In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic MKII and 770, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from JBL and Mission.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Mission 770 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL L100 Classic MKII | Mission 770 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1.25" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Pulp | 8" mineral-loaded polyproylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-40k Hz | 42-20,000 Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.60kg / 62.9lbs | 27.20kg / 59.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm | 23-1/4" x 11" x 11-7/8"
590 x 279.4 x 301 mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL L100 Classic MKII and Mission 770 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Mission 770 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that L100 Classic MKII is a 3-way design whereas the 770 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
JBL L100 Classic MKIIMission 770
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Mission 770 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
L100 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the 770 features a 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" mineral-loaded polyproylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
L100 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas 770 has a frequency range of 42-20,000 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the L100 Classic MKII can go slightly deeper then the 770's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L100 Classic MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 770 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L100 Classic MKII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 770's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the JBL L100 Classic MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission 770, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
L100 Classic MKII and 770 have the same power range of 25-200 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
L100 Classic MKII features Five-way gold-plated binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 770 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Mission 770's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L100 Classic MKII has a front firing port whereas 770 has a Front firing ports. JBL L100 Classic MKII's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Mission 770 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare JBL L100 Classic MKII's and Mission 770's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) whereas Mission 770 has external dimensions of 590 x 279.4 x 301 mm (23-1/4 x 11 x 11-7/8 inch).
JBL L100 Classic MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 110.2mm wider, 46.5mm taller and 70.5mm deeper than Mission 770.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Mission 770 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Mission 770 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the JBL L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the Mission 770 is approximately 841.0cm2 / 130.4inch2. The L100 Classic MKII requires 72% more surface area than the 770 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The JBL L100 Classic MKII weighs 28.60kg / 62.9lbs and the Mission 770 weighs 27.20kg / 59.8lbs. This makes the L100 Classic MKII 5% heavier than the 770.
Here is a comparison of how L100 Classic MKII and 770's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic MKII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L100 Classic MKII:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
What's in the Box of Mission 770?
Here are the items that come with the 770:
- Mission M770 Speaker:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- User Manual
- Mission M770 Stand:
- 2 Top-plates
- 2 Bases
- 8 Upright posts
- 8 Spike feet
- Hardware
- Instructions
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
4800USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
590mm
vs
636mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
841cm2
vs
1447cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Mission 770 |
| Brand |
JBL |
Mission |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-40k Hz |
42-20,000 Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
mineral-loaded polyproylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
low-density nitrile |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
Front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
636.5mm (25.1") |
590.0mm (23.2") |
| Width |
389.6mm (15.3") |
279.4mm (11") |
| Depth |
371.5mm (14.6") |
301.0mm (11.9") |
| Weight |
28.60kg (62.9lbs) |
27.20kg (59.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Genuine walnut veneer |
MDF, particle board, wood |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut,Black Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18" |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 42Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | JBL L100 Classic MKII is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Mission 770 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Mission 770 is easier to place; JBL L100 Classic MKII is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | JBL L100 Classic MKII: bi-amping. JBL L100 Classic MKII sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($4,800 vs $5,000 a pair). |
A JBL L100 Classic MKII B Mission 770
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
JBL L100 Classic MKII has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, JBL L100 Classic MKII has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Mission 770 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, JBL L100 Classic MKII is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.