Question Thoughts on Mission 775 turntable

[Halulu]

I am new to What HiFi, and therefore I may be asking a question that has come up before. I've just purchased a Mission 775 turntable (no letter suffices), I would estimate to be from the 1980s. It is not the really heavy version I read about online, but it is pretty heavy. I am absolutely enthralled with it. I substituted it for my old turntable into my sound system, and I am using the same cartridge and stylus as I used on my previous turntable - Ortofon OM with a 20e stylus. The sound is addictive - full spectrum with deep lows, sweet highs, and rich and clearly differentiated mid level tonality.
Granted the turntable I had set up before this was a Pro-ject Primary, so it isn't a fair comparison. However, I only bought the Mission because I wanted to compare this vintage turntable to the Rega Planar 3 with an Exact cartridge that I heard set up in the listening room of a local audio store. The Rega was exquisite, perfectly balanced - like listening to all the levels arrayed as a tower of differentiated and articulated sound constructed for me personally. I gave the decision a few days, during which time I went to a used audio place where they set the Mission up for me with the Ortophon OM cartridge and a 5e stylus. At first, I thought it must be a trick or an auditory illusion caused by something in me that really wanted to discover a special vintage sound. We used to have an older Garrard record player back in the 60s and 70s, but I grew tired of tracking down tubes for the amplifier and we lost track of it. Maybe I was recalling that older style of sound?
Anyway, I have been listening to discs on the Mission 775 for days now and I can't get over how great it is. One thing - I ditched the felt pad and play the records right on the aluminium platter. A subtle but definite improvement.
Does anyone else feel the way I do about the Mission 775?
Thanks for reading this rambling post.

 

[Fandango Andy]

I am new to What HiFi, and therefore I may be asking a question that has come up before. I've just purchased a Mission 775 turntable (no letter suffices), I would estimate to be from the 1980s. It is not the really heavy version I read about online, but it is pretty heavy. I am absolutely enthralled with it. I substituted it for my old turntable into my sound system, and I am using the same cartridge and stylus as I used on my previous turntable - Ortofon OM with a 20e stylus. The sound is addictive - full spectrum with deep lows, sweet highs, and rich and clearly differentiated mid level tonality.
Granted the turntable I had set up before this was a Pro-ject Primary, so it isn't a fair comparison. However, I only bought the Mission because I wanted to compare this vintage turntable to the Rega Planar 3 with an Exact cartridge that I heard set up in the listening room of a local audio store. The Rega was exquisite, perfectly balanced - like listening to all the levels arrayed as a tower of differentiated and articulated sound constructed for me personally. I gave the decision a few days, during which time I went to a used audio place where they set the Mission up for me with the Ortophon OM cartridge and a 5e stylus. At first, I thought it must be a trick or an auditory illusion caused by something in me that really wanted to discover a special vintage sound. We used to have an older Garrard record player back in the 60s and 70s, but I grew tired of tracking down tubes for the amplifier and we lost track of it. Maybe I was recalling that older style of sound?
Anyway, I have been listening to discs on the Mission 775 for days now and I can't get over how great it is. One thing - I ditched the felt pad and play the records right on the aluminium platter. A subtle but definite improvement.
Does anyone else feel the way I do about the Mission 775?
Thanks for reading this rambling post.

No experience of that record player, but if you are enjoying it, that's all that matters. One thing to mention, I wouldn't want to play my records "right on the aluminium platter". You may damage them. If you don't like the felt, try a cork mat.

 

[Halulu]

Thanks for the advice! I'll check out the cork mat.
BTW, I didn't come up with the putting the record right on the aluminium myself. I read it in a review of Mission turntables: https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=vinyl&n=61878&highlight=

 

[Fandango Andy]

Thanks for the advice! I'll check out the cork mat.
BTW, I didn't come up with the putting the record right on the aluminium myself. I read it in a review of Mission turntables: https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=vinyl&n=61878&highlight=

A cork mat is soft but dense so may not have a positive effect, but should be quite "dead" so shouldn't have a negative one. Worth a try for £20!

With regard to putting the record directly on the aluminium, I could be wrong, I would just follow the principle of not putting a record against anything harder than the vinyl.

 

[Halulu]

What about a rubber mat?

 

[Fandango Andy]

What about a rubber mat?

Works in theory. Try it out if you have one.

 

[Al ears]

By getting rid of t he mat you are essentially altering the VTA of the tonearm. This may or may not be noticeable.
Ideally you want to replace it with something of the same thickness assuming arm was correctly set up to start with.

 

[Halulu]

I started using the rubber mat. It's the same thickness as the felt. I measured them. Great effect. Much better sound than when using the felt. The turntable was properly set up with the felt, so I suspect the only difference is the material.
In any case, I am still interested in thoughts from people who have tried the Mission 775. The mat material has been an interesting side conversation, though. Thanks for the help!

 

[Rodolfo]

Geez... had missed that "The Mission System" included a turntable. I still have the 700 speakers, still driven by the original Cyrus One amp -from that era.

Hope you get more input on experiences with the turntable.

 

[Halulu]

I've heard your speakers and amp are legend. Never heard them myself. I decided to buy the 775 turntable because of what I read about it. It came in different guises, so I'm not sure which exact manifestation I have, but it really blew me away when I heard it and I'm continuing to enjoy it. Really a great stage for records. I am rather amazed that it isn't talked about more.

