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Mission 770S - silly or savable?

Guitarist 28

Guitarist 28

pfm Member
Hi All,
My first post and I'm really seeking some guidance please.

I recently purchased a pair of old 770S speakers that are certainly in need of some TLC although I got them at a really check price at £33. I can remember how good 770 speakers were when they first appeared back in the late 70s - I was incredible jealous of a couple of friends who had these as I couldn't afford them at time.

It appears they have had some 'reworking'; certainly a change in bass driver from the orginal and the crossover wiring looks 'suspect'. I can happily refurbish the woodwork and I quite competent with electronics (although I dont have a circuit diagram for the crossover/terminal) but before I spend out any money are they actually worth working on?

Thanks in advance

Rob
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65588479@N08/shares/8Z4J04
 
With that bass unit, they are nothing like the original speaker. So, if you enjoyed the 770 back in the day, you will need to replace the bass unit with an original.
 
That looks like a fun project - I remember them well!

Probably better to think 'what's the best speaker I can make out of this' rather than trying to restore them to their original state.

Wilmslow audio could probably give you some good advice on drivers etc.

Have fun!

D
 
They look like the 770F version not the original 770s, the integral stand certainly was a feature of the 770Fs. The 770Fs had the black bass mid driver not the 770's clear/white one.
 
Speaking as the proud original owner - latter day refurbisher of a pair of these..

700+Early+Walnut+Front.jpg


..just go for it :)

I had to fit some cone repair kits - sourced based on advice from here. Fiddly job, but very satisfying to bring them back to life. The sense of having restored a bit of your audio past, coupled to the fact that they still work as well as lots of modern boxes definitely will make it all worthwhile.

For the ultimate in retro-audio chic, I'd love a set of these now to go with my 700s:

mission777.jpg
 
Hi All,
Thanks for your replies. Do I take it that the tweeters (could these be 25TN H377 SEAS units?) and bass drivers are completely non starters for these? I'm glad now that I didn't pay out eny more money on them!

Regards

Rob
 
The bass drivers are Vifa M21WJ-09-08 units. I'm informed that these type of units were used in speakers like Heybrook HB1's.

Regards

Rob
 
-alan- said:
Speaking as the proud original owner - latter day refurbisher of a pair of these..

700+Early+Walnut+Front.jpg


..just go for it :)

I had to fit some cone repair kits - sourced based on advice from here. Fiddly job, but very satisfying to bring them back to life. The sense of having restored a bit of your audio past, coupled to the fact that they still work as well as lots of modern boxes definitely will make it all worthwhile.

For the ultimate in retro-audio chic, I'd love a set of these now to go with my 700s:

mission777.jpg
Click to expand...

Wonderful!

They were my first speakers - fed by a Dual CS505 and a NAD 3020, ah, halcyon days!

D
 
I was hoping to use the 770S's with an old A&R A60 Cambridge (teak outer sleeve & mag pu version) and my Technics SL-PG580. I'm now thinking I'll continue with my old Mission 761i's that I've had for years. I'd love to get a pair of LS3/5a's but they are just too expensive as are most of the older 'reference' speakers.

Rob
 
Gosh!
770 freedoms, I really wanted those or a pair of the 780 Argonauts. Go for it. You are certainly silly.... but it will be huge fun to save them. Have a good time. Let us know how you go.
 
My concern is that it will become cost prohibitive sourcing replacement speakers. They are big b*ggers as well for my man cave too!

Regards

Rob
 
.......also depends how much I sell the current drivers/tweeters too as they dont seem to be in bad condition at all.

Regards

Rob
 
Dougunn said:
Wonderful!

They were my first speakers - fed by a Dual CS505 and a NAD 3020, ah, halcyon days!

D
Click to expand...

Nad 3020 and a Rega Planar 3 here I'll have you know..

(Next uprade was a Nytech CA202 amp and a s/h LP12, both of which I still have. The Nytech and the 700s currently live atop the cabinets in the kitchen here, providing sterling FM reproduction (attached to a later Linn Kudos tuner). Not bad going for kit bought c. 30 years ago :cool:)
 
They look a lot like my first speakers though they didn't have the stands. May have been a different model. Extremely lively and punchy, a little bass heavy and fruity and paired well with my old Yamaha amplifier which was tonally quite dry. I still recall the specific smell that came from the front ports when pushed hard in normal operation, like a sort of PVC glue whiff. I liked them.
 
I tried all the 770 series a few years back - working through the timeline.

I'm afraid, even with the genuine drivers, the 770S was the least enjoyable of the family. Quite a thin and lightweight sound. You might also find the glue holding the cabinet corners will dry in the next few years but this is fixable if you have the skills, tools and think its worth the time. The standard of construction on the crossover looks about right for Mission at that time - despite mostly decent sound across most of the ranges, they were definitely made to a tight budget.

Personally, I wouldn't bother.

If you find a really good pair of either generation of the 737R (which was a kind of last hurrah for the 770 concept at a slightly smaller size and lower cost tweeter), they're the pick of the survivors IMHO.
 
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