.

 

[pseudoid]

As always, thank you @amirm for another revealing review.

Mediocre performance (even w/EQ) for a meager price.

Do people really buy bookshelf/desktop size speakers for the 'bass' or to accurately handle the higher frequencies that most such speakers supposed excel in?
The speaker manufacturers should be directly BLAMED (and by name) when they market a product that will require external equalization to make them sound tolerable.
One may easily justify the cheap 'price; but that assumes that the owner already has spent $$ to be able eq-the-poop out of it.
Shame on you Mission, your name was respected; until you poop'd an LX-3 MkII all over your name-brand.

 

[TheBatsEar]

Do people really buy bookshelf/desktop size speakers for the 'bass' or to accurately handle the higher frequencies that most such speakers supposed excel in?

I don't understand the question. I bought them and they have nice bass compared to ATC SCM19v2 which are larger. Is that a bad thing?

The speaker manufacturers should be directly BLAMED (and by name) when they market a product that will require external equalization to make them sound tolerable.

I can tolerate them without DSP. Your listening experience is different, you found them intolerable. Ok, i guess.

One may easily justify the cheap 'price; but that assumes that the owner already has spent $$ to be able eq-the-poop out of it.

EQ is free these days, i know there are free solutions for Linux, Windows, Android and other systems.

Mediocre performance (even w/EQ) for a meager price.

Shame on you Mission, your name was respected; until you poop'd an LX-3 MkII all over your name-brand.

Which one is it, mediocre or poop? I understand you bought them and didn't like them, it happens.
But this speaker will by no means give the same bad experience to everyone. Amir didn't seem to have to bad of an experience, nor did i.

Have a cat and chill, no need to get mad at cheap speakers.

 

[Talisman]

As always, thank you @amirm for another revealing review.

Mediocre performance (even w/EQ) for a meager price.

Do people really buy bookshelf/desktop size speakers for the 'bass' or to accurately handle the higher frequencies that most such speakers supposed excel in?
The speaker manufacturers should be directly BLAMED (and by name) when they market a product that will require external equalization to make them sound tolerable.
One may easily justify the cheap 'price; but that assumes that the owner already has spent $$ to be able eq-the-poop out of it.
Shame on you Mission, your name was respected; until you poop'd an LX-3 MkII all over your name-brand.

Is this the comment to some other different review showing something awful that I don't see?

 

[Mart68]

As always, thank you @amirm for another revealing review.

Mediocre performance (even w/EQ) for a meager price.

Do people really buy bookshelf/desktop size speakers for the 'bass' or to accurately handle the higher frequencies that most such speakers supposed excel in?
The speaker manufacturers should be directly BLAMED (and by name) when they market a product that will require external equalization to make them sound tolerable.
One may easily justify the cheap 'price; but that assumes that the owner already has spent $$ to be able eq-the-poop out of it.
Shame on you Mission, your name was respected; until you poop'd an LX-3 MkII all over your name-brand.

One of my brothers has these speakers set up in a large kitchen-diner. IMO They are good for the money, adequate if we discount the cost. He doesn't use EQ but the sound is of acceptable quality for a small two way. I enjoyed music on them there was nothing they were doing badly that would ruin the experience unlike some very expensive speakers I can think of.

He has wife and children so can't spend much and hasn't much time to listen 'properly' either.

Personally I'd have spent the same money on the used market and got a decent three-way but he is one of those people who likes to buy new. I suggested adding a sub but money aside he does not know where to start with that and is pretty happy with them as they are in any case. So there's your market.

 

[375HP2482]

The under $400 category is so hard because absolute garbage is on the table, but so is some really acceptable gear that gets overlooked by the aforementioned sea of garbage. This is fine but how do you know which garbage is right for you?

How do I know? I look to the distortion spectra (below):

And also this (even less expensive) one:

 

[Penelinfi]

The rubberised coating won't seem so luxurious in 10 years when it becomes a sticky mess

 

[TheBatsEar]

The rubberised coating won't seem so luxurious in 10 years when it becomes a sticky mess

I don't think it's rubberized (not like the old thinkpads). It's just satin/matte vinyl. Far better than glossy vinyl in my opinion, but it's cheap obviously.

 

[PeteL]

The rubberised coating won't seem so luxurious in 10 years when it becomes a sticky mess

You are talking of a very specific era, where many manufacturers went for this trend that proved to be a mistake. But that’s like 15 years ago fella,. Process evolves, don’t worry,chemists are smart folks and knows exactly what went wrong with all thes products that where litterally melting in a goo. I would not be worried one bit of purchasing something with soft touch finish in 23, and yes, the trend is coming back in full force and to me that was lovely looking then, and is lovely looking now. But there is way too much money in consumer electronics to make the same mistake twice. I don’t have the smallest doubt that it has been studied and reengineered to death.

 

[TonyJZX]

Mission literally have something like... I want to say half a century in plastics experience... they were one of the first to have a full plastic glass inpregnated whatever fiber front baffle... there's literally a pair of Mission 760s like in the other room... that is ironically older than my partner. And they have not fallen apart or gotten greasy etc.

I know what people are experiencing. I have electronics that are a decade old and the plastics have devolved back into "oil".

Where I am I havent been exposed to US equipment until say maybe just prior to 9/11 - the US stuff was always very expensive... BUT the English dominated this market prior to that and really, that old stuff that was proudly "Made in the UK" like all older Mission stuff is built to last.

I think the current Chinese made Mission stuff would be even better.

btw. I have no doubt the Mission 760s would measure just as bad as these. They sound ok though but clearly to my ear, new stuff I have is better.

 

[restorer-john]

that old stuff that was proudly "Made in the UK" like all older Mission stuff is built to last.

I have a pair of Mission M-53s floorstanders here which are absolutely perfect, in terms of spectacular cabinet construction, fit and finish. And they were some of the last to come out of the UK.

I don't absolutely love their sound, but they sure are a nice speaker.