 

[dc23]

I am new to What HiFi, and therefore I may be asking a question that has come up before. I've just purchased a Mission 775 turntable (no letter suffices), I would estimate to be from the 1980s. It is not the really heavy version I read about online, but it is pretty heavy. I am absolutely enthralled with it. I substituted it for my old turntable into my sound system, and I am using the same cartridge and stylus as I used on my previous turntable - Ortofon OM with a 20e stylus. The sound is addictive - full spectrum with deep lows, sweet highs, and rich and clearly differentiated mid level tonality.
Granted the turntable I had set up before this was a Pro-ject Primary, so it isn't a fair comparison. However, I only bought the Mission because I wanted to compare this vintage turntable to the Rega Planar 3 with an Exact cartridge that I heard set up in the listening room of a local audio store. The Rega was exquisite, perfectly balanced - like listening to all the levels arrayed as a tower of differentiated and articulated sound constructed for me personally. I gave the decision a few days, during which time I went to a used audio place where they set the Mission up for me with the Ortophon OM cartridge and a 5e stylus. At first, I thought it must be a trick or an auditory illusion caused by something in me that really wanted to discover a special vintage sound. We used to have an older Garrard record player back in the 60s and 70s, but I grew tired of tracking down tubes for the amplifier and we lost track of it. Maybe I was recalling that older style of sound?
Anyway, I have been listening to discs on the Mission 775 for days now and I can't get over how great it is. One thing - I ditched the felt pad and play the records right on the aluminium platter. A subtle but definite improvement.
Does anyone else feel the way I do about the Mission 775?
Thanks for reading this rambling post.

I don't have any experience with a Mission turntable, but I've been a fan of their speakers since the 1970s. The 770s are classics, and, I understand, still being made. I had a pair of 727s back in the day. I remember them fondly.

 

[Gray]

The 770s are classics, and, I understand, still being made.

Yes, once again being made and yours for just £3,300 👍
I had the little 700 model, which is also back in production.

(These days, where there's a 'classic', there's a worthwhile profit to be had).

 

[Al ears]

And there was me thinking this thread was about turntables, it is in the correct subforum after all.

 

[Halulu]

I had hoped to find people with experience of the Mission turntables, but it's nice to hear about the classic speakers as well. I really think the 775 turntables deserve attention too, though.

 

[Al ears]

I had hoped to find people with experience of the Mission turntables, but it's nice to hear about the classic speakers as well. I really think the 775 turntables deserve attention too, though.

It doesn't seem to have received much attention when it first came out.

 

[Halulu]

I couldn't find a lot either. However, from what I could find it seems that its design was atypical of turntables at the time, emphasizing mass over isolation.

 

[Rui]

I was a fan of mission speakers and ended up buying a cyrus system that amazed me but the turntable i guess with all being from the same brand i liked it more or less depending on the music genre .

I ended up selling all to a friend, because where i live one drives 450 kms to buy mission components, so i said to some friends one friday night and sunday at 18h one friend phoned me , i made a discount .

After some time other told me "if you asked more he would had pay you", but i had it for a year and a half ,it was in mint condition but never the less i was happy with the money he paid me. that went all to buy some JBL speakers ,good JBL not those cheap speakers that have no sound quality, since the 70´s it as been one of the best brands i ever owned

 

[Al ears]

I was a fan of mission speakers and ended up buying a cyrus system that amazed me but the turntable i guess with all being from the same brand i liked it more or less depending on the music genre .

I ended up selling all to a friend, because where i live one drives 450 kms to buy mission components, so i said to some friends one friday night and sunday at 18h one friend phoned me , i made a discount .

After some time other told me "if you asked more he would had pay you", but i had it for a year and a half ,it was in mint condition but never the less i was happy with the money he paid me. that went all to buy some JBL speakers ,good JBL not those cheap speakers that have no sound quality, since the 70´s it as been one of the best brands i ever owned

Nice story but I don't see what it has to do with the OPs question

 

[Rui]

Nice story but I don't see what it has to do with the OPs question

what i meant is that the turntable allthough i´m used to like components released by Mission it didn´t look to me a strong and well built but it sounded good ,but not with all music genres ,the factor that made me sell all, if it was so good as they say ,i would have kept it but ,NO it´s not a aceptable turntable and it´s price is very high for such quality ,some might only liosten to one or two styles of music and stay happy with it ,but in my opinion isn´t , allthough it is good for some , i guess the other coment was more related to what i did in genearal not wanting to put down a product by mission that is always a quality source but not for all in terms of the style of music one hears.

 

[Al ears]

what i meant is that the turntable allthough i´m used to like components released by Mission it didn´t look to me a strong and well built but it sounded good ,but not with all music genres ,the factor that made me sell all, if it was so good as they say ,i would have kept it but ,NO it´s not a aceptable turntable and it´s price is very high for such quality ,some might only liosten to one or two styles of music and stay happy with it ,but in my opinion isn´t , allthough it is good for some , i guess the other coment was more related to what i did in genearal not wanting to put down a product by mission that is always a quality source but not for all in terms of the style of music one hears.

Have you actually owned this turntable??
If not this is just pure waffle and hearsay...