Mission 794s vs B&W 684 vs Focal 716

[admin_exported]

I can get them for roughly the same price over here in Australia. Any opinions ?

I will be using a denon 1910. Initially set up as stereo as thats my main concern. sometime down the track maybe 5.1, or just 2.1.

Room 6m by 6m. Tiled, but furnished a fair bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Not heard the other two but i just purchased the B&W 684's and am loving them!

 

[Anonymous]

The mission 796s are also in a similiar price bracket. Its been hard to test as they are all at different shops with different setups but from what I have heard so far, I found the 684 to be a little light on the bass. The 716 to be not that lively. I have rated the missions and found the 794 to be very sharp, without too much bass, but more than the 684. The 796 to be very over powering in the bass/mid range and losing some sharpness in the treble to the 794s. So far I am edging towards the 794 or 796 from mission. Has anyone else been able to compare the 3 as I could be easily fooled by the shop setup. I am worried that the shop setup is swaying my decision.

Thanks,

Nathan

 

[josh05]

I would have a look at the Monitor Audio RX-6s, I live in Australia also and there available at quite a few Hi-Fi stores. A lot of people on these forums rate them highly. A dealer i spoke to in Melbourne compared them too the B&W CM-7 and said he preferd the sound of the Monitor Audio's and as you probably may have found out the CM-7s are over $3000 dollars in aus where the Monitor Audio's are only $2200. He described the two as having a similar sound the B&Ws are brighter and more clinical, the Monitor Audio's are more neutral, with a better tonal balance.

I cant really say anything about your choices as i haven't heard them and dont really know anything about them.

 

[chebby]

I have spent far too much time listening to the Focal 716s in the past couple of years.

A friend was using them with his Primare i30 and CA DacMagic/iMac and Rega P3-24 (and Rega Apollo until he got the DacMagic.)

The Focal's sound was warm, boomy & overhung and headachey. I would visit about once a fortnight and his hifi would be on most of the time at different levels from background to 'full-on' with a wide range of material from heavy metal to classical. (So my 'headachey' comment was no exaggeration. I ended up packing Neurofen whenever I visited!)

At the end of last year he replaced the Focals with ATC SCM11s and the improvement was staggering! (No more Neurofens for a start.)

I cannot comment on the other choices you mentioned but I can recommend the ATCs if your pocket can stretch. (No idea what they cost where you are.)

 

[d_a_n1979]

I agree with the M/A RX6 option; very good speakers and I'm not being biased just because I own them.

I demo'd them against a lot of other speakers including the B&W 684's and the QUAD 22L2's and it was a very close call.

IMO the B&W 684's arent bass light at all! They have solid, deep and punchy bass but they do need a good amp behind them to drive them well. Same with the RX6's and the QUAD's too.

I had heard the Missions a while back and didnt like them at all. Poor soundstage and sounded very thin at times. They were well run in as well (they'd had 200plus hours through them as they were demo speakers for a 7.1 system as well)

 

[matthewpiano]

I think it depends on how much room you have.

The Focals need LOTS of space around them otherwise you'll end up with what Chebby described. In a more average sized room you'd be better off looking at the 706V stand-mounts which are stunning speakers for the money.