MISSION QX MKII SERIES LOUDSPEAKERS LAUNCHED

Mission’s QX Series launched in 2017 as a step-up from the company’s entry-level LX Series.

Four years on and Mission has re-engineered the QX Series inside and out, applying enhancements to once again deliver a benchmark ‘step-up’ loudspeaker range, the Mission QX MkII, sitting above the entry-level LX MkII Series which launched in 2020.

The range of Mission QX MkII Series Loudspeakers

The new Mission QX MkII Series includes six passive models, two standmount speakers, three floorstanders and a centre speaker for home cinema systems. A new active subwoofer, the QX-12SUB MkII, has also been developed to complement the range.

MISSION QX MKII SERIES

The new MkII models are outwardly similar to the original QX Series speakers, the cabinets are the same size, with similar detailing including curved cabinet corners and smoothly dished drive units with ‘comb tooth surrounds. But there are external enhancements, not least the new, tactile matt black and matt white finish options. For those who prefer traditional wood finishes, a walnut veneer is also available.

The Mission QX-5 MkII

Redesigned aluminium plates are clamped to the top and bottom of the cabinets, a detail that adds mass and enhances rigidity, thereby reducing cabinet resonance. The arc-shaped cabinet corners are also more than merely stylish; they are designed to smooth diffraction from the drive units and yield better power distribution into the room. In terms of appearance, the QX MkII Series evolves the QX design in a way that is distinctly ‘Mission’.

NEW RING DOME TREBLE UNIT

The centre of a typical tweeter dome can be seen to move in anti-phase to the rest of the dome, this is called ‘cavitation’, because the centre of the dome looks as though it is sinking into a cavity while the rest of the dome is moving forwards.

The new ring dome treble unit of the Mission QX MkII Series Loudspeakers

The Mission QX MkII Ring Dome treble unit addresses this issue. Unlike traditional dome tweeters, the centre of the textile dome is fixed, and the voice coil is attached part way down the dome. This forms the dome into two rings with the voice coil in the centre, enabling it to drive the dome more accurately and efficiently. The result is lower distortion at frequencies well in excess of 20kHz.

Rearward radiation from the QX MkII Ring Dome unit vents into an enclosed chamber filled with damping material, acting like a dedicated ‘cabinet’ for the high-frequency driver. Resonances are absorbed and the back pressure on the dome is greatly reduced.

DIADRIVE BASS/MID DRIVER

The Mission QX MkII Series features the latest version of Mission’s DiaDrive bass/midrange drive unit, where the usual cone and dust cap arrangement is replaced by a seamless curvilinear diaphragm. This is directly driven by a secondary sub-cone connected to the voice coil.

The Mission QX MkII Series Loudspeakers new DiaDrive Bass/Midrange driver

The QX fibre-composite diaphragm has been re-engineered for the MkII range, now incorporating long acrylic fibres to achieve improved stiffness with superior self-damping. The unit is now vented to remove trapped air behind the diaphragm, reducing resonance and allowing a clearer midrange performance to beyond 3kHz. A high-strength ferrite magnet ensures that the magnetic field is directed precisely within the area of voice coil excursion.

The two standmount models in the QX MkII Series feature DiaDrive units positioned according to Mission’s Inverted Driver Geometry (IDG), with the bass/mid driver sited above the treble unit rather than below to aid time-alignment – a Mission trademark since the 1980s. Placing the bass/mid driver closer to ear level with the treble unit positioned beneath helps to equalise the path lengths from the two drivers’ acoustic centres, so that the sound waves coincide at the listener’s head height.

The Mission QX-2 MkII

D’APPOLITO DRIVER ARRAY

The two-way QX-3 MkII and QX-4 MkII floorsanders extend IDG to a full D’Appolito array, siting the treble unit between a pair of DiaDrive bass/mid units – one above, one below. The largest model in the range, the QX-5 MkII, is a three-way design incorporating a dedicated 30cm bass driver positioned at the side, thus maintaining a slim cabinet front while extending bass down to 27Hz.

The Mission QX MkII Series Loudspeakers D’Appolito driver array

The original QX Series pioneered the use of ‘comb-tooth’ serrations in the driver surrounds to scatter interfering reflections from localised surfaces to the bass/mid cones. Detailed analysis has enabled further optimisation of these serrations for the MkII models, minimising airflow interference and maximising the effective scattering of reflections. Tapered indentations have also been added to the treble unit’s surround, further smoothing frequency response.

Similar indentations are incorporated into the slot-shaped reflex ports exiting at the rear of the cabinets; the flair of these ports is serrated, which helps to smooth the high-pressure airflow, while the asymmetric shape breaks up the ‘chuffing’ sound that can be produced by regular circular ports.

ACTIVE SUBWOOFER

The six passive models in the Mission QX MkII Series are joined by a new active subwoofer, the QX-12SUB MkII. The new sub incorporates a 30cm (12-inch) bass cone, formed from a special pulp fibre formulation with excellent self-damping properties. This combines with a powerful 300W Class D amplifier and a ported, rigidly braced enclosure.

A range of facilities include low-pass filter adjustment from 40Hz to 150Hz (@33dB), enabling the user to set the crossover frequency for seamless system integration, plus volume adjustment, a phase inversion switch and auto on/off sensing. RCA inputs are provided for stereo line-level connection or a dedicated LFE feed. The QX-12SUB MkII comes in a choice of matt black, matt white or walnut finish, matching the rest of the QX MkII Series.

The new active subwoofer

MISSION QX MKII SERIES PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

All seven models in the Mission QX MkII Series are available from September in a choice of soft-touch matt black or white, or walnut wood veneer.

QX-1 MkII – £299 per pair

QX-2 MkII – £399 per pair

QX-3 MkII – £799 per pair

QX-4 MkII – £899 per pair

QX-5 MkII – £1099 per pair

QX-C MkII – centre speaker – £349

QX-12SUB MkII – active subwoofer – £499

HiFi Pig Says: The new Mission QX MkII series of speakers looks like a comprehensive range of very affordable loudspeakers.

